On Saturday, Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro was graced by Shakira for a free concert that drew approximately 2 million people. This marked the largest gathering of her career and highlighted the city’s use of such mega-shows to attract visitors and international attention to the “Todo Mundo no Rio” festival.
The event, which took place on the iconic shoreline, also aimed to boost tourism during May. Shakira kicked off the night with a drone display projecting an image of a wolf over the beachfront as she addressed the crowd in Portuguese.
She sang hits like Hips Don’t Lie and Waka Waka, alongside Brazilian stars Anitta, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania, and Ivete Sangalo. The concert was estimated to have generated about 800 million reais ($161.45 million) for Rio’s economy, benefiting various sectors including hotels, restaurants, transport, and retail.
Rio officials confirmed that the “Todo Mundo no Rio” festival will remain on the city’s official events calendar through at least 2028.