Shakira shut down Times Square, and it’s not even New Year's Eve. That’s right, on a random Tuesday night, Shakira stans gathered by the thousands for a free pop-up show at the iconic tourist destination.
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Announced just hours earlier on her social media, reports say around 40,000 fans flocked to watch Shakira perform in celebration of her first LP in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, released last Friday.
In addition to Shakira’s social media call to action, a huge electronic billboard right in the middle of Times Square announced the free show with a clock counting down to its start.
As the crowd enthusiastically chanted from ten to zero two large doors hidden in the jumbotron opened to reveal Shakira on the TSX Stage, starting the show off with the fan-favorite, “Hips Don’t Lie.”
“Hola New York! Wow this is amazing, absolutely insane, incredible to be here at Times Square,” she said immediately after in Spanglish. “It’s so awesome to see you again, to sing for you… Nothing compares to this. Thank you so much for all the love that you’ve been giving me this week during the release of my new album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. And thank you, thank you, thank you for showing up.”
Next Shakira went on to dazzle the crowd with hits like “TQM,” “Cómo Dónde y Cuándo,” “Te Felicito,” and “Puntería,” before closing out the show with her recent hit “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53.”
The surprise performance took place the day after Shakira’s appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, where she performed “Puntería” and spoke candidly about her relationship with ex-husband, soccer star Gerard Piqué. Revealing why it took her so long to follow up 2017’s El Dorado, “Now I’m husbandless,” Shakira declared. “The husband was dragging me down. Now I’m free. Now I can actually work.”
After all the excitement, Shakira once again took to her socials to thank all her fans and everyone who attended the pop-up show. Alongside a clip, Shakira wrote, “What an insane experience!! 40,000 of you in Times Square, I have goosebumps! Thank you for such an amazing welcome and for coming to party with me NY! #ShakiraTSX #LMYNL,” also sharing the YouTube link to entire show. Check out the post and the entire performance below.