Live Review: Pitbull – 10th July 2026 – BST Hyde Park, London, UK

As temperatures continue to soar across the capital, BST Hyde Park has once again become the place to be for London’s summer concert season. With one of its strongest line-ups in recent memory already delivering unforgettable performances from Garth Brooks, Maroon 5, ATEEZ, Mumford & Sons and Duran Duran over the past two weekends, Friday’s bill was every bit as impressive. Pitbull’s long-awaited Hyde Park debut wasn’t just another sold-out concert either. Before he’d even stepped on stage, almost 70,000 fans had helped him make Guinness World Record history.

Ahead of the highly anticipated headliners welcome back to London, Kesha delivered an energetic support performance that proved exactly why she’s remained one of pop’s most entertaining personalities. Fifteen years after her last Hyde Park appearance, she returned looking completely at home on the Great Oak Stage.

“London, I’ne not played Hyde PArk in 15 years, are you ready to f*** shit up?” she shouted as TiK ToK kicked things off, instantly getting the crowd singing along. Explaining that many of the songs had been reworked for this tour, the refreshed arrangements gave some of her biggest hits a welcome new edge while still keeping all the fun that made them noughties classics in the first place.

New single FREEDOM. offered a taste of where Kesha is heading next before Only Love Can Save Us Now, Warrior, C’Mon and Out Alive kept the energy building. Blow and Sleazy followed, while BOY CRAZY. arrived after she looked out across Hyde Park and laughed, “Do you know how psychotic it is to see an ocean of my friend Pitbull? It’s psychotic.” – drawing attention to the thousands of fans who were earing bald caps, white shirts and ties and with female fans drawing goaties on their faces with markers.

Cannibal and Take It Off had Hyde Park bouncing, while Praying brought things back down with an emotional finish. Speaking about her own journey, Kesha reflected on becoming “a free woman” and creating a space where everyone feels accepted. It was a heartfelt way to close a set that balanced the party anthems with a reminder of just how much she’s overcome over the past decade.

As much fun as Kesha was, everyone knew who they were really there to see.

Long before Pitbull appeared, Hyde Park had become the world’s biggest gathering of bald caps and sunglasses as fans fully embraced the Mr Worldwide look. Led by BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, an incredible 22,141 people officially took part in the Guinness World Record attempt for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps. Moments later, Guinness adjudicator Will Munford presented Pitbull with the framed certificate before he addressed the crowd.

“This is history in the making,” he smiled, visibly moved by the moment. Reflecting on his family’s journey from Cuba, he thanked the London crowd before adding, “Who would have ever thought a first-generation Cuban would ever be in London, record-breaking and record-making?”

As Welcome to the Jungle rang out across Hyde Park, Pitbull walked on to a deafening reception before launching straight into Don’t Stop the Party, instantly turning the park into one giant open-air nightclub.

Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor), Hotel Room Service and International Love came thick and fast, with Rain Over Me, I Feel Good and Suave keeping the momentum going. Backed by a tight live band, dancers, towering LED screens and slick production, Pitbull barely gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath.

Rather than simply rattling through one hit after another, Pitbull cleverly mixed together huge medleys celebrating both his own catalogue and the collaborations that have made him one of pop’s most recognisable voices. Move Shake Drop, Culo and I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) had Hyde Park in full party mode before We Are One (Ole Ola) felt particularly fitting with football fever sweeping the country.

The collaborations kept coming, with Jennifer Lopez’s On the Floor, Enrique Iglesias’ I Like It and Usher’s DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love flowing seamlessly into Feel This Moment. It’s easy to forget just how many massive pop songs over the past two decades have featured Pitbull somewhere along the way until you hear them all back-to-back like this.

The surprises kept coming too. Lil Jon stormed onto the stage to a huge reception, sending the crowd into another frenzy with Gasolina, Jumpin’ and Damn I Love Miami. Not long after, Kesha returned for Timber, with the pair recreating one of the biggest pop collaborations of the 2010s and earning one of the loudest singalongs of the night.

Time of Our Lives kept the celebrations rolling before Fireball, joined by Los Tucanes De Tijuana, brought pyrotechnics and confetti bursting across Hyde Park. Then came one final surprise. Paying tribute to his English “Baldies”, Pitbull launched into an unexpected cover of Oasis’ Wonderwall. With England’s World Cup quarter-final taking place the following day, the crowd needed very little encouragement to sing every word. Final banger Give Me Everything brought fireworks over the London skyline and wrapped up a hit-filled set that never really took its foot off the gas.

By the end of the night, Pitbull had ticked off just about everything you could ask for. A BST Hyde Park attendance record with 69,999 fans, a Guinness World Record thanks to 22,141 “Baldies”, surprise guests, huge singalongs and nearly two hours of back to back hits. It was exactly the kind of feel-good summer party BST Hyde Park does so well, and one that everyone lucky enough to be there won’t be forgetting any time soon.

Brendon Veevers

::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.