Shakira brought her star power to the Grammy Awards for her first performance at the ceremony in 18 years. The Colombian star came out swinging with bold belly dancing moves — a signature of her decades-long career. The star literally glowed wearing a sparkling gold two-piece set, complete with gold decal stickers pasted on her stomach.
Shakira took the Grammys back in time as she launched into a sultry rendition of the classic”Ojos Asi” from her 1998 album Dónde Están los Ladrones? The stage then turned into a purple church with backup dancers in robes, a hymnic hum taking over the stage. Shakira softly sang the opening lyrics to her killer 2023 song “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” but with a similar gospel-style spin on the track.
Just before her performance, Shakira won Best Latin Pop Album for Las Mujeres Ya No Llloran, which features “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” with Bizarrap, and collabs with Karol G, Fuerza Regida, Cardi B, and Rauw Alejandro. Shakira’s LP was up against Anitta’s Funk Generation, Luis Fonsi’s El Viaje, Kany Garcia’s Garcia, and Kali Uchis’ Orquideas.
During her acceptance speech, Shakira dedicated her award “to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country.” Shakira emphasized her commitment to the migrant community in the U.S., saying, “I will always fight with you.” Her speech comes as President Trump instills fear in immigrant communities with mass deportations across the country.
Shakira was in attendance with her two kids, Sasha and Milan, and embraced them as her win was announced. She also thanked them in her speech: “I want to share this award with my kids… I’m so proud of you guys, of your kind hearts. Thank you so much for supporting me the way you do.”
“Through this process, I became stronger than I thought I was,” she told Rolling Stone in a cover story last year. “I became a more independent person, one who doesn’t rely on anyone but herself and her wolf pack.”
Before tonight, the Colombian star was already a three-time winner after taking home the trophy for Best Latin Pop Album for her MTV Unplugged project in 2001 and Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 in 2007. She last took home a Grammy for El Dorado in 2018 in the Best Latin Pop Album category.
This year marks Shakira’s first time performing at the Grammys, although she sang at the 2000 Latin Grammys and again at the 2011 Latin Grammys. At the 2023 Latin Grammys, she performed a career-spanning medley that included her Bizarrap song.
