Pop sensation Shakira drew a massive crowd of 2 million to Rio’s Copacabana Beach on Saturday night for a historic free concert.
The performance followed similar shows by Madonna in 2024 and Lady Gaga last year, where enormous crowds transformed the expansive, sun-drenched sands into a massive, open-air dance floor.
Last night’s performance was a key stop on the Colombian superstar’s "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" world tour. The event turned the iconic waterfront into a giant dance floor, celebrating her 2024 album of the same name.
Shakira's set kicked off around 11:00 p.m. local time, more than an hour after the scheduled slot, to her fans screaming with excitement, and frantic applause as skywriting drones flew overhead, spelling out in the sky, “I love you Brazil” in Portuguese.
The megastar spoke fondly about the first time she came to Brazil, some three decades ago.
Also read: Shakira announces US tour dates
“I arrived here when I was 18 years old, dreaming about singing for you,” Shakira told the crowd shortly after coming on stage. “And now look at this. Life is magical.”
The much-loved pop star sang fan favourites such as “Hips Don't Lie”, “La Tortura” and “La Bicicleta”. She ended with “BZRP Music Sessions” which followed her separation from Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique.
She also took the time to celebrate women's resilience during the show. “Us women, every time we fall we get up a little wiser,” she said.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said on X that 2 million people attended the performance. “The She-Wolf made history in Rio,” he posted, referring to Shakira's 2009 hit.
Shakira's performance could generate around 777 million reais (around USD 155 million), according to a study by City Hall and Riotur, the municipality's tourism company, thanks to the influx of tourists and cash spent in restaurants, hotels and shops.
More tourists headed to Rio in the month of May in the years with shows, according to City Hall data. Ahead of Shakira's performance, Airbnb said in an April 22 statement that it was seeing an increase in guests expected to travel from different parts of Brazil, Latin America and even European capitals such as Paris and London.
Follow us
