Shakira leads celebrity powered Copa America with controversial performance

The highly anticipated Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium was marred by chaos, delays, and organizational mishaps, but the celebrities in attendance and Shakira's unforgettable halftime show made the night one to remember.

The evening began on a tumultuous note with severe incidents at the stadium entrances, causing significant delays to the start of the match and postponing Shakira's much-anticipated performance. The Conmebol was already under fire for its organizational failings and promised a show that would "make the continent vibrate." Despite the setbacks, the Colombian superstar delivered, although it was not without critics.

Shakira's halftime at Copa America

With the legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer's iconic "Let's get ready to rumble" kicking off the performance, Shakira took to the Copa América stage with a spectacular Las Vegas-style presentation.

She opened with the English version of her hit "Hips Don't Lie," addressing the audience in English and Spanish. Fans weren't happy about that. "Why is Shakira singing in English at a Latin American event," said several fans.

Then she transitioned seamlessly to "Te Felicito," a song widely believed to be about her ex, Gerard Piqué, followed by "Puntería," the song from her latest album "Las mujeres ya no lloran," and the musical theme of the Spanish broadcast of Copa América on Univision.

Shakira's performance initially planned for a strict 15-minute halftime slot, was extended to 26 minutes due to the extended intermission, which allowed for her elaborate setup. This added to Conmebol's list of logistical blunders for the night and generated more criticism. As if that wasn't enough, the TV audience didn't get to see her show in real-time.

Shakira's performance was delayed several minutes to allow graphics of diamonds in several colors to be added to the broadcast.

Celebrities gallore

The national anthems of Argentina and Colombia were performed by Karol G and Abel Pintos, respectively, though these performances were also delayed by the entrance incidents. The final itself, originally slated for an earlier start, was pushed to past midnight.

Among the audience were many celebrities who added to the evening's glitz and glamour. Venezuelan singer-songwriters Danny Ocean and Ricky Montaner were there. The latest was spotted with his wife, Argentine model and actress Stefi Roitman, and his sister Evaluna, with husband Camilo. Camila Cabello and ex boyfriend Shawn Mendes were spotted.

Colombian artists J Balvin and his wife, Argentinian model Valentina Ferrer, Maluma, Sebastian Yatra, Blessd, Ryan Castro, and Feid were also in attendance, along with Telemundo's La Casa de los Famosos 4 stars Clovis Nienow and his girlfriend Aleska Génesis. Colombian actors and influencers Sebastián Villalobos and Mario were also part of the star-studded crowd.