Latin pop queen Shakira delighted crowds of two million that packed Rio’s famed Copacabana seaside beneath a full moon Saturday, delivering fan-favorite hits and phrases of affection for Brazil.
The 49-year-old Colombian famous person took the stage wearing Brazil’s nationwide colours shortly after 11 p.m., greater than an hour delayed, heralded by drones overhead forming the picture of a she-wolf — Shakira’s nickname.
“Brazil, I love you! It’s magical to think that here we are, millions of souls together, ready to sing, dance, be moved and remind the world what really matters,” Shakira advised the group in Portuguese.
“Two million people. The she-wolf made history in Rio,” metropolis mayor Eduardo Cavaliere wrote on X, citing the official tourism physique.
The seaside has hosted the largest divas in pop lately, with Madonna performing for 1.6 million in 2024 and Lady Gaga singing her biggest hits to 2.1 million followers final yr.
Shakira on Saturday carried out hits reminiscent of “Hips Don’t Lie,” “La Bicicleta,” ” La Tortura” and “Estoy Aqui” on an enormous stage exterior the legendary Copacabana Hotel measuring 1,345 sq. meters (14,500 sq. toes).
The live performance, that includes 10 outfit modifications, noticed Shakira performing local-style funk with Brazilian pop star Anitta, and featured company together with Brazilian pop music legends Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania.
With greater than 90 million data bought, 4 Grammys, 15 Latin Grammys and a generation-spanning repertoire together with bangers “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Waka Waka” and “Whenever, Wherever,” Shakira enjoys distinctive recognition in Brazil, the place she has carried out quite a few occasions.
“I’m very inspired by her, she’s a Latin woman at the top,” 26-year-old designer Joao Pedro Yellin advised AFP, wearing an overcoat made from scraps representing Latin American flags.
“She loves Brazil so much and the love she has for us is the love we have for her,” stated superfan Graciele Vaz, who slept on the seaside Friday evening after touring 4 hours from the resort city of Paraty.
“I’ve been a Shakira fan for more than 20 years,” the 43-year-old stated, sporting a big she-wolf tattoo on her again.
Shakira’s 2025 tour kicked off in Rio and has already earned a Guinness World Record for highest-grossing tour for a Latin artist.
Rio has been readying for the live performance for days, with enormous posters blanketing the town.
Copacabana distributors have been busy Saturday hawking beer, caipirinhas, t-shirts and little vials of “Shakira’s tears,” a nod to her present “Women No Longer Cry” tour.
Security was additionally tight, with practically 8,000 officers deployed, together with drones, facial recognition cameras and 18 screening factors with metallic detectors.
Last yr, after Lady Gaga’s efficiency, police stated that they had foiled a bomb plot by a bunch that disseminated hate speech towards the LGBTQ+ group.
Some Shakira followers camped out in entrance of the Copacabana Palace, the place she was staying, hoping to glimpse her at a window.
City officers estimated the occasion would inject greater than $160 million into the native economic system. National tourism officers stated airline bookings have been up 80 % this week in comparison with 2024.
© 2026 AFP