Entertainment
Shakira’s Latin American Tour Faces Setbacks Due to Production Issues, But Smoother Sailing Is Expected
Shakira was set to perform in front of hundreds of thousands of fans in Santiago, Chile for her back-to-back performances set for March 2-3 at the Estadio Nacional. Instead, she settled for an impromptu performance outside of her hotel where she sang “Antología” for fans that had gathered in lieu of seeing her onstage.
“I couldn’t leave without singing to you with the promise that I will be back very soon,” she captioned a social media post.
Less than a month into her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, Shakira has postponed a total of four shows in Latin America – one for medical reasons and three due stage production issues – causing quite a stir among fans in that region who’ve taken to social media to express their frustration over last-minute cancellations.
On March 2, just hours before her scheduled show at the Estadio Nacional de Santiago de Chile, Shakira posted a lengthy statement that, over safety concerns with stage production, she had to cancel that night’s show, less than a week after canceling her concert in Medellín, Colombia for similar production reasons.
“When an artist travels to a country, their production and team become directly dependent on the local producers,” the Colombian superstar wrote. “My staff and I trusted at all times that the production company hired by the local promoter would follow to the letter the specifications that were diligently provided by us so that a show of the magnitude of this one could take place.”
It’s not uncommon for artists to cancel shows over production issues. Especially when it involves massive productions in older stadiums or buildings in Latin America that perhaps lack the infrastructure to be able to pull off such complex productions and local production companies who are not used to shows of that magnitude.
But when a global star like Shakira – who notes in her statement that she’s been working on “every minimal detail for a year” and whose return to touring after seven years is beyond momentous – cancels three shows at the top of her highly anticipated stadium tour in Latin America citing production reasons, it can feel alarming. Even more so when the issues cited, like how much weight the floor can bear, are being identified at the last minute.
However, Marcelo Fígoli of Fenix Entertainment, the promoter for Shakira’s shows in Chile, says that despite the show’s size, he is “confident” production issues will be smoothed out for these and future shows.
On Sunday, Fenix also issued a statement basically stating what Shakira had already informed. “We have encountered technical problems beyond the control of the artist and their production that prevent the correct development of the concert, since the floor where the stage would be located is uneven,” the promoter’s statement reads. A day later, Fenix confirmed that the second show at Estadio Nacional on March 3 would also be postponed. “During the last hours, the promoter and production team have been working to find a solution to the construction difficulties that prevented yesterday’s concert. At this moment, tonight’s concert will not be able to take place.”
Fenix told Billboard it is now expected to announce new dates this week.
Unlike her shift from arenas to stadiums in the United States, Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Latin America Tour was always set for stadiums. The sudden production issues and cancellations raise questions over whether local promoters have the capacity and resources to make this a streamlined process for the artist.
According to Shakira, her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran stage weighs 62 tons, and the unleveled stage would compromise her safety and that of her band, dancers and fans. In Medellín it was the roof of the Estadio Atanasio Girardot that was damaged. The local promoter hired for that show explained that their decision to cancel Feb. 24’s concert had been made because of a risk to the safety of the performers, the crew and the crowd.
The Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) of Colombia has now intervened in the case to protect consumer rights and has extended the deadline, from Feb. 28 to March 20, for organizers Ticket Colombia and Promotora Colombia to announce a new, rescheduled date.
“Promotora Colombia requested an extension for compliance, arguing that the rescheduling of the event requires a complex logistical deployment and the coordination of all those involved,” the SIC’s statement reads in Spanish. “It also indicated that the request for an extension is due to the fact that it has not been possible to agree on a date among all the parties involved in the planning of the event, especially due to the artist’s agenda. In addition, it indicated that if it is impossible to define a new date within the term granted by this entity, it would be forced to cancel the concert and proceed with the refund of the money.”
Shakira’s Latin America stint kicked off Feb. 11 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos and is set to continue through April 2 before launching the U.S. leg of the trek May 13 in Charlotte, N.C.
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Even with dates hampered by production issues, Shakira’s four shows in Colombia gave cities like Bogotá and Barranquilla a major economic boost, a nod to the tour’s impact beyond the cultural. According official numbers offered by local government, Shakira’s concerts generated an economic impact of nearly 206 billion pesos (approximately 52 million dollars). Additionally, spending in key sectors such as food, hospitality, and the multiplier effect in Bogotá alone accounted for 73 billion pesos, further demonstrating the impact on the local economy.
The new tour — in honor of her critically and commercially successful 2024 album of the same name — follows Shakira’s 2018 El Dorado World Tour, marking her grand return to the global stage. The next city on Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour itinerary is Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she’s set to perform at Campo Argentino de Polo on March 7-8.
Billboard reached out to Live Nation – the promoter behind Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour – for further comment but did not hear back at press time.
Myke Towers and Quevedo propel “Soleo” to the top of Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart as the song jumps a spot to No. 1 on the list dated Aug. 9.
Their first collab, “Soleao” (which translates to “sunny” in English), was released May 20 on One World International/Warner Records/Warner Latina. It leads the way in its ninth chart week, after an 11% growth in audience impressions, to 9.1 million, across U.S. panel-contributing Latin radio stations in the tracking week of July 25-31, according to Luminate.
Towers claims his 15th Latin Airplay champ, and third consecutively of 2025, after one-week rulers “Otra Noche,” featuring Darell (February), and “Degenere,” featuring Benny Blanco (May).
