RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) 鈥� Colombian superstar gave a free concert on Copacabana Beach in on Saturday night, an event that the city’s mayor said drew 2 million people to one of the world鈥檚 most iconic waterfronts.
The performance followed similar shows by and last year, which also were attended by huge crowds that danced on the sprawling sands. For Shakira, it was part of her or 鈥淲omen No Longer Cry,鈥� world tour named after her 2024 album.
Shakira’s set kicked off around 11 p.m., 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, 鈥淚 love you Brazil鈥� in Portuguese.
The megastar spoke fondly about the first time she came to Brazil, some three decades ago.
鈥淚 arrived here when I was 18 years old, dreaming about singing for you,鈥� Shakira told the crowd shortly after coming on stage. 鈥淎nd now look at this. Life is magical.鈥�
The much-loved pop star sang fan favorites such as 鈥淗ips Don鈥檛 Lie,鈥� 鈥淟a Tortura鈥� and 鈥淟a Bicicleta.” She ended with 鈥淏ZRP Music Sessions #53/66,鈥� which followed her separation from Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqu茅.
She also took the time to celebrate women鈥檚 resilience during the show. 鈥淯s women, every time we fall we get up a little wiser,鈥� she said.
One of the first places where Shakira became successful
Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said on X that 2 million people attended the performance. 鈥淭he She-Wolf made history in Rio,鈥� he posted, referring to Shakira’s 2009 hit.
When Shakira first performed in Brazil in the 1990s, she established an amazing connection with the Brazilian public, according to Felipe Maia, an ethnomusicologist pursuing a doctoral degree in popular music and digital technologies at Paris Nanterre University.
That success in Brazil 鈥渉as a lot to do with the fact that she comes from Colombia, a country whose culture has many similarities with Brazil,鈥� Maia said, adding that Saturday鈥檚 performance 鈥渃rowns the relationship she has had with Brazil for a very long time.鈥�
Erica Monteiro, a 38-year-old accountant, said she has listened to Shakira since childhood.
鈥淔or me she represents the strength of our Latino community,鈥� Monteiro said ahead of the concert. 鈥淲e鈥檙e treated as if we were inferior but in fact we have much more strength.鈥�
Heading home after Saturday’s show, Hellem Souza da Silva said Shakira’s performance, in Sao Paulo in February, helped consolidate Brazil’s Latino identity.
These artists 鈥渁re making it clear that Brazil, Puerto Rico, Colombia and other countries are part of Latin America. And that America is not the United States,鈥� she said.
Crowds started piling onto the beach Saturday morning to nab a good spot for the show. sold sweet corn and other Brazilian snacks, bottled water and caipirinhas, the popular Brazilian cocktail, but also toilet paper, deodorant and even bags of sand for concertgoers to stand on to get a better view of the stage set up opposite Copacabana Palace, a historic luxury hotel.
Street vendor Simone Paula da Cunha arrived on the beach on Friday evening, hoping to sell all the beer and water bottles she had bought ahead of the show and make about $100 in all.
Despite being tired, da Cunha was excited at the prospect of seeing Shakira live. 鈥淚 remember her from when she still had black hair,鈥� she said. 鈥淚’m a huge fan of hers.鈥�
An effort to boost the city’s post-Carnival economy
The free concerts are part of City Hall’s attempt to boost economic activity after and New Year鈥檚 Eve festivities and before the monthlong Saint John鈥檚 Day celebrations in June.
鈥淔or us, parties are serious business. Because parties generate jobs, income, development, and identity for the city,鈥� Cavaliere, the mayor, said on Wednesday as he presented the city鈥檚 operational plan for the event. 鈥淥ur investment in this show will give us a financial return 40 times greater,鈥� he said.
Shakira鈥檚 performance could generate around 777 million reais (around $155 million), according to a study by City Hall and Riotur, the municipality鈥檚 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 鈥� 2024 and 2025 鈥� compared to 2023, according to City Hall data. In 2024, the growth was 34.2% on May 1, just ahead of the concerts, compared to the previous year. In 2025, the increase was 90.5% compared to 2023.
Ahead of Shakira鈥檚 performance, Airbnb said in an April 22 statement that it was seeing an increase in guests expected to travel from different parts of , Latin America and even European capitals such as Paris and London.
Wanderson Andrade, a 30-year-old architect, said he flew in especially for the show from the city of Goiana in central Brazil on Saturday and planned to fly back the following day.
鈥淚 tried to get tickets to see her in Brazil last year but I didn’t succeed,鈥� said Andrade, whose first tattoo is a wolf in honor of Shakira. 鈥淭oday is a dream come true.鈥�
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