By María Angélica Troncoso
Shakira captivated Rio de Janeiro this Saturday with a free mega-concert on Copacabana beach, catapulting herself to become the first Latina to make history on Rio’s legendary sands with the largest show of her entire artistic career.
The Colombian singer drew two million fans, according to Rio’s mayor’s office, who sang along at the top of their lungs for more than two hours to a repertoire packed with hits that have been enjoyed by several generations over the last thirty years.
After opening with “La Fuerte,” the crowd erupted in joy upon hearing a medley of “Estoy Aquí”—one of her first number one hits—and hearing their diva greet them in perfect Portuguese.
“Olá Brasil!” the Colombian singer exclaimed loudly, making several appearances during her performance in perfect Portuguese. She recalled how she “fell in love” with Brazil after visiting it for the first time at age 18.
The queen of Latin pop was met with a resounding ovation from hundreds of thousands of fans when she appeared on a 1,500-square-meter stage, the largest ever erected for this type of show, following a spectacular drone display.
The drones formed the image of a she-wolf in the sky—a symbol of the empowered woman that the artist has projected on her tour—before shaping a silhouette of her face and ending with “Te amo Rio” (I love you, Rio), before she launched into her songs.
Dressed head to toe in a dazzling outfit in the colors of the Brazilian flag, Shakira walked down a long catwalk, greeting her audience up close before launching into her song.
Anitta was the first surprise. She appeared about halfway through the mega-concert to perform “Choka Choka,” the song recently released by the artists, and with which they both thrilled the audience with its catchy rhythm.
Although it was an open secret, the Brazilian singer’s presence was only confirmed when she appeared on the catwalk in a dress as dazzling as Shakira’s, whom she called “Rainha” (queen) upon greeting her.
The second guest, Caetano Veloso, brought the tenderness of children’s songs to the stage with his voice and Shakira’s, performing “O Leaozinho,” one of the Brazilian’s classics.
The singer-songwriter was one of the first artists Shakira discovered when she arrived in Brazil at age 18, during her first tours in the country.
“What an honor,” the Colombian singer said, visibly moved.
As if that weren’t enough, Maria Bethânia, Caetano’s sister and another of the great figures of music in the South American country, joined the Barranquilla native on stage to sing “O que é, o que é,” a Gonzaguinha song that celebrates life and is one of the most emblematic classics of the nation’s repertoire, accompanied by the rhythmic beat of a typical samba drumline.
Caetano, the 83-year-old guitarist and singer-songwriter, and Maria Bethânia, the 79-year-old singer, guitarist, and composer, weren’t the last guests of the Colombian artist.
The set concluded with Ivette Sangalo, with whom the Colombian singer performed “Um pais tropical,” a song they had previously performed together in 2011 at Rock in Rio.
The artist’s biggest free concert showcased the power, joy, and rhythm of Latin culture to the world, further solidifying the Barranquilla native’s position as a role model for all ages across the continent.
The show, part of the annual “Todo Mundo no Rio” event, also marks the end of Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” world tour, which the artist launched in February of last year, also in Rio de Janeiro, as a kind of tribute to Brazil, one of the first countries to welcome her in her early musical career.
Shakira’s audience surpassed that of Madonna, who drew 1.5 million people to this same beach in 2014, and nearly matched that of Lady Gaga, who attracted 2.1 million spectators to Copacabana last year.
