Shakira Celebrates Decades-Long Career at MetLife: Review

For fans who’d been waiting for Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour to finally touch down in New York (the Colombian superstar spent the first leg crisscrossing across Latin America), a few small obstacles threatened to derail the anticipated spectacle: On the second night of her two-show run at MetLife Stadium on Friday, there was the threat of rain, plus some serious traffic and commuting troubles after a New Jersey Transit strike limited transportation to the concert.

But she-wolf devotees weren’t deterred — and luckily for them, none of obstacles impacted the show too much. The rain held out and though there were slight shuttle delays (fans who kept pouring in through the gate after the show had started), Shakira’s following came out in massive droves: Some arrived in purple wigs like in her “Las de la Intuición” video, others in wolf ears, lots in belly-dancing gear, all eager to see the singer for the first time in seven years. (Her last tour was El Dorado in 2018.)

There’s another reason it’s been important to see Shakira at this particular moment. Her most recent album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran was inspired by some of the most intense heartbreak and personal upheaval she’d ever experienced. Her relationship of 11 years crumbled in front of the world, she lost her dad, and she moved from Barcelona to start over again with her two children in Miami. So much of her last LP, and the arc after, has been about how she’s healed and found herself again — and now, fans were ready to reconnect with her, too. Shakira has described this reunion as a “communion,” and a lot of people were there to show much they care and support her.

Shakira’s opener and longtime friend Pitbull already warmed things up and had the crowd screaming before the singer took the stage around 9 p.m. Right then, a seismic roar shook the stadium and out stepped the global icon, backed by a throng of dancers, ready to dive into the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran cut “La Fuerte.” The whole first part of the show was made up of recent hits from the revenge-of-the-she-wolf era she’s been embracing.

Dressed in multiple sparkling costumes (there were 13 wardrobe changes total), Shakira sang multiple songs that capture her vibe right now: stress-free and single, strutting in a sparkly dress with a cocktail in hand at one point. Puerto Rican superstar Rauw Alejandro popped out for the robot romance of “Te Felicito;” Shakira later pulled off intricate pole choreography for the carefree bachelorette anthem “Soltera.” For “Hips Don’t Lie,” another surprise guest greeted the audience: Wyclef filled the stadium with his now-famous call of “Shakira, Shakira!”

Throughout the night and the various eras of the set list, what tied everything together was Shakira’s relentless stamina and non-stop dancing in all forms: salsa during “Chantaje,” a full Lebanese-inspired belly dance during “Ojos Asi,” champeta and calypso during “Waka Waka.” There were plenty of moments to see rockera Shakira, too: She brought out her guitar multiple times, including on the razored classic “Inevitable” from Donde Estan Los Ladrones, plus on “Empire” (despite a slight mic issue) and “Don’t Bother” — and in one of the standouts of the night, on the Nineties favorite “Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos.”

The latter came during a portion of the night where Shakira played old clips of herself as a teenager in Barranquilla, Colombia, showing how far she’s come since signing to Sony Latin as a precocious 13-year-old songwriter. For OG fans, seeing her perform some of those songs was easily the most emotional part of the performance — and even Shakira got teary singing “Antologia,” a ballad from 1995 that’s become a favorite among her most fervent followers.

Some Laundry Service cuts made it onto the list — Shakira had teased to Rolling Stone that she’d rehearsed “Underneath Your Clothes,” and “Poem to a Horse” made an appearance, too, just before she sang her English breakthrough “Whenever, Wherever.” The final song before the encore was a reminder of her global span: She took the stage for “Waka Waka” with a group of dancers that celebrated African and Afro-Colombian styles, including champeta, in their dancing. The lights briefly went out before the encore, which kicked off with a massive 3-D wolf springing from the stage before Shakira launched into “She Wolf.” (Fans were encouraged to howl along.)

The grand finale came with the super-charged “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” the kiss-off to her last relationship. Defiant and energized, Shakira closed out with a bang, ending on high-octane choreo and a burst of confetti, lights, and dollar bills with her face on them exploding into the ether. It was a euphoric, closer, full of fun and camp, and one that served as a special reminder to anyone in the audience going through tough situations: “Shakira survived the worst and she’s living her best life. You’ll be okay, too.” 

Set List

“La Fuerte”
“GIRL LIKE ME”
“Las de la Intuición” / “Estoy Aquí”
“Empire” / “Inevitable”
“Te Felicito” / “TQG”
“Don’t Bother”
“Acróstico”
“Sirena” (Interlude)
“Copa vacía” / “La Bicicleta” / “La Tortura”
“Las Caderas” (Interlude)
“Hips Don’t Lie”
“Chantaje”
“Monotonía”
“Addicted to You” / “Loca”
“Soltera”
“Cómo Dónde y Cuándo”
“Diamond Tear” (Interlude)
“Última”
“The Sourcer” (Interlude)
“Ojos Así”
“Pies Descalzos” (Interlude)
“Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos”
“Antología”
“Poem to a Horse”
“Underneath Your Clothes”
“Objection (Tango)”
“Braids” (Interlude)
“Whenever, Wherever”
“Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”
Encore
“Los 10 Mandamientos de las Lobas” (Interlude)
“She Wolf”
“BZRP Music Sessions #53”