Colombian pop star Shakira will begin a 12-concert run in Madrid on Friday, marking the end of her world tour and her eight-year absence from Spain.
The 49-year-old singer, known for hits including “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” will perform at a temporary 50,000-capacity venue erected in the south of the Spanish capital. The concerts will run until October 11, according to events company Live Nation.
With no other European dates announced, Madrid authorities are expecting a significant economic boost from the concerts.
Shakira last performed in Spain in 2018, several years before her separation from former Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué became public in 2022.
She launched her world tour in February 2025 to promote her album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry), which was inspired by her split from the former Barcelona defender. The album earned her fourth Grammy Award.
Over a career spanning decades, Shakira has sold more than 95 million records worldwide. She also performed at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Her 2010 hit “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” served as the official song of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the first edition of the tournament hosted on the African continent.
Shakira’s return to Spain also follows a 7.3 million-euro ($8.4 million) fine she paid in November 2023 under an agreement with Spanish authorities after pleading guilty to tax fraud charges.
She also paid Spain’s tax authorities 17.45 million euros to settle her tax affairs in the country.
