Colombian superstar Shakira will perform a free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night, with officials expecting around two million attendees. The event follows similar shows by Madonna in 2024 and Lady Gaga last year, drawing huge crowds to the iconic waterfront.
The concert is part of Shakira's 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran' world tour, named after her 2024 album. In an interview with Brazil's TV Globo, she said she expects it to be the biggest of her career. 'For me it’s a dream. I always dreamed of singing on this beach, because I think it’s a magical place,' she said in Portuguese.
Brazil was one of the first countries where Shakira found success in the 1990s, according to ethnomusicologist Felipe Maia. He attributed her popularity to similarities between Colombian and Brazilian cultures. Saturday's performance 'crowns the relationship she has had with Brazil for a very long time,' he said.
By Saturday morning, crowds had begun gathering on the beach. Street vendors sold food, drinks, toilet paper, deodorant, and bags of sand for better views. DJs will perform from late afternoon, with Shakira's set scheduled for 9:45 p.m. local time, lasting around two hours. Another DJ will follow to help with an orderly exit.
The free concert is part of Rio's effort to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Year's festivities. Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said the investment would yield a financial return 40 times greater. A City Hall study estimated the event could generate around 777 million reais ($155 million) from tourism spending.
Rio saw a 34.2% increase in tourists on May 1, 2024, compared to the previous year, and a 90.5% increase in 2025, ahead of the concerts. Airbnb reported a rise in bookings from Brazil, Latin America, and European capitals such as Paris and London.
