Shakira will kick off a European residency at the Iberdrola Music venue in Madrid, Spain, on September 18, performing across four consecutive weekends as part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour, described as the most successful tour in history by a Latin artist.
But the residency is only part of a larger plan. Shakira announced on Monday that the Madrid shows will anchor Es Latina, a month-long celebration of contemporary Latin culture that she is personally curating, transforming the city for the duration of the event.
The organizers describe the announcement not as a concert lineup but as a cultural platform, with music at its center and a focus on emerging talent from both Spain and Latin America. Shakira brought together a roster of young artists shaping the sound of the next decade, including Amaia, Aria Vega, Gale, Guitarricadelafuente, Lia Kali, Louta, Maro, Nathy Peluso, Santos Bravos and Yerai Cortes, alongside emerging acts Izatkm, Angeles Toledano, J Noa, Nico and Yapi. The lineup is split almost evenly between Spanish and Latin American performers, with women taking center stage in keeping with the tour's name. Artists from RTVE's Benidorm Fest will also take part.
Shakira said the balance was deliberate, describing Spaniards and Latin Americans as two sides of the same culture. She said they share a language, a memory, gestures and long meals together, and that the Atlantic between them stopped being an ocean long ago, becoming instead a bond.
Macondo Park, the heart of the celebration
The centerpiece of Es Latina will be Macondo Park, a temporary city inspired by magical realism that will bring together music, literature, fashion, food, art and dance across eight themed pavilions.
One pavilion, La Biblioteca, created with publisher Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, will celebrate Ibero-American literature built around the work of Colombian Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the books that have inspired Shakira, with daily talks with authors and a book club led by the singer herself.
Another pavilion, El Taller, will showcase emerging Spanish fashion talent alongside established Spanish couture houses through exhibitions and runway shows. It will also host the first Spanish presentation of Isima, Shakira's hair care beauty brand and one of her most ambitious business ventures. Pharmaceutical company Cantabria Labs will present its Heliocare line, focused on daily sun protection.
The Mercado pavilion will put Latin American food at the center of the experience, curated by chef Rafa Zafra and featuring international chefs. Visitors will be able to try arepas and tequenos from P.A.N., along with gluten-free options at the food trucks.
A Shakira museum pavilion will let visitors trace her career through previously unseen material personally selected by the artist, organized into three sections: El Icono Cultural, El Impacto Social and La Celebracion Latina. The immersive experience was created by Jaume de la Iguana. A related space called La Sala, run by insurer Occident, will feature two stages hosting top-tier artists curated by Shakira each day.
Club Loba will serve as a gathering point for her global fan community. Geely, the residency's official car brand, is preparing an interactive activation letting fans sing along to her songs.
Artists and programming still to come
Macondito will extend the park's offerings to families and young children, while Macondo Plaza, described as the heart of the temporary city, will host one of the day's most intriguing announcements: a carnival every night after the concert, evoking the traditions of Barranquilla, Colombia, though full details have yet to be revealed.
The names of the artists who will join Shakira on stage each night remain the most anticipated reveal. Organizers said further top-tier performers and surprises would be announced in the coming days.
The scale of the project reflects long-term research and production work. Organizers say the size of the infrastructure, the scale of the investment and the amount of talent involved have no precedent of this kind in Spain. Shakira had said she planned to spare no expense, and organizers say Monday's announcement backed up that promise. All of the announced artists will perform in connection with the residency at Macondo.
