It first came into life on stage at the height of its success, in 1987's Who's That Girl Tour, as opening act of the show's encore. A performance filled with latin flavors, with spanish guitars, ruffled dresses, boleros and a bull-fighter.
The song would then join The Girlie Show, six years later. M chose to keep the song's original arrangements and added an extra something that would be one of the show's high points: an energetic, masculine, breathtaking dance finale.
We all started suspecting that La Isla was indeed a M favourite, when it appeared on the following tour's setlist, in 2001. The Drowned World Tour featured a Latin/Gypsy section and, of course, the song was one of the high points, in a beautiful acoustic version and raw flaminco dancing.
This one is so dear to me: on June 10, in Barcelona, I was at the front row, on the right side of the stage. We were all together - me, Pedro, Cilla and Maria - and the feeling was overwhelming: M was right in front of us, smiling, singing and playing the guitar. At one point, when she was just playing, we started screaming «TE AMO! I LOVE YOU!» like mad, waving and blowing kisses at her. And she looked in our direction. And gave us that beautiful, unique smile. And said «I love you too», away from the microphone - it was just for us. We were hysterical. The moment was carved in my cells - I can still run every single image and feeling in my mind.
Five years later, jumping the Re-Invention Tour, La Isla came back with an impressive re-arrangement, brilliantly made by Stuart Price. The tropical island was now a place for joyful celebration, and set the tone for M's following performances.
The Live Aid was one of them, picking up Price's version and part of the Confessions' dance routine. But a new, fabulous twist was given, for the whole world to see: Lela Pala Tute! The song's ethnic core was now enhanced and the Latin gave place to Romanian Gypsy folk. Simply amazing.
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