Shakira has been forced to postpone her world tour again as she has not yet healed following a haemorrhage on her vocal cord.
The Colombian pop star had previously pushed back her El Dorado tour to January from its original starting date in November in Cologne, Germany, but she has now announced that she will have to wait until June to take to the stage.
The 40-year-old singer posted a statement on Instagram, in which she revealed she is not well enough to tour in January and shared details of her recovery.
Shakira said: “Though I very much hoped my vocal cords would recover in time to pick the tour back up in January, and after exploring many options to that effect, I have accepted that this is an injury that simply needs more time and care to heal.
“I feel for all of you who planned ahead to come to these shows and who have been so patient as I took the time needed to figure out the best course of action with my doctors.”
She added: “Thankfully, I am so relieved and happy to share with you that I will be getting back on the road in June 2018 with my El Dorado World Tour in Europe, and the US, with Latin America dates to be announced soon.
“I am very proud of this show; I feel it’s my best yet, since it has a repertoire filled with heartfelt songs and exciting moments of music and dance. I really can’t wait for June!”
She also expressed her thanks for the “prayers and messages of affection and encouragement” from her fans in recent weeks following the injury, and said she is “counting the days till showtime”.
In November, the Hips Don’t Lie hit-maker said she had suffered a haemorrhage on her vocal cord which had left her experiencing a “strange hoarseness” that impeded her singing.
Shakira’s El Dorado tour is her sixth tour, and her first for more than six years.