Further, Towers adds to his satchel of wins as he accomplishes a third trio of No. 1s in a single year. Rewind to 2021, when (after landing two early chart-toppers, for that matter) the Puerto Rican delivered a streak of three straight No. 1s: “Bandido,” with Juhn; “Pareja del Año,” with Sebastián Yatra; and “Bésame,” with Luis Fonsi, that June, August and November, respectively. In 2024, Towers replicated the success with another trio of consecutive No. 1s: “Borracho y Loco,” with Yandel; “La Falda”; and “La Capi,” between that February and May.
Meanwhile, Quevedo makes a comeback to No. 1 on Latin Airplay. He previously led, for four weeks, with “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52,” with Bizarrap, in 2022.
Beyond its Latin Airplay coronation, “Soleao” likewise lifts 2-1 on Latin Pop Airplay. There, Towers tallies a third No. 1 and Quevedo, his first. Further, the song adds a second week atop Latin Rhythm Airplay.
Banda Carnaval Ignites Regional Mexican Airplay: Elsewhere on the Latin charts, Banda Carnaval secures its eighth No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay, and second of the year, as “Ya La Hice” bounds 9-1 with 6.6 million audience impressions, up 47%, in the tracking week. The act’s “Pude” led for a week in March.
“We are deeply grateful to our fans for taking ‘Ya La Hice’ to No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart,” Banda Carnaval tells Billboard. “This song represents a very special moment for us, and seeing it connect with people in this way fills us with pride and emotion. Thank you to everyone who has made it their own, to the composers for this great story, and to our team who continues to believe in our music. Let’s go all the way with Síganme Tirando!”
“Ya La Hice” earns Greatest Gainer honors, awarded to the song with the largest week-over-week increase in impressions at the format. Leading the charge during the tracking period are Univision stations, with standout support from KSCA-FM Los Angeles, KLNO-FM Dallas, and WOJO-FM Chicago.
Entertainment
Ice Cube’s ‘War of the Worlds’ Film Has a 0% Rating on ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ & Cube’s Son Is Weighing In
Ice Cube‘s latest movie is off to a slow start on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. According to 15 critics (and counting), War of the Worlds so far has a zero percent rating on the Tomatometer scale, while thousands of moviegoers have given it at 14 percent rating on the Popcornmeter.
One review in particular, from Variety‘s Peter Debruge knocked the film for essentially doubling as a commercial for Amazon, writing, “Even with a Prime subscription, you have to sit through two minutes of ads to watch 90 more of what amounts to a feature-length commercial for all things Amazon,” while another from The Telegraph‘s Ed Power wasn’t really into all the screen time Cube got, saying, “It is silly, shoddy and features far too much of rapper-turned-leading man Ice Cube staring at a computer screen while looking as if he’s working through a reasonably urgent digestive ailment.”
An adaptation of H. G. Wells’ classic 1898 novel The War of the Worlds, this version is an Amazon Prime production directed by Rich Lee and also starring Eva Longoria. Cube plays Will Radford, a surveillance expert at the Department of Homeland Security, and most of the movie takes place on his computer screen as he deals with a hacker and an alien invasion while trying to keep his family out of harm’s way.
The synopsis on Prime Video reads as follows: “A gargantuan invasion is coming with this fresh take on the legendary novel of the same name. Renowned actress Eva Longoria is joined by iconic rapper and actor Ice Cube, along with Michael O’Neill and Iman Benson, for a thrilling out-of-this-world adventure that is filled with present-day themes of technology, surveillance, and privacy.”
Cube’s son, actor O’Shea Jackson Jr., replied to a tweet on X of a video clip from the movie in which an Amazon Prime delivery person tells Cube’s character to cop a USB from Amazon, so he can deliver it via Prime Air with a drone. “I truly can’t believe this adaptation of War Of The Worlds is actually a real film with a real budget and Ice Cube is actually in it,” a fan posted, with Jackson replying that the movie was “Shot during the pandemic. Released 5 years later.”
Billboard has reached out to Ice Cube’s team for comment.
Entertainment
Cara Lewis Group Hires Ashley Ventura, Who Will Bring Bhad Bhabie & More to the Agency
Cara Lewis Group (CLG) has hired agent Ashley Ventura, who will bring her clients to the independent agency.
“CLG is an obvious fit for her talents,” said founder/CEO Cara Lewis in a statement. “The entire Cara Lewis Group team is thrilled to have her as a valued addition. We look forward to continuing our mantra of artist development, creating stars and long lasting careers.”
Ventura has worked as an agent in the hip-hop and R&B space for more than five years, previously working at MAC Agency. A press release announcing her hire described her as a “proven” leader and “one of the newest, most exciting agents in the industry.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Cara Lewis Group and to continue pushing culture forward alongside such a respected team,” added Ventura. “This new chapter marks an exciting step in my journey, and I’m looking forward to building with incredible artists and creating what’s next.”
Ventura will be bringing a number of talented artists to the CLG roster, including hip-hop icon French Montana and reality TV star and rapper Bhad Bhabie. Her other clients include Atlanta rapper Anycia, Bay Swag, Bktherula, Gashi, K Camp and Kentheman, all of whom are following her to CLG.
CLG’s roster currently includes Eminem, Travis Scott, Khalid, Don Toliver, Clipse, The Roots, Russ, Jill Scott, Ludacris, Ice Spice, BIA and Erykah Badu. Lewis is one of the most successful independent agents in hip-hop, having spent more than 20 years at William Morris as a partner, where she built the urban-pop division before joining CAA’s music department.
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