Colombian singer Shakira is sometimes called the Queen of Latin Music. She’s credited because the pioneer who prolonged the worldwide attain of Latin music singers. Since her breakup with ex Gerald Piqué in June 2022, Shakira has develop into an ever-stronger artist, releasing a number of hits, together with “Monotonía” and her history-making diss observe “Bzrp Music Periods, Vol. 53.” Shakira has additionally acquired a lot of accolades and is nominated for a number of Latin Grammy Awards this 12 months.
There is not any denying that 2023 grew to become the 12 months of Shakira. By means of this assortment of tales, we’re honoring Shakira’s present success, the place she began, and the affect she continues to have on the Latine neighborhood.
Shakira has develop into unshakable. Greater than 30 years into her music profession, the Colombian pop icon stays on prime of the world. Although she has gone by way of some difficult moments in her life, together with a really public breakup with ex Gerard Piqué, Shakira has channeled these difficulties into her greatest hits but.
“Ladies now not cry, girls receives a commission,” she sings in Spanish in “Bzrp Music Periods, Vol. 53.” With seven nominations at this 12 months’s Latin Grammy Awards, together with a historic three nods within the music of the 12 months class, the queen of Latin music is not letting her crown slip.
“Her success previously 12 months is a testomony to her longevity, her continued evolution as an artist, and the unwavering dedication from her followers,” Jesús Triviño Alarcón, Tidal’s senior director of trade relations and international Latin, tells POPSUGAR.
Shakira’s affect on the globalization of Latin music is indelible. She conquered Latin America along with her rockera album “Pies Descalzos” in 1995 and proved her expertise wasn’t restricted to at least one style with 1998’s “Dónde Están los Ladrones?” Shakira then crossed over in 2001 along with her first English-language album, “Laundry Service.” As an alternative of relying solely on English to make her mark, she introduced over her newfound international viewers to understand her music and artistry in Spanish with 2005’s “Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.”
Fellow Colombian Leila Cobo, Billboard’s chief content material officer of Latin-Español, has documented Shakira’s successes because the starting, together with in her 2021 ebook “Decoding ‘Despacito’: An Oral Historical past of Latin Music.”
“I believe her massive successes mirror what Shakira can do when she is totally targeted on her music and her initiatives,” Cobo says. “It is a way of thinking she had not been in for a decade, and her success is a mirrored image of what can occur when she is 100% dedicated to the music.”
Regardless of being on a roll, together with co-headlining the Tremendous Bowl halftime present in 2020 with Jennifer Lopez, Shakira admitted to Cobo at Billboard Latin Music Week final month that her profession skilled a little bit of a lull whereas she lived in Barcelona. She relocated there in 2013 with Piqué to lift their sons, Milan and Sasha. Shakira nonetheless landed large hits throughout that point, together with “Cannot Bear in mind to Overlook You” with Rihanna and “Chantaje” with Maluma. However she revealed that she felt “alone” and “unmotivated” throughout that interval.
“She says she had different priorities, her accomplice and her kids, and he or she was residing in Barcelona, which isn’t a music hub,” Cobo says. “It was tough for her to go away her kids and tackle the demanding job of being a music star.”
In April 2022, Shakira seemingly hinted to one thing going awry in her relationship with Piqué within the breakup music “Te Felicito,” which put her again on the highest of the charts. Sadly, that June, allegations of infidelity within the music gave the impression to be true when Shakira and Piqué introduced their separation. She used her music as a degree of processing and therapeutic from the heartbreak within the susceptible bachata ballad “Monotonía” with Ozuna. The emotional observe rocketed to No. 3 on Billboard’s Sizzling Latin Songs chart.
2023 proved to be the 12 months of the Shakira renaissance when she determined to tug no punches in her follow-up singles. In January, she teamed up with Argentine producer Bizarrap for the kiss-off anthem “Bzrp Music Periods, Vol. 53.” Shakira lyrically ripped her ex to shreds and likewise appeared to name out Clara Chia Marti, the lady Piqué allegedly cheated on her with. Because of following the recommendation of her son Milan to file with Bizarrap, Shakira pushed her sound to new locations and hit No. 9 on the all-genre Billboard Sizzling 100 chart.
“Shakira has been surprisingly candid in her strategy to her music at the moment,” Cobo explains. “Many artists converse in metaphors; she’s been very direct in her messaging. What’s fascinating is that these very private conditions have resonated with so many individuals.”
Whereas closing out this epic saga of songs, Shakira shared the highlight with one other Latina, Colombian famous person Karol G. The 2 girls teamed up for the knockout collaboration “TQG,” during which they sing about how life was a lot better with out their exes round (Piqué in Shakira’s case, and Anuel AA in Karol G’s case). Shakira notched a second prime 10 hit on the Sizzling 100 chart this 12 months with Karol G when the music peaked at No. 7. Their mixed star energy additionally complemented a historic second in Karol G’s profession. In March, she grew to become the primary girl to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with an all-Spanish album when “Mañana Será Bonito” reached the summit.
“Even when [Shakira] recorded her elements, I used to be all the time on set as a result of I did not wish to miss any second . . . I remembered her whole profession . . . And I assumed, ‘She’s a legend, and he or she’s right here with me,'” Karol G advised POPSUGAR in February of working with Shakira. Shakira, who has gained a number of Grammy and Latin Grammy awards, would possibly add extra to her assortment. Forward of the Latin Grammys on Nov. 16, she has made historical past as the primary artist to have three songs nominated for a similar music of the 12 months award.
She is up for “Bzrp Music Periods, Vol. 53,” “TQG,” and “Acróstico,” which options her sons singing along with her. Having relocated to Miami with them, Shakira is constant to crank out the hits, together with the corrido “El Jefe” with Mexican-American group Fuerza Regida and the sultry “Copa Vacía” with Colombian heartthrob Manuel Turizo.
“I am very enthusiastic about her upcoming album,” Cobo says. “It is going to be an enormous launch, and I believe it could additionally prime the Billboard 200. I am additionally thrilled at the truth that she’s recorded all in Spanish previously 12 months. That may be a large enhance for Latin music.”