Shakira is in a new chapter of her life as a single mother and an artist.
The Colombian singer has been open about the hardships and challenges she’s endured since separating from her partner of 11 years, former soccer player Gerard Piqué. The pair, who share two children, announced their split in 2022.
In a new interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Shakira spoke candidly about life as a single, working mother and how she felt her ex dragged her down.“It’s more challenging because now I’m in charge of these two kids, these two babies that depend on me so much,” she said. “And I’m a single mother. I don’t have a husband at home to help out with anything.”
“In a way, it’s kind of good not to have a husband because… I don’t know why, it was dragging me down, man,” she said. “Now I feel like working. I feel like writing songs. I feel like making music. It’s a compulsive need of mine that I didn’t feel before.”
While Shakira mentions having a “husband,” she and Piqué were never officially married. However, they were together for over a decade.
In recent months, Shakira has shared some insight on her and the Spanish athlete’s split — even seemingly slamming him and his girlfriend, Clara Chia Marti, in her song “BZRP Music Sessions #53.” In it, she sings, “I’m too good for you and that’s why you’re with someone just like you.”
Take a look back at their relationship below.
2010: Shakira and Gerard Piqué meet
Shakira and the former FC Barcelona player met on the set of her “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” music video in 2010. The track served as the official song for the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.
In a “60 Minutes” interview in 2020, Shakira recalled meeting Piqué for the first time.
“I wasn’t a soccer fan, so I didn’t know who he was,” she said. “When I saw the video, I was like, ‘Hmm, that one’s kind of cute. ‘And then someone decided to introduce us.’”
2011: Shakira and Piqué go public
The couple didn’t go public with their relationship until 2011 when they made several public appearances.
In May 2021, Piqué joined Shakira onstage during her concert in Barcelona. The two showed PDA by later kissing and hugging onstage.
2012: Shakira is pregnant
In September 2012, Shakira confirmed that she and Piqué were expecting their first child together.
“Gerard and I are very happy awaiting the arrival of our first baby!” she wrote on her Facebook page at the time. “At this time, we have decided to give priority to this unique moment in our lives and postpone all the promotional activities planned over the next few days.”
In November 2012, Shakira shared a photo of herself with her pregnant belly. This would be the couple’s first child together.
“I could have another 9 months like this,” she captioned the post.
2013: They welcome first son together
The couple’s first son, Milan, was born on Jan. 22, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain.
The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer shared the news on her website at the time, sharing that her little one weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces.
“Milan means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious, and in Sanskrit, unification,” Shakira wrote.
“Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth.” the statement continued. At the time, Piqué was a defender for Spanish La Liga runner-up FC Barcelona. Mebarak is Shakira’s last name.
Almost a month after his birth, Milan attended his first soccer match.
“His first official time going out, in Camp Nou and watches his daddy score!” she wrote on Instagram on Feb. 10, 2013.
2014: Shakira says they don’t plan on getting married
In an interview with Glamour in 2014, the singer was asked if she and Piqué would ever get married.
“We already have what’s essential, you know? We have a union, a love for each other, and a baby,” she replied. “I think that those aspects of our relationship are already established, and marriage is not going to change them. But if I’m ever going to get married, he’s the one.”
2015: They welcome their second son together
The couple’s second child, son Sasha Piqué Mebarak, was born at 9:54 pm on Jan. 29, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.
“The name Sasha is of Greek and Russian descent and means ‘defender of mankind’ and ‘warrior,’” they also shared on Shakria’s website and Instagram at the time. “The hospital confirmed that both mother and child are in excellent health.”
2017: Shakira is head over heels
In 2017, the Latin singer wrote all about how in love she was in her song “Me Enamoré,” which translates to “I fell in love.”
The lyrics detail how they met and instantly had a great connection. She also sings about wanting 10 children together but is content with the two that they have.
Piqué makes an appearance at the end of the music video.
2020: Shakira and Piqué discuss marriage once again
In their joint “60 Minutes” interview ahead of her Super Bowl halftime show, the pair discussed their decision not to get married after almost a decade together.
“To tell you the truth, marriage scares the sh– out of me. I don’t want him to see me as the wife. I’d rather him see me as his girlfriend,” she said at the time. “His lover, his girlfriend. It’s like a little forbidden fruit, you know? I wanna keep him on his toes. I want him to think that anything’s possible depending on behavior.”
2022: They announce their separation
In a statement on June 4, 2022, the longtime pair confirmed to TODAY that they were splitting.
“We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the statement read. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we request respect for privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”
In September of that year, Shakira spoke out for the first time about their split.
“I think that those details are somehow too private to share, at least at this very moment — everything is so raw and new. I can only say that I put everything I had into this relationship and my family,” she told Elle.
“I’ve remained quiet and just tried to process it all. Um, and yeah, it’s hard to talk about it, especially because I’m still going through it, and because I’m in the public eye and because our separation is not like a regular separation. And so it’s been tough not only for me, but also for my kids. Incredibly difficult.”
2023: Shakira writes about heartbreak
In January 2013, Shakira seemingly tears into her ex with her revenge song “BZRP Music Sessions #53” with DJ Bizarrap. The lyrics are about being too good for the person she used to be with. She even calls out Piqué’s girlfriend, Clara Chia Martí, by using her name in a play on words in the lyrics.
She also released “TQG” with Karol G about being “hurt” after seeing her ex with his new girlfriend.
In a March 2023 interview with Jimmy Fallon, she shared how “BZRP Music Session #53” was a way to “channel” her feelings post split.
“The thing with this song is that it has become sort of an anthem for so many women out there,” she said. “I’ve had a very rough year after my separation, and writing this song has been so important to me. It’s been a healthy way to channel my emotions.”
2024: Shakira says she put her career ‘on hold’ for Piqué
The singer is set to release her new album titled “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” which translates to “Women No Longer Cry.” In a March 2024 interview with the Sunday Times, she said that she put her career on the back burner to be with her ex.
“For a long time I put my career on hold, to be next to Gerard, so he could play football,” she said. “There was a lot of sacrifice for love.”
She added that the album, out March 22, represents “pain into creativity, frustration into productivity, anger into passion, vulnerability into resilience.”
“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,” she said.