Shakira has become one of the most iconic representatives of Latin American culture. Her talent transcends borders, reaching places where the name of Colombia was once unknown. Born in Barranquilla and of Lebanese descent on her father’s side, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll announced that she will begin a 12-concert residency in Madrid, Spain, on September 18.
Her decision to perform in the country where she experienced one of the most difficult romantic periods of her life is not specifically about performing “Session 53” with Bizarrap; rather, it is to make it clear that Latinos have become part of that city and have been “embraced” by it, given the deep historical and cultural ties shared through language, religion, and customs.
Over 600,000 tickets have already been sold for the residency, which will take place at a 55,000-capacity stadium in Villaverde—a venue “built for music, not football.” The concerts are scheduled for September 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27, and October 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11.
In a letter published by the Spanish newspaper *El País*—which reads more like a manifesto—Shakira celebrated her people’s legacy and championed her roots. In the piece, the singer also paid tribute to Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, reflecting on the significance of *One Hundred Years of Solitude* in her life and how its message connects to the purpose of her Madrid residency. Shakira’s Manifesto
“There is a phrase that has stayed with me since childhood, though it took me years to fully grasp it. It comes from Gabriel García Márquez, and it states that lineages condemned to one hundred years of solitude do not get a second chance on earth. I always read it as a warning. Today, I read it as a challenge: what if a second chance *did* exist? And what if it lay where it had always been—in our bonds, in an embrace, in refusing to leave one another alone?” the text reads.
Shakira speaks about Latinos and how they have been persecuted simply for belonging to a part of the world where migration and the uprooting of lives are realities for millions.
“It began with pain. It began when I saw our people persecuted for the mere fact of being Latino—families forced to live in fear. In the face of that, anger is legitimate. But I chose to respond with a celebration: the greatest one we could possibly imagine. Because the most powerful response to fear is to exist with all the strength, all the joy, and all the dignity in the world,” she added.
“And for that celebration, I chose Madrid. Because something happens here that the world deserves to see: Latin immigration is not merely tolerated; it is celebrated. Spain has embraced it, and that embrace has made the country younger, more vibrant, and more creative. The integration is moving in its naturalness—perhaps because, five centuries ago, it was the Spanish who crossed the ocean. We share a language, a history, gestures, and the tradition of lingering conversations after a meal. The Atlantic ceased to be an ocean between us long ago; it is a bond. They say of Madrid that whoever belongs nowhere else belongs here,” she continued.
