Nearly 12,000 screaming pre-teen girls, their families and friends gave Selena Gomez what she described as her "most enthusiastic" welcome to a packed Illinois State Fair Grandstand Saturday night. The 18-year-old singer and actress, currently starring in the movie "Ramona and Beezus," also had some special news to share with the audience shortly after beginning her 70-minute set. She said her Disney Channel series "Wizards of Waverly Place" had just received its second Emmy Award for outstanding children's series. She even attempted, unsuccessfully, to phone one of her fellow cast members from the Grandstand stage to share the news. "This is the most enthusiastic crowd I have ever had!" Gomez said, adding a word of thanks to the parents who brought their children to the nearly sold-out concert. "I would be nowhere without you," she said. The tween sensation from Texas, dressed in a black sequined mini-dress, performed 17 songs with her band The Scene, blending her current hits with a few '70s and '80s pop hits that the parents in the audience would recognize. Her younger fans sang along on her biggest hits such as "Round and Round," "Crush," "Kiss and Tell," "More," "Kiss and Make Up," "Naturally" and "Tell Me Something I Don't Know." Meanwhile, the parents got into the act on songs such as Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield" and Pilot's "It's Magic." She dedicated "The Way I Loved You," a slower song with acoustic guitar accompaniment, to "a girl named Danielle who was supposed to be here but was in an accident" — an apparent reference to Danielle Loftus, 14, who was critically injured in a boating accident on Lake Springfield in July. Gomez also included the title track from her latest album, "A Year Without Rain," and introduced "I Don't Apologize" with a reminder to her young fans that "it's OK to be who you are, and I don't appreciate anyone who tries to change me." Until a few days ago the concert had been the second biggest draw of the fair — behind only the sold out, and rained-out, Lady Antebellum concert — with more than 8,000 tickets sold by midweek. However, by the time the show started, the track area in front of the stage was nearly full — as were the Grandstand seats. Some of Gomez's young fans brought signs and posters with them. Others sent text messages to her and opening act Mitchel Musso during the intermission between the two performances. The messages were posted on the large screens on either side of the stage throughout the intermission. Musso, 19, a fellow Disney Channel star best known for his role on "Hannah Montana," performed 12 songs in 50 minutes, including a cover of John Hampson’s "The In Crowd," "Welcome to Hollywood," "Odd Man Out," and "Let's Make This Last 4Ever." About a third of the way through his set, Musso complained of the heat and seemed to briefly be out of breath, but quickly resumed performing with full voice and energy. Clad in a dark tank top and pants for most of the show, he removed his shirt for the final number, to wild cheers and screams from the girls thronging the track and Grandstand.
selena gomez naturally
selena gomez naturally
selena gomez naturally
selena gomez naturally