Pop superstar Shakira is slated to perform a free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach on May 2, city officials signaled Wednesday (Feb. 11, 2026), extending the seaside mega-show series that previously drew massive crowds for Madonna and Lady Gaga.
“Confirmed! On time: from now on, charge it to @CavaliereRJ !” Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo da Costa Paes wrote in a post on X, signaling the booking.
“The hips don’t lie and the Rio city hall confirms it: Shakira will be at Copacabana on May 2,” the municipality said in a post on X, in reference to a signature hit by the Colombian superstar, according to AFP.
It has become a staple of Rio’s cultural scene, following Madonna in 2024 and Lady Gaga in 2025. The official confirmation ends weeks of buzz in Brazil about who would snag the coveted beachhead slot.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes had fed the rumor mill with AI-generated teaser clips that made it seem he was appearing with a different lineup of global superstars every time-Slackening hints included Shakira, Britney Spears, Bono, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna. Separately, the mayor had apparently hinted that Shakira was the likely headliner, with more information to come in the form of an official announcement.
The free Copacabana concerts are known for drawing enormous crowds. Lady Gaga’s 2025 show brought an estimated 2.1 million people to the beach, while Madonna’s 2024 performance drew about 1.6 million, according to Rio’s tourism agency, Riotur, as cited by AFP.
Copacabana has historically served as a stage for blockbuster outdoor performances, with past landmark shows from the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart, among others, AFP notes.
Shakira, 49, has performed in Brazil multiple times and most recently toured the country in 2025 as part of her “Women Don’t Cry Anymore” world tour.
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