Shakira has been announced as the headline act for the second Offlimits music festival, returning to Abu Dhabi this year.
The Colombian singer will bring her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour to Etihad Park in Yas Island on April 4, topping the bill at the full-day, multi-stage, open-format festival.
More global and regional artists are set to be revealed in the coming months.
Reviewing the inaugural Offlmits last year, The National called it a confident debut on the capital’s live-music calendar.
Reviewing 2025's headlining act Ed Sheeran, Saeed Saeed wrote: “Sheeran pulled off a minimal show in front of a crowd, withstanding a humid evening and a festival stage that differed greatly from the eye-popping 360-degree set-up he employed during his previous Dubai visit. That said, the Offlimits festival made the affair as dynamic as possible, with sky-scraping LED screens both at the centre and flanking the main stage, displaying a variety of visuals and live footage of Sheeran.”
Shakira’s return marks her fourth performance in the UAE. She previously played at Dubai Autodrome in 2007, at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi for a New Year’s Eve concert in 2008, and at du Arena (now Etihad Park) in 2011.
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira is one of the most successful Latin artists of her generation, known for blending pop, rock and regional influences. The singer's father, William Mebarak Chadid, 94, is of Lebanese descent.
In 2023, she received the MTV Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award in recognition of her global impact and career longevity.
Shakira's 12th and latest album is 2024's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry), while her latest single Zoo featured in the film Zootopia 2 (2025).
Tickets for Offlimits 2026 start from Dh595 and go on sale at 11am on Saturday via tickets.offlimits.com
