Leila

Flying in the band’s private plane, Leila looks out the window to the beautiful Colombian water. Watching the sun fall from the sky, she says to Alejandro, with her eyes glued to the view, “It’s even more magical than I remember it being.” Alejandro smiles and then looks out of his window. In his surprise, he thinks so, too. He didn’t know there were places so colorful and magnificent. It reminds him of what he believes the Garden of Eden would look like. Never in his life has he seen a more profound and magical sunset. The colors of orange and yellow from the sun shine down over the river and the plains as if creating an opening to heaven’s paradise. The view of Colombia touches Alejandro like Leila touches his heart.

The land is magical and beautiful, yet the land is also in much conflict and pain. All the news across the world has only shown the violence and drug problems within Colombia to the point that people forget how precious and innocent the land, culture, and people really are. Alejandro knows this because this is what he sees in Leila’s eyes—nothing but a mix of pain and beauty. Colombia holds a deep and captivating part of Leila’s heart. Home is truly where your heart lies, Alejandro thinks, as he watches Leila look out her window with exuberance.

Stepping off the plane, Leila is glowing as she takes a deep breath and smells the sweet fragrance of her homeland. There are already reporters and cameramen waiting for their arrival. Everyone is excited to see them. They especially want to see Leila. Out of any other place they’ve toured, Colombia is the one place that is so enthusiastic to have Leila there. It isn’t two seconds until Leila is humbled by the press.

Questions and pictures are all centered on her. “Colombia’s Rising Princess” is what they begin to call her in the papers. In Bogota, Leila is asked to join all of Alejandro’s interviews—if you can still call them his interviews. Eighty percent of the questions are intended for Leila. They ask questions such as: “What part of Colombia are you from? How were you discovered? Where did you learn how to dance? What has it been like to tour with such a well-known singer as Alejandro? How does it feel to be home?”