On August 21, fans had a very special reason to celebrate as Howie Dorough marked his birthday with Cafecito Con Howie. I was lucky enough to celebrate Howie D at this awesome event where Howie had custom coffee (with and without alcohol), a fun and enlightening Q and A, and a beautiful acoustic performance of a few tunes we all love.
From the moment the event began, it was clear that this was more than just a birthday gathering. There was so much warmth, personality, and genuine connection throughout the experience. The favors were absolutely beautiful, right down to the thoughtful details. The custom-made cookies were especially adorable and made such a sweet keepsake from the celebration. The mugs were a great touch and thankfully made it home in my suitcase without a crack. And the meet and greet photos are always the best touch to any of these events.
Watch All of the Videos from Cafecito Con Howie!
Of course, one of the biggest highlights was getting to hear Howie sing the Backstreet Boys classic “All I Have to Give” in Spanish. Having heard the song countless times in its original version, hearing it performed in Spanish was such a special surprise. It was something I had never experienced before, and it gave a familiar song an entirely new feeling. It also got me excited to hear what else Howie’s got up his sleeve to come.
And then there’s Howie himself. He is truly a total doll! His name ain’t Sweet D for nothing, and he is so easy to connect with for anyone. He is so much fun to talk to and listen to, whether he’s sharing stories, answering questions, talking about his music, or simply being his naturally charming self. There is such a warmth to him that makes you feel like you could sit and listen to him talk for hours.
One of the things I especially loved about this celebration was seeing Howie embrace and celebrate his Puerto Rican roots. That part of his identity is such a beautiful and meaningful piece of who he is, and it was wonderful to see it woven so naturally into the event. And to see him really start diving into this after so many years of knowing him with the boys was wonderful. His passion and pride really shine through.
It was also exciting to hear more about Howie as a solo artist. While fans have loved him for decades as part of the Backstreet Boys, there is something really special about seeing him step into his own artistic space. He truly shines as a solo artist, and hearing him talk about his music and what’s ahead left me even more excited for the solo work he has coming. And although I’m not a Spanish speaker, I can appreciate the cool sound and sexy nature of his latest single Coqui, especially when Howie’s singing it live accompanied by only a guitar.
The Q&A was another highlight of the event. It was fun, engaging, and gave fans the opportunity to hear directly from Howie. Hearing about his recent accomplishment of learning to fly (literally), and his great skincare genes from him directly was a treat. His personality really comes through when he’s answering questions, and he has a wonderful way of making even his stories and anecdotes feel personal and entertaining.
Overall, Cafecito Con Howie was such a lovely way to celebrate Howie’s birthday. Between the beautiful favors, the music, the Q&A, the celebration of his Puerto Rican heritage, and simply getting to spend time hearing from such a genuinely sweet person, the entire event felt incredibly special.
Here’s hoping this is just the beginning of even more opportunities to see Howie shine in his solo career. I, for one, am definitely excited to hear what comes next!
Editor's Note: Stay tuned for our full interview with Howie D. In the meantime you can watch snippets from the videos above in the Playlist or on our Instagram!