Shakira has recently opened up about her split from the soccer maestro, Gerard Piqué, revealing the emotional and professional impacts it had on her.
The Colombian songstress shared profound insights into their 11-year relationship, discussing her dreams, sacrifices, and the return to her musical roots, in a candid conversation with Billboard.
The Hips Don’t Lie hitmaker envisioned a love story with Gerard that would echo the lasting love of her parents, who have been together for 50 years.
“They love each other like the first day, with a love that’s unique and unrepeatable,” she shared, reflecting her deep-seated aspirations for a forever love. Shakira, who is a mother to two sons, Milan and Sasha, elaborated: “It’s what I wanted for myself and my children, but it didn’t happen.”
The split, announced in June 2022, unveiled not only Shakira's emotional turbulence but also her unwavering dedication to her family, revealing a facet of her life that was significantly divergent from her electrifying onstage persona. “
My priority was my home, my family. I believed in ’till death do us part.’ I believed that dream, and I had that dream for myself, for my children,” she confided, echoing the sentiments of many who have experienced the dissolution of a relationship they believed would last a lifetime.
Balancing her burgeoning musical career with her familial commitments in Barcelona posed substantial challenges for the artist.
Shakira emphasized the difficulty in maintaining her musical endeavors whilst being dedicated to her family, noting the inability to leave her children and create music outside her home. “It was hard to maintain the rhythm,” she remarked, shedding light on the sacrifices made during her time with Gerard.
However, Shakira's relocation to Miami marked a period of rejuvenation and renewed focus on her music, coupled with a respite for her children from the relentless media attention in Barcelona.
The Grammy-winning artist detailed the juxtaposition between their lives in Spain, marred by the omnipresent paparazzi, and their current experiences in the U.S., where normalcy and a respite from the spotlight have been refreshing changes.
“Here, they’re normal children who enjoy normalcy, which is what school should be: a safe haven where they can be themselves,” Shakira expressed, underscoring the importance of a balanced and grounded environment for her children.
Reports surfaced that Shakira was left “devastated” due to the rumors surrounding Gerard’s alleged infidelity, linking him with his current partner, Clara Chia Marti.
This revelation was amid rumors surrounding Shakira’s own romantic endeavors, being linked to prominent athletes like Jimmy Butler, with whom she had a discreet dinner in London, and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, escalating the speculations and discussions surrounding their individual lives post their separation.