Shakira wows millions with free concert in landmark Copacabana beach concert

Colombian pop star Shakira wowed millions with a free concert in Rio de Janeiro on Brazil's legendary Copacabana beach, city officials said.

“I will never forget this performance,” said Shakira at the end of the show, which ran for just under two and a half hours and had been billed as the biggest of her career.

The crowd was estimated at 2 million people, CE Report quotes MIA.

She performed a number of her greatest hits such as “Waka Waka” and “Whenever, Wherever.” Songs such as “Hips Don’t Lie”, “La Tortura” and “She Wolf” were also part of the set list and created a jubilant atmosphere among the fans.

Shakira: Copacabana is “a dream” and a “magical place”

The concert was part of the “Todo Mundo no Rio” (Everyone in Rio) series, through which the city council brings international stars to the coastal metropolis.

In the run-up to the event, Shakira had emphasized her close connection to Brazil. “If planet Earth had an altar, it would be Copacabana beach,” she said on Brazilian television. Copacabana is, for her, “a dream” and a “magical place.”

For the performance, the stage was expanded to around 1,500 square metres, making it larger than at previous shows at the same location.

Preparations were, however, overshadowed by a fatal accident in which a worker became trapped between two lifting platforms during setup and later died in hospital.

Concert series as a key economic factor

The concert series has become a fixture in the city’s events calendar. Last year, US pop star Lady Gaga set a world record for a single concert at the same venue, attracting around 2.5 million visitors.

Back in 2024, Madonna drew some 1.6 million people to the beach.

The city sees the mega-concerts as a major economic driver. It expects the event to generate revenue of around 800 million reais (about $161.5 million).

According to estimates, the majority of the expected visitors came from Rio's metropolitan area, along with tourists from both Brazil and abroad.

Photo: Instagram/shakira