As the barefoot shoe trend continues to make waves this summer, Shakira is taking it quite literally.
Instead of wearing the barely-there shoes that continue to proliferate — remember those sandals that walked the Chanel Cruise runway a few months ago — the songstress made a case for no shoes at all during her high-energy FIFA World Cup halftime performance in New Jersey on Sunday.
Going barefoot isn’t new for the singer; in fact, she’s been doing it for 30 years. Shakira went shoeless as far back as 1996, during her “Barefoot Tour” (technically called Tour Pies Descalzos) to promote her third album.
Since then, it’s become something of a signature look for her on stage, when she often shows off complex Latin dance moves. In past interviews, Shakira also admitted that she had stage fright as a teenager, and ditching her shoes made her feel more comfortable.
Shakira has been performing barefoot for more than three decades.
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For her shoeless performance on Sunday, Shakira paired her crystal-studded bodysuit — a custom piece by Fausto Puglisi for Roberto Cavalli — with a fringe skirt to perform “Dai Dai” with Burna Boy and Uganda’s Ghetto Kids.
It was the singer’s second big World Cup moment — during the Opening Ceremony in June she sported $1,495 white leather high-top R13 Riot kicks.
More recently, Shakira seems to have found comfort in platform sneakers, like the $1,495 white leather high-top R13 Riot kicks she wore to perform during the Opening Ceremony.
She wore the same shoes when she announced that she would be releasing “Dai Dai” as the official song of the 2026 World Cup on Instagram.
—With contributions from Karla Rodriguez
