From singing in the ‘Shower’ to dancing in the rain, Becky G proudly represents Latinos on the TODAY plaza

My alarm goes off at 4:55 a.m. and my first thought is: “I wonder what time Becky G got up today?”

It’s Becky’s return to the TODAY stage for her TODAY Citi Concert after performing her hit song “Shower” almost 10 years ago. Looking outside, it appears as if she’ll be “singing in the shower” as the rain starts to pour.

As a Southern California gal — just like Becky, who hails from Inglewood — I’m not the biggest fan of the rain. But having the opportunity to see a Mexican American Latina just like me on the TODAY show stage is a career and life highlight.

Walking to the plaza, there’s a slew of people already rocking their orange TODAY ponchos and holding umbrellas, braving the rain to get a glimpse of their favorite Chicana.

Dancers and musicians are already on stage for soundcheck, and when the crowd sees a casually dressed Becky making her way outside, they erupt in cheers.

If there is any worry about the rain, you couldn’t tell from the 26-year-old’s huge smile. “Becky, Becky, Becky!” the fans chant, and she waves to the crowd and laughs, before rehearsing the first song she will perform, “Mamiii,” her hit with Karol G.

Zeke Ynoa, 24, and his three friends woke up at 3 a.m. and made their way from Brooklyn to see Becky. Ynoa says he’s been “waiting my whole life” to see the global superstar.

“I’ve (been a fan of) Becky since she sang ‘Shower,’ back in 2014, and I’ve kept following her career. She’s Latina, I’m Latino from the Dominican Republic, and she’s just really inspiring.”

The Latino pride is alive and well, with Mexican flags raised in her honor, and people from all over Latin America in attendance.

One mom, Carolina Esquivel, brought her four children to see Becky. They just moved to New York three months ago from Peru and seeing Becky was “a must,” she says in Spanish.

“We are so excited to see her,” Esquivel says, adding that Becky is beautiful inside and out. “To get the chance to see her, hear her sing and enjoy the experience, we don’t care about the rain.”

Showtime is just around the corner and during her time on the 3rd Hour of TODAY, Becky has a special announcement for her fans. It’s pouring now, but we are more than ready to dance along to her songs.

Dressed in a white lace corset with matching lace pants and white raincoat, Becky belts out “Mamii” as fans sing along to the tune.

“¿Cómo estamos mi gente!?” she says in Spanish, asking her fans how they are doing despite before singing “Arranca.”

Then, in what may be a Citi Concert Series first, a band consisting of a trombone, an alto horn, requinto acoustic guitar and double bass take the stage to accompany Becky as she performs the song “Chanel,” which she recorded with regional Mexican singer Peso Pluma.

Hearing the corridos tumbados genre on TODAY gets the crowd singing along even louder.

Midway through her set, Becky reveals the name of her third studio album, “Esquinas” (“Corners”). The Mexican music LP is “a love letter” to her grandparents, her culture and the next generation, she says.

“I have always identified not this side or that side of the streets that raised me, but the corner, where two flags, two cultures, two languages meet,” she told the 3rd Hour hosts. “I’m the 200 percent. I’m proud to be Latina and I’m proud to be from Inglewood.”

That sentiment hits hard for the Latino crowd — and me, who at times has not felt fully Mexican or fully American. Throughout her career, Becky has made it OK to speak in Spanglish — “Pocha Power” she’s known to say, which is someone whose Spanish is limited and speaks with an American accent — and to embrace both cultures.

Becky G performing on the TODAY show (Nathan Congleton / TODAY)

That’s the power that Becky has, inspiring Latinos and her community.

One fan celebrating her 20th birthday got a special moment with Becky during the show. The fan shared how her father, Alejandro, had been in and out of the hospital because of kidney failure, and they listened to Becky’s music to help “us go through the tough times when he comes home.”

Standing in the rain with her cousin and sisters since 3 a.m., the fan told Becky, “You’re an inspiration to all of us Mexican Americans. You keep doing what you do because without your speeches, every time you say something inspiring to us, we can keep going.”

By the time Becky belted out her final song, “Shower,” the weather lightened up. “The shower is over,” Becky happily says after performing and wrapping up her performance.

Despite the show being over, fans kept yelling “otra, otra,” which means, “another” song. They also yelled out “Mayores,” her song with a then-rising Bad Bunny, in hopes she would sing one more song.

Becky takes the time to take selfies with fans, sign autographs and chat with people before she heads inside to do her interview.

Becky G fans who braved early morning rain showers display a Mexican flag on the TODAY plaza on Friday. (Liz Calvario / TODAY)

She thanks people in Spanish and English for coming out and standing in the rain. “It’s so incredible. So amazing,” she says of her fans’ dedication. “Hasta veo la bandera de México. I see Mexico’s flag everywhere. That makes me so proud.”

After her decade-plus career, Becky will finally be headlining her first tour, “Mi Casa, Tu Casa,” in the U.S.

“I’m inviting everyone to Casa Gomez, which is my last name, and it’s gonna be a beautiful experience to sing all my songs live with all my fans,” she says.

Back inside the studio, and after an outfit change, Becky is the consummate professional, charming everyone that she crosses and proudly representing Latinas and her “gente” (or “people”).

If there’s one thing Becky’s fans can count on is to see her be her authentic self, whether that’s on stage, answering rapid-fire questions or holding our TODAY tiny mic.

She’s a classic California cool chica with a bright and wide smile at all times. And just like she inspires the fans I spoke to earlier in the day, she’s inspired me to not let a little rain put a damper on an unforgettable experience.

This SoCal gal can now go back to Los Angeles with a story about how Becky brought an array of Latin sounds to the TODAY plaza. But first, after an early wake-up call, a nap — and hopefully one for Becky too.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com