Shakira is ready for her mega free concert in Rio de Janeiro; it will be the biggest performance of her career

Thirty years after her international debut with 'Pies descalzos', Shakira will offer the biggest performance of her career this Saturday, when she will turn Rio de Janeiro into the world capital of Latin pop with a free mega-concert in Copacabana. An estimated crowd of two million people is expected to fill the famous beach, where a monumental 1,345-square-meter stage has been erected in front of the mythical Copacabana Palace hotel, which has been hosting the 49-year-old artist since her arrival on Wednesday. The Colombian thus follows in the footsteps of Madonna, who performed on these same sands in 2024 to 1.6 million people, and Lady Gaga, who gathered 2.1 million in 2025, according to the organizers. Shakira has a historic relationship with Brazil, where she has performed numerous times since 1996. It was precisely in Rio where, in February 2025, she inaugurated her 'Las mujeres ya no lloran' tour, the first in seven years and which has already been crowned the highest-grossing tour by a Latin artist, according to Guinness. She speaks Portuguese fluently and recently collaborated with Brazilian superstar Anitta, who could appear on stage tonight. To generate anticipation before the concert, Shakira has been posting numerous stories on Instagram: from a video in which she packed flip-flops and a revealing bikini in the colors of Brazil before flying to Rio, to her first walk with Sugarloaf Mountain in the background. On Thursday night, she appeared in one of these posts waving to her fans gathered outside the hotel from a balcony. 'Lobacabana' For weeks, all of Rio has been in 'Shaki' mode. Huge posters with her face cover the city. In Copacabana - renamed 'Lobacabana', after her nickname 'loba' - street vendors offer fans, caps, bags, and even small bottles of 'Shakira's tears', a nod to the tour title. Groups of fans have gathered several times on the beach for mass choreography classes with the characteristic hip movements. 'Everyone is eager to see her in person. If I see her, I'll hug her, I'll take a picture with her. I think this energy envelops everyone here in Copacabana,' Randeon Icaro, a 36-year-old hairdresser, told AFP, stationed in front of the Copacabana Palace with dozens of fans. 'All week people have been coming here to the hotel door, to the beach, they want to see the artist and at the same time they want a party, which is wonderful,' celebrated Nicole Ernandes, a 47-year-old DJ. Reinforced security With 100 million records sold, four Grammys, and 15 Latin Grammys, Shakira has conquered several generations with hits like the World Cup anthem 'Waka Waka', 'Hips Don't Lie', or 'Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53', the song she recorded after her separation from former footballer Gerard Piqué and which broke streaming records. Fans from all over Brazil and other countries, especially Latin America, have traveled for the show. According to the official Brazilian tourism agency, air reservations for this week grew by more than 80% compared to 2024. The Rio de Janeiro city hall estimates that the event will inject more than 800 million reais (about 160 million dollars) into the local economy. Authorities deployed nearly 8,000 agents, drones, facial recognition cameras, and 18 checkpoint points with metal detectors, in the largest security operation Copacabana has seen for its mega-concerts. Last year, after Lady Gaga's performance, the police said they had thwarted a bomb attack orchestrated by a group that 'spread hate speech' and targeted the LGBTQ+ community.