Will Smith rocks quarry venue during rebirth in Marbella, in pictures

American multi-faceted entertainer Will Smith was one of the leading and most anticipated acts during the Starlite festival in Marbella. And the actor and rapper conquered the venue's stage on Saturday, 26 July, with continuous references to his roots and past.

Smith connected with the audience even before he appeared on stage. "Marbella! Mi gente! (My people!)" he shouted. He then asked one of his Spanish dancers to translate for him. He ignited the audience and did not stop dancing with an energetic troupe the whole night.

The actor and singer was friendly and vibrant throughout the performance. On several occasions, he went down to be among his fans. At one point, he even called two of them up to dance with him to Tom Jones's It's Not Unusual, the way Carlton Banks danced in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Smith also paid a tribute to late actor James Avory, who played Uncle Phil in the show.

Bad Boys, Wild Wild West and Men in Black reminded the audience of the many faces of Will Smith. Around 40 people, which the rapper had chosen previously through a social media competition, appeared on stage to dance with him.

The concert was seen by many as an attempt to break the ice after three years of criticism against Smith, who slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscar Awards. Smith's behaviour was prompted by a joke Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith, who had her head shaved during the ceremony due to her alopecia condition. Seeking redemption, Smith showed the Marbella audience his Oscar, as he spoke about this recent rough patch in his life.

The American artist began his career on the rap music scene, where he became known as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. He has won two Grammy awards with the group and two for his solo career. In 1992, he began his career in acting, recognised worldwide for roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Pursuit of Happyness and Seven Souls.

Since the 2022 altercation, his career has deteriorated and many of his projects have been directly affected. Marbella is one of the first places to now witness his return to music. Smith also attended the 2024 edition of the Starlite Gala, although as a guest, alongside Antonio Banderas. Through the event, he connected with India Martínez, with whom he later recorded the flamenco and rap fusion First Love.