NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n\n- \n\n
In a new PEOPLE cover story, Shakira opens up about finding strength in heartbreak, motherhood and making history at the 2026 World Cup<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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The icon will co-headline the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show on July 19<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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“I had to really fight for my dreams,” says the singer-songwriter, who is still on her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Shakira<\/a> is standing in front of a full-length mirror, fixing a flower crown of pink and white roses and peonies on her head. Once she\u2019s satisfied with its placement, the queen of Latin music is ready for her close-up and steps in front of the camera as an Afrobeats playlist streams from the speakers overhead. After decades in the spotlight, the superstar knows how to command a room \u2014 whether it\u2019s a sold-out stadium or her PEOPLE cover shoot at a Manhattan photo studio.<\/p>\nSoft-spoken but formidably self-assured, Shakira was also in boss mode just hours prior when, as she sat down for this interview, she retouched her own makeup while she and a member of her entourage went over details of the music video for her and Nigerian singer Burna Boy\u2019s new single \u201cDai Dai.\u201d The track is the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (its title is Italian slang for \u201ccome on, come on\u201d). But its lyrics \u2014 \u201cWhat broke you once made you strong\u201d \u2014 also speak to her own journey.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\nShakira in N.Y.C. on May 15
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
\u201cI always thought that I was more fragile or weaker than what life proved me to be,\u201d says Shakira, 49.<\/p>\n
The icon has faced several personal challenges in the public eye in recent years, including her high-profile split<\/a> from the father of her two children, retired Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqu\u00e9, 39, over his alleged infidelity. There was also the multimillion-dollar tax-fraud case in Spain, which she recently won<\/a>.<\/p>\nNow back on top of the world, the single mom is breaking records on her biggest tour yet<\/a> and making history by co-headlining the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cBehind every experience in life, there\u2019s always a lesson, and we have to be grateful for all those lessons, even for the people that leave you with scars,\u201d she says, \u201cbecause they just make us better.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the years since her debut, Shakira has sold more than 95 million records worldwide to become the bestselling female Latin artist of all time, while paving a path for a new generation of stars like Bad Bunny and Karol G. Says Shakira: \u201cI had to really fight for my dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking back, the Colombia native adds, \u201cI would say to that girl back in her 20s to enjoy more, to believe in herself more. I think women, as time goes by, we just acquire this new confidence. Even though we don\u2019t look as perfect as in our 20s, it\u2019s beautiful to just be yourself and accept who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Shakira](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/17302851B4850EDFDDF9EB724A72C2D97A30D8B988E7ADE3D08B8E7A8966F561\/subgraphmysterio\/resizefit_w960_h640;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Faol_people_articles_471%2F6f9b3c8a1c2e99b147a18e45966d8dfc\"\/)
<\/div>\nShakira in N.Y.C. on May 15, 2026
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
Since her rise to fame, Shakira has made it her mission to help kids growing up with less than she did. Now 100 percent of her royalties from her new single \u201cDai Dai\u201d will go to FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which provides kids around the world with access to education and soccer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a message for every child who\u2019s been told that their dream is too big,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd to remind us that every champion started out as a kid who perhaps went through hardship and struggles, but there was someone that believed in them, and that\u2019s why they didn\u2019t give up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shakira first performed at the World Cup 20 years ago, and the tournament changed her life. \u201cI have this connection with [soccer] that seems unbreakable,\u201d she says. She sang her first official World Cup song, \u201cWaka Waka (This Time for Africa),\u201d at the tournament\u2019s closing ceremony in 2010, when she met Piqu\u00e9. They went on to welcome sons Milan, 13, and Sasha, 11<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Shakira](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/6A38C5DA9A17894B7101888E537783038B488A45EF992FA840DF33DAF491B65C\/subgraphmysterio\/resizefit_w960_h640;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Faol_people_articles_471%2F4bedd5243aab953a2a55f9f864632181\"\/)
<\/div>\nShakira in N.Y.C. on May 15, 2026
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
On July 19 she, along with Madonna and BTS, will hit the field at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to headline the inaugural World Cup halftime show. While she\u2019s still planning her performance, Shakira says, \u201cEvery World Cup is really magical, and I think this one is going to be all about bringing people together in this very sensitive moment in time, socially and politically.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shakira pressed the restart button on Jan. 11, 2023, when she released \u201cShakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53\u201d with the music producer Bizarrap. The scathing Spanish-language dance banger was inspired by her 2022 breakup from Piqu\u00e9<\/a> and details the aftermath of his alleged affair that ended their 12-year partnership. The track debuted at No. 1 on Spotify\u2019s Daily Global 200 chart and became her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard<\/em> Hot 100 in more than a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Shakira](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/FA3C763F9808165DFEDA310E4D66299C868CA763C0C46639A380796D4AA032CA\/subgraphmysterio\/resizefit_w960_h640;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Faol_people_articles_471%2F8857aa9fe02e7ba0c91bdb7d443f5bfd\"\/)
