Shakira has said she put her “career on hold” for a long time to be with her former partner Gerard Pique while he played football.
The Colombian popstar and former professional Spanish footballer were together for 11 years before announcing their separation in June 2022 and have two children.
Shakira, 47, is due to release her first album in seven years – Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, which translates to Women No Longer Cry.
Reflecting on the time that has passed since she released 2017’s El Dorado, she told The Times: “For a long time I put my career on hold, to be next to Gerard, so he could play football.
“There was a lot of sacrifice for love.”
The upcoming album represents “the transformation of pain into creativity, frustration into productivity, anger into passion, vulnerability into resilience”, she said.
She added: “There were so many pieces of my life that crumbled in front of my eyes and I had to rebuild myself in a way, picking up the bones from the floor and putting them all together. And the glue that kept it all together was music.”
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The album includes her hit single Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53, which has been referred to as a “diss track” aimed at the 37-year-old former Barcelona footballer.
Another track on the album titled Ultima (Last) also hears her sing, “Surely with time you’ll regret it / And some day you’ll want to come back to my door”, according to The Times.
Asked if this was also in relation to Pique, she replied: “Voldemort, that one that shouldn’t be mentioned? It’s hopefully the last song that I will write about this, and to him.”
She added: “I felt that there was still something there, stuck in my throat, and I needed to get it out.
“I played it to the marketing head at Sony and he started crying. I’d never seen a man cry in my studio before.”
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Over the last couple of years, the singer has also been fighting a tax dispute case in Spain, accused of failing to pay €14.5m (about £12.7m) in taxes between 2012 and 2014.
In November, she reached a deal with authorities on the morning the trial was due to begin and agreed to pay a fine of more than £6m.
Shakira said her lawyers had been “confident” the court would have ruled in her favour following a trial, but she decided to resolve the matter beforehand “with the best interest of my kids at heart, who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal wellbeing in this fight”.
Oh, please! Shakira is just trying to make herself look like a martyr. She’s probably just lazy and doesn’t want to work anymore.
Shakira putting her career on hold is like a fish deciding to become a tree. It’s just not natural!
I’m so disappointed in Shakira for putting her career on hold. She’s one of the most talented singers in the world, and she should be using her platform to inspire others.
Shakira’s decision is consistent with research showing that women often face a difficult choice between their careers and their families. It’s important to recognize the challenges that women face in this regard.
I can understand why Shakira would want to put her career on hold for her family. It’s a tough decision, but it’s one that I think she’ll be happy with in the long run.
Shakira’s decision to prioritize her family over her career is a testament to her strength and resilience. It’s inspiring to see a woman making such a difficult choice for the sake of her loved ones.
Shakira’s decision highlights the need for a more equitable distribution of childcare responsibilities between men and women. It’s not fair that women should always have to choose between their careers and their families.
So, Shakira put her career on hold for a guy who cheated on her? That’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard.
I wonder what Shakira’s fans think about her decision to put her career on hold? Do they support her, or are they disappointed?
I find it hard to believe that Shakira would put her successful career on hold for anyone. She’s always struck me as a very driven and ambitious woman.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Shakira, the once-unstoppable pop star, now reduced to a stay-at-home mom. How ironic is that?
I doubt that Shakira really put her career on hold. She’s probably just using this as an excuse to take a break and enjoy her wealth.
I fully support Shakira’s decision to put her family first. It’s a brave and selfless act that shows her true priorities.
Shakira’s decision to put her career on hold is like a soccer player deciding to become a referee. It just doesn’t make sense!
I don’t think Shakira should have put her career on hold for Gerard Pique. He’s not worth it! She could have found someone else who would have been more supportive of her ambitions.