Media torment surrounded Shakira after the announcement that she was splitting from soccer player Piqué. Cheating rumors began spiraling after Piqué was seen out with Clara Chia, a Spanish model. Shakira was stuck in the spotlight of humiliation after it had been released to the media that Piqué had been cheating on her with Clara for years at this point. After a year of being split up, Shakira collaborated with Bizzarap, a famous Argentinian beat artist. According to Shakira, this was all the idea of her son, Milan.
The single, “BZRP, Music Session #53” came out on January 11, 2023. According to Guinness World Records, this collaboration broke the world record for the fastest Latin song on YouTube to reach 100 million views and the most viewed video in 24 hours, with 63 million views. The song went viral on TikTok as its lyrics dissed Shakira’s ex, Piqué, using punning parts of his life as mockery. This set the stage for growing excitement to see what Shakira would come out with in the rest of 2023.
A list of collaborations followed, including singles with Karol G, Manuel Turizo, and Fuerza Regida and her children, Milan and Sasha. This compilation of collaborations was kindly received by the public. The songs discussed heartbreak, accepting change and finding the inner She-Wolf women have.
On March 22, 2024, Shakira released a full album titled “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.” It includes the previously-released singles along with new collaborations with artists like Cardi B and Grupo Frontera.
“Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” leans into Mexican and Reggaeton-style music, introducing more electronic and computer-generated sounds to amplify her new personal style.
Shakira’s refreshed approach in the album breaks from the traditional sounds that older fans might know her for. It takes on more simple lyrics and crude language. Shakira is known for limiting curse words in her songs, but with this new album, she lets loose of those restrictions and demonstrates her honest feelings about her situation.
The album cannot be placed at a high-ranking position with her album “Pies Descalzos (1995).” When it came to ranking this album based on her whole discography, it had to be placed at the bottom of the list. The magic of Shakira’s music was the lyricism. It used to be out of pocket, and honest, and the metaphors she used to create stories captivated both young and old listeners.
With this new album, Shakira has made it clear that she is trying to keep up with the trends. Still, the music itself is good. The rhythms are danceable and the lyrics in other songs are enough to provoke a tear or two.
Many Shakira fans have expressed their distaste for the new album, mostly because they know what kind of music she is capable of producing.
On revisiting “Fijacion Oral Vol.1 (2005)” and “El Dorado (2017),” the electric instrumental is present but the presentation of the songs has the intangible, experimental and unmistakable Shakira-ness that made everyone fall in love with her and her music. The songs I found on her new album to be the most similar to her sound were, “Tiempo Sin Verte,” “Monotonía” featuring Ozuna, and “TQG” featuring Karol G. Other than that, her music has now changed almost completely. Her lyrics still contain intricate metaphors and allusions that can captivate those who love the artistry of her songs, but they are not as densely packed as they once were.
Overall, the album has shown to be successful but the level of dedication and time can be seen to be lacking when considering the messages and emotional connection. This album, although not inspiring in the world of poetry, can lift the spirits of those who are sullen and upset. Its rhythmic beat is perfect for dances and parties for single people and those getting out of toxic relationships. This does leave us wondering what kind of music Shakira will continue to produce in the future.
