CONCERT CAPSULE: SHAKIRA
Photo By Valerie Gorham
A review of Shakira's spectacular "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour" at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour” is a must-see for anyone looking for an exciting evening! Being half Colombian, I knew I had to see her when she came to my city, so I attended her concert in Charlotte, North Carolina–the first stop on the North American leg of the tour! My Colombian mom has been a fan of Shakira’s for over 20 years, so we went together and arrived 3 hours before Shakira went on stage.
As we found our seats, a DJ blasted all the best Latin clubbing music. The stage consisted of a giant screen for visuals, which extended into a catwalk. After another hour, the Fugees’ Wyclef Jean, who later joined Shakira on stage for “Hips Don’t Lie,” went on stage and freestyled to some beats. He unfortunately referred to the crowd as “South Carolina” about ten times before being corrected, but he was still extremely energetic and got the crowd warmed up for Shakira.
When the lights finally dimmed, the 50,000 Shakira fans in the arena went wild. She came out of a room on the other side of the floor of the stadium, opposite from the stage, and she walked through the pit, high-fiving and fist-bumping her fans. Then, she got up on the catwalk and spent the next 3 hours delivering an extravagant musical performance. She sang, she played guitar, she belly danced, and she smiled through the entire show. She played every fan favorite and kept the crowd vibrant and energetic. It was spectacular! My favorite part was when she brought out Alejandro Sanz for their song, “La Tortura,” which is my favorite song of hers. It felt like she did it just for me!
Photo By Valerie Gorham
My only grievances from this concert were with the technology. There were difficulties with the screen at the very beginning of the show, and we missed a lot of the opening visuals. During her song “Ojos Así,” the bass was way too loud, and I could feel the vibrations in my chest cavity. Other than those two things, the sound and visual quality of the show were amazing. The transitions between songs were smooth, and Shakira’s dancing was incredible. With all that dancing, however, she did understandably take a few quick breaks between songs. It never slowed down the pace of the show at all, though.
The greatest thing about the concert is how safe I felt from beginning to end. As someone who has grown up surrounded by Colombian women, I can testify that Colombians (and Latinas in general) are incredibly body-positive, and the stadium was full of them! There was vast body diversity at the Shakira concert, but not a hint of judgment in the air. The women there weren’t afraid to show off, and they all looked gorgeous! It’s definitely a testament to Shakira as an artist, and she’s a great role model for women of any age or race. During the show, she gave a few short speeches about how the last three years have been difficult for her. When her ex, Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué, abandoned her for his mistress, Shakira was heartbroken. But like she said during the show, sometimes when a bad thing happens and we think it’s the end of the world, it’s actually the beginning of a beautiful new journey. Her concert certainly reflects the sentiment of perseverance and strength that she has displayed throughout her separation. After such a terrible heartbreak, Shakira focused on her music, on her children, and on herself. Now, after winning the Grammy for Best Latin Album back in February, her tour is selling out all across North America.
Photo By Valerie Gorham
I strongly recommend attending a show near you if you get the chance. It’s extremely upbeat and way too much fun to pass up!'
Buy tickets to the "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" World Tour here.