On February 13th, following the release of his new album, CAOS; Miguel, the multi-grammy nominee, visited The Dome in Virginia Beach.
Miguel’s most recent album release, CAOS, went through eight years of critique and careful production. The album explores feelings of love, grief, and politics, and was released following an extremely long hiatus, which only heightened fans’ excitement. CAOS was released on October 23rd, 2025, on the singer’s 40th birthday.
“[My favorite song was] ‘Do You’ because I loved his vocals when he sang it,” said junior Akira Anderson.
Anderson was one of many students to attend the Concert.
The concert began with Jean Dawson as the opener, who referred to himself as “Miguel’s Little Brother,” performing some of his own productions accompanied by a band (consisting of a guitarist, bass guitarist, drummer, and sound engineer). We were unaware of Dawson’s musical career before the concert; however, it was still enjoyable.
At the conclusion of the opener, Miguel entered the stage, which was decorated with a car, while a giant, white pandemonium of his face rose and fell. Fairly early on in the concert, the artist spray-painted “ICE OUT” on the car and gave a small speech.
Due to the excitement, there were numerous incidents where attendees fainted and/or became sick, causing Miguel to have to pause his performance in order for fans to receive proper attention and care.
“My experience was amazing, and he’s one of the best performers I’ve seen. The people passing out was sort of annoying, though, because he had run out of time trying to help them and had to skip some songs and rush out of there,” said Anderson.
Unfortunately, with the rise of technology, it has also become difficult to stay “in the moment” while at a concert. Many of the attendees had their phones in the air, blocking the view of the performer.
Below is a ranking of our top three favorite songs on the setlist, as well as the reasons behind such rankings:
Ari Roberts:
Ranked at Number 1 is “Coffee.” I ranked “Coffee” at number one because of the soulful melody and the overall vibe the song gives. With other songs he has produced, they will have the chorus that gives off a certain vibe, then change it up with the rest of the song, but with “Coffee,” it’s very consistent. The repetition of the chorus has to be one of my favorite parts of the song, aside from the rhyme scheme and overall feeling this song evokes.
“ Adorn” is a classic and my second favorite. Throughout the whole of this song performance, the crowd was singing and engaged with him, moving around the stage. Although towards the last few songs, including this one, Miguel sounded tired, it was still good.
Ranked at Number three is “Sky Walker.”
Rylee Partridge:
Ranked at Number 1 is “New Martyrs (Ride 4 U).” As mentioned earlier, Miguel blended personal stories and feelings, as well as his view on the political state of the country. The production alone was hypnotic in the sense that I played it on repeat, and watching the music video only increased my love for the song. The music video highlights political resistance with a specific scene showcasing protestors yelling into the crowd, mouthing the song’s lyrics, with members of the press covered in bulletproof vests and headgear. It’s a sad, yet empowering message. I loved hearing this song in concert because it is my favorite from the album, and I loved getting to see the other attendees vibe to such a multivalent song.
Ranked at Number 2 is “Coffee.” I ranked this song at number two because it’s honestly such a sickeningly sweet song. The lyricism conveys a man wanting more out of a relationship than something superficial, combined with a soothing melody that allows the listener to focus on the message of the song.
Ranked at Number 3 is “Girl With the Tattoo Enter.Lewd”. This song is a fan-favorite. As soon as Miguel began, the crowd was completely immersed in the moment, with Miguel pausing while the audience sang the lyrics back to him. In this song, Miguel sings about an encounter he had with a woman who left a lasting impression on him, despite their brief encounter. Despite it being an older song of his, it still hits me the same each listen- especially while in concert.
Outside of his undoubtedly rigorous tour schedule, Miguel is currently hosting masterclasses and seminars at New York University (NYU) for the 2025-2026 school year.
Miguel has a talent like few others, completely encapsulating his listeners for years to come.
“I love his All I want is you album,” said senior Tierra Adams. “The album shares so much nostalgia with my childhood with my childhood friends. I think that album is something I will always hold special to me. I remember my old classmate singing his song in English class in 9th grade. It was a blast and such an amazing bonding moment.“
Miguel’s concluding U.S. tour dates last through March 28th, with his final U.S. performance being held at Oakdale Theatre, Connecticut, and his first International tour date being April 13th at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, United Kingdom.
