Shakira’s back in Spain — and she’s bringing 12 nights of ‘Hips Don’t Lie’

Shakira returns to Spain for the first time since 2018 with a 12-concert run in Madrid that will also close out her world tour. — AFP pic

First Published: Saturday, 19 Sep 2026 10:07 AM MYT

MADRID, Sept 19 — Shakira will kick off on Friday evening a marathon twelve-concert run in Madrid, bringing an end to both her world tour and the Colombian superstar’s eight-year absence from Spain.

The 49-year-old Hips Don’t Lie and Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) singer will take to a temporary 50,000-seater “Shakira stadium” erected in the south of the Spanish capital up till October 11, according to events giant Live Nation.

With no other European tour dates announced, Madrid’s authorities are expecting a significant economic windfall from her grand return, after welcoming fellow Hispanic superstar Bad Bunny in May and June for a series of 10 gigs.

Shakira has not performed in Spain since 2018, several years before her separation from former Spanish footballing great Gerard Pique was made public in 2022.

She embarked on a world tour in February 2025 to promote Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women no longer cry), an album inspired by her breakup with the legendary Barcelona defender which won her a fourth Grammy award.

Across her decades-long career, Shakira has sold more than 95 million records worldwide and performed at both the opening ceremony and final of the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) was also the official song for the 2010 tournament in South Africa, the first-time world football’s premiere showcase was held on the continent.

Her return to Madrid also comes after she paid a €7.3 million fine (RM34.2 million) in November 2023 as part of an agreement with the Spanish courts, in which she pleaded guilty to avoid having to stand trial for tax fraud.

In the high-profile affair, Shakira also paid the Spanish taxman €17.45 million to settle her affairs in the country. — AFP