Maluma's meet-and-greet in Miami last week was shut down by authorities after a mob of fans broke coronavirus protocols and gathered in the streets to see the Colombian singer. In an Instagram post last Tuesday, the 27-year-old star encouraged his fans to show up to an art gallery in Wynwood, a neighborhood in Miami, and meet him to celebrate his new visual album 7 Días en Jamaica, which dropped on Jan. 28.
"I want to to see you and take many pictures of us," Maluma wrote on Instagram in Spanish, before telling his fans to wear masks at the event.
But when Maluma rolled up to the event in an SUV, a massive crowd of people, some without masks, swarmed around the singer, which clearly violated the city's COVID-19 social distancing rules.
In an Instagram video that Maluma shared from the event, the mob of fans can be seen surrounding the SUV cheering for the singer and attempting to take photos as Maluma, who was wearing a mask, waved to the crowd from outside the vehicle's sunroof.
NBC Miami confirmed that the event was shut down by authorities due to violating COVID-19 orders.
"Although we had all the security measures, we did not know that many people were going to arrive yesterday and unfortunately we had to leave," Maluma wrote in Spanish in the caption of his video. "However thank you all for going. I love you all to infinity and thank you or supporting #7DJ !!."
According to ET Canada, Maluma later told Reuters, "That was great, having this moment with my fans, I really miss them a lot. That's the only thing I can say: I miss my fans, I miss going on tour."
He added, "The police got there because there were too many people… [when] this COVID thing is over [I] just [want to] go on tour and share this album with my fans."
Want to get the biggest stories from PEOPLE every weekday? Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.
Maluma's surprise new album is a conceptual and visual project that follows the singer during seven days in Jamaica. The first track, "Tónika, features Ziggy Marley, son of Bob Marley.
Taking to Instagram Live minutes before the album-film's release last month, the singer explained how his exciting new project came to be.
"When I was in Jamaica, I had the opportunity to be there with producers and composers for an album that was set to release before Papi Juancho," he said. "We had it ready, but because of COVID we couldn't make the videos so we released Papi Juancho first, but we had all the music ready."
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_zUlf_BeY38
: Maluma Reflects on His Rapid Rise to Global Superstardom: 'I Feel Like I'm Just Starting'
Although the Colombian singer-songwriter's world tour was suspended last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Maluma's popularity has continued to skyrocket. (He even dropped a collab with The Weeknd last fall.)
Last month, he was named the cover star of Elle's February 2021 issue, becoming the first man to ever achieve the honor.
"IT'S MALUMA BABY!!!!! Thank u @elleusa for making me the first male on the cover of the magazine, this means a lottttt to me!" he wrote on social media alongside the cover photo, which features the global superstar rocking green hair.
"Let's keep dreaming and achieving," he added.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
Source: Read Full Article