\n\tIn our franchise The Stars Behind the Stars,\u00a0<\/em>Billboard\u00a0Latin\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>Billboard Espa\u00f1ol\u00a0editors share stories that have yet to be told, directly from those who aren\u2019t often in front of the spotlight. Think \u201ctodo lo que no se ve detr\u00e1s de c\u00e1maras,\u201d or \u201ceverything that happens behind the scenes.\u201d These unsung heroes are essential to an artist\u2019s team and its foundation.\u00a0Today, we highlight the founder of Yellow Studio,\u00a0Julio Himede<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tFor her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, Colombian superstar Shakira turned to Yellow Studio to create a monumental stage design. Tasked with bringing her themes of resilience, empowerment and identity to life, the New York-based design agency meticulously crafted a visually stunning experience, filled with transformative elements and emotionally resonant storytelling.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201c[Shakira] described wanting a monumental, clean screen where she could project all her messages from her latest album,\u201d Julio Himede<\/strong>, founder of Yellow Studio, tells Billboard Espa\u00f1ol<\/em>. The team, led by Himede and senior designer Damun Jawanrudi<\/strong>, worked closely with the artist to ensure every detail \u2014 from massive video displays to a show-stopping inflatable wolf centerpiece \u2014 all captured her vision and captivated audiences worldwide.<\/p>\n \n\tSpecializing in designing tours for high-profile celebrities, and entertainment events, the agency has created stages for the likes of the Grammy Awards, the BRIT Awards, the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, the 2024 EE BAFTA Awards, and the VMAs. With a tight-knit team of designers, architects, renderers, and production managers, Yellow Studio thrives on bringing artists\u2019 creative visions to life. \u201cThe concept revolved around resilience and empowerment,\u201d Himede explains \u2014 noting how Shakira\u2019s album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran<\/em>, inspired the show\u2019s visuals, like the metaphorical use of gemstones to symbolize strength and transformation.<\/p>\n \n\tIn this Q&A, the Salvadorian-Australian designer dives into the creative journey behind Shakira\u2019s tour, explaining how the team \u201cwanted to capture that sense of belonging and identity,\u201d transforming the stage into a powerful metaphor for survival and fortitude, while fostering a connection between the performer and her audience.<\/p>\n \n\tTalk to me about the first stages of working together with Shakira.<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tWe started about a year ago, in March or April. We flew over to Miami and met with Shakira and our creative directors, The Square Division, for our first meeting. From Yellow Studio, we had one of our senior designers, Damun Jawanrudi<\/strong> and myself. She described wanting a monumental, clean screen where she could project all her messages from her latest album. From the beginning, it was a great, close collaboration. Shakira was heavily involved as an artist, [with] a big visual voice in the process.<\/p>\n \n\tPlease describe the concept of your stage design in relation to her latest album themes.<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tLike we do for any project, we started with the research: \u201cThe Bible,\u201d so to speak. We listened to her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran<\/em>, breaking down the meanings and the overall concept. The main theme revolved around resilience and female empowerment, with a lot of metaphors about gemstones, which symbolize how women are resilient. That concept became the main source of inspiration for many of the visuals in the show.<\/p>\n \n\tLet\u2019s break down some specific songs.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\t\u201cTe Felicito\u201d is the first act of the show. Leading up to it, we use a lot of earthy tones and imagery tied to the concepts of a desert and gemstones, symbolizing a woman surviving and rising from the earth. The colors are very tone-on-tone, creating a grounded aesthetic. The transition into \u201cTe Felicito\u201d drew inspiration from the music video, which Shakira was passionate about. We incorporated vibrant props and transformed the stage with monochromatic pinks and purples \u2014 tones meant to evoke seduction and candor.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tAnother one that stood out was the visuals for \u201cLa Loba,\u201d the \u201cShe-Wolf.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tThe wolf has a big representation for Shakira\u2019s identity. Fans around the world often see themselves as part of the \u201cWolfpack,\u201d a concept that has grown stronger over the years. For Shakira, the wolf is deeply tied to who she is, and that connection resonates with her fans. It\u2019s bigger than just the song itself; it\u2019s a feeling. So we wanted to capture that sense of belonging and identity during the show \u2014 the idea that when you come to the concert, you\u2019re part of the Wolfpack, and Shakira is La Loba.<\/p>\n \n\tThat theme runs throughout the two- to three-hour performance in various ways. Early on, you might see visuals on the video screens featuring a beautiful wolf alongside two cubs, symbolizing Shakira and her two children. Later, you\u2019ll hear wolf howls incorporated into the performance. At the encore, when she sings \u201cShe Wolf,\u201d we reveal a giant inflatable steady-foot wolf that rises up, becoming the show\u2019s centerpiece, bringing the metaphor full circle.<\/p>\n \n\tWe finish with the Wolf as a powerful statement of survival and resilience. I think the audience connects to the strength and significance of that message.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tHow involved was Shakira working with the segments of her sets?<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tShe was very involved and knew what she wanted. Shakira is extremely experienced and professional \u2014 not just with her choreographed dance moves and her ability to sing to a large crowd, but also in knowing what her fans want. She wants to offer a new experience to her audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tFrom the beginning, we came up with the idea of [having] a stage playground that would be clean, minimal and monumental \u2014 that could be transformed into elements she could play with or dance on.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tWe started with sketches and drawings. Then we moved into physical models. We presented three or four different scale models to her, [as if] playing a doll house. Shakira herself was able to cut things, put them together and turn them upside down.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tWe explored ideas like hydraulics, leaves that could [emerge and recede], and the potential of the passerelle (the large runway-style stage extension). The video screens are a major feature of the setup. They\u2019re monumental but can split apart, rise and fall, and transition from displaying striking landscapes to impactful lighting effects.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tOn her 2017 El Dorado World Tour, the snake prop was costly to transport. Lessons from that experience that helped shape the design and logistics for this show?<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tThere\u2019s a lot of people who have worked with her for a long time, with a lot of experience from previous shows. They were able to give us really good words of advice about that. The wonderful wolf that we have, the big sculpture at the end, is an inflatable that literally goes down into a suitcase, which is amazing. In a matter of 15 seconds, it can be inflated into a 30-foot sculpture, which is incredible \u2014 the technology that we have now \u2014 and we\u2019re able to pack it into a very small box. That\u2019s [one of the] wonderful tricks and technology that we are able to take advantage of.<\/p>\n \n\tWhat do you think fans connect with the most during the show? What would you say is the peak moment of the experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tShakira knows her fans better than any of us on the [team], and she really knows how to balance really high-energy songs that get the audience going. But then she\u2019s able to come back to a small, acoustic or a cappella performance. Whether it\u2019s 120,000 people in S\u00e3o Paulo, or 60,000 \u2014 the entire stadium is connected and focused on her.<\/p>\n \n\tIt feels like an immersive connection when Shakira sings from the catwalk. We also gave the audience colorful light-up bracelets, which, though are not new, [enhance the sense] of community, like you\u2019re a part of the Wolfpack. It is a fun way to make everyone feel like they\u2019re part of this incredible performance.<\/p>\n![\"Julio](\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/julio-himede-press-credit-murray-hall-2025-billboard-1240.jpg?w=819\")
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