<\/div>\nShakira in N.Y.C. on May 15, 2026
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
\u201cIt was just pure catharsis. I really needed to write about what I was going through and not have any censor,\u201d says Shakira, who quips songwriting is \u201clike going to a shrink, only cheaper.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her heartbreak revealed her strength. \u201cThrough those challenging moments, I discovered how resilient we all are,\u201d says Shakira. She leaned on loved ones\u2014\u201cLife is a bitch, but it\u2019s so worth living because friends are there for you,\u201d she says\u2014and focused on family as she regrouped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a new PEOPLE cover story, Shakira opens up about finding strength in heartbreak, motherhood and making history at the 2026 World Cup<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
The icon will co-headline the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show on July 19<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
“I had to really fight for my dreams,” says the singer-songwriter, who is still on her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Shakira<\/a> is standing in front of a full-length mirror, fixing a flower crown of pink and white roses and peonies on her head. Once she\u2019s satisfied with its placement, the queen of Latin music is ready for her close-up and steps in front of the camera as an Afrobeats playlist streams from the speakers overhead. After decades in the spotlight, the superstar knows how to command a room \u2014 whether it\u2019s a sold-out stadium or her PEOPLE cover shoot at a Manhattan photo studio.<\/p>\n Soft-spoken but formidably self-assured, Shakira was also in boss mode just hours prior when, as she sat down for this interview, she retouched her own makeup while she and a member of her entourage went over details of the music video for her and Nigerian singer Burna Boy\u2019s new single \u201cDai Dai.\u201d The track is the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (its title is Italian slang for \u201ccome on, come on\u201d). But its lyrics \u2014 \u201cWhat broke you once made you strong\u201d \u2014 also speak to her own journey.<\/p>\n Shakira in N.Y.C. on May 15 \u201cI always thought that I was more fragile or weaker than what life proved me to be,\u201d says Shakira, 49.<\/p>\n The icon has faced several personal challenges in the public eye in recent years, including her high-profile split<\/a> from the father of her two children, retired Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqu\u00e9, 39, over his alleged infidelity. There was also the multimillion-dollar tax-fraud case in Spain, which she recently won<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now back on top of the world, the single mom is breaking records on her biggest tour yet<\/a> and making history by co-headlining the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cBehind every experience in life, there\u2019s always a lesson, and we have to be grateful for all those lessons, even for the people that leave you with scars,\u201d she says, \u201cbecause they just make us better.\u201d<\/p>\n In the years since her debut, Shakira has sold more than 95 million records worldwide to become the bestselling female Latin artist of all time, while paving a path for a new generation of stars like Bad Bunny and Karol G. Says Shakira: \u201cI had to really fight for my dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back, the Colombia native adds, \u201cI would say to that girl back in her 20s to enjoy more, to believe in herself more. I think women, as time goes by, we just acquire this new confidence. Even though we don\u2019t look as perfect as in our 20s, it\u2019s beautiful to just be yourself and accept who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n Shakira in N.Y.C. on May 15, 2026 Since her rise to fame, Shakira has made it her mission to help kids growing up with less than she did. Now 100 percent of her royalties from her new single \u201cDai Dai\u201d will go to FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which provides kids around the world with access to education and soccer.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a message for every child who\u2019s been told that their dream is too big,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd to remind us that every champion started out as a kid who perhaps went through hardship and struggles, but there was someone that believed in them, and that\u2019s why they didn\u2019t give up.\u201d<\/p>\n Shakira first performed at the World Cup 20 years ago, and the tournament changed her life. \u201cI have this connection with [soccer] that seems unbreakable,\u201d she says. She sang her first official World Cup song, \u201cWaka Waka (This Time for Africa),\u201d at the tournament\u2019s closing ceremony in 2010, when she met Piqu\u00e9. They went on to welcome sons Milan, 13, and Sasha, 11<\/a>.<\/p>\n Shakira in N.Y.C. on May 15, 2026 On July 19 she, along with Madonna and BTS, will hit the field at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to headline the inaugural World Cup halftime show. While she\u2019s still planning her performance, Shakira says, \u201cEvery World Cup is really magical, and I think this one is going to be all about bringing people together in this very sensitive moment in time, socially and politically.\u201d<\/p>\n Shakira pressed the restart button on Jan. 11, 2023, when she released \u201cShakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53\u201d with the music producer Bizarrap. The scathing Spanish-language dance banger was inspired by her 2022 breakup from Piqu\u00e9<\/a> and details the aftermath of his alleged affair that ended their 12-year partnership. The track debuted at No. 1 on Spotify\u2019s Daily Global 200 chart and became her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard<\/em> Hot 100 in more than a decade.<\/p>\n Shakira in N.Y.C. on May 15, 2026 \u201cIt was just pure catharsis. I really needed to write about what I was going through and not have any censor,\u201d says Shakira, who quips