Shakira Gifts Brooklyn Show Tickets to World Cup Workers, Venezuela Relief Volunteers & More Uplifting Moments in Latin Music
Categoria: Musica
Plus, Ximena Sariñana lands a major career honor from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and BelicoFest makes its L.A. debut.
Por Billboard | 18/07/2026
From career milestones to new releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week. Shakira Honors World Cup Workers, Venezuela Relief Volunteers, and Colombian Small Businesses in NYC Shakira is turning her upcoming Brooklyn concert into a celebration of the people who have been showing up for others. Ahead of her Tuesday (July 21) show, the Colombian superstar gifted tickets to three groups of New Yorkers: volunteers at Lulla’s supporting earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela, union workers whose labor helped make the World Cup possible, and Colombian restaurant owners who participated in the city’s $26 World Cup dining special launched by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “So much of what made this World Cup special is the work that most fans never see: the thousands of hotel rooms kept clean, all of the stadiums that worked so smoothly,” Shakira says in a statement shared exclusively with Billboard . “I wanted to show my gratitude for the people of New York City who made this incredible experience possible. Thank you for all of your hard work; you are the true she-wolves and it will be an honor to have you with me!” “Union workers, so many of them women, who are making this World Cup possible, volunteers supporting Venezuela relief, and Colombian restaurateurs who opened their doors for the community are the heart of this city,” adds New York World Cup Czar Maya Handa. “For Shakira to give them a night to simply feel joy is a beautiful gesture, and exactly the spirit we want this World Cup to carry.” Among those honored is NYHTC member Biviana Pereira Leiva, who said being recognized by the Colombian star felt especially meaningful. “I came to NYC from Barranquilla, Colombia, 10 years ago, and today I am a proud union member and room attendant at a Manhattan hotel,” she shares. Queens-based 32BJ member Sandra Leiton also praises Shakira’s resilience, saying immigrant women identify with her strength and the way she represents Colombia while recognizing “hardworking women and fighters like herself.” Ximena Sariñana to Receive Hispanic Heritage Award for Music Ximena Sariñana is set to receive the award for music at the 39th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards on Sept. 10 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. The recognition, announced on Thursday (July 16), honors the Mexican singer-songwriter’s more than two decades of work across music, activism, and film and comes as the awards ceremony moves out of Washington, D.C., for the first time. “I’m truly honored to receive this recognition from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation,” Sariñana says in a statement. “I accept this honor with immense gratitude and as a reminder of the responsibility we all have to continue creating, uplifting one another, and celebrating the richness of our Hispanic community.” Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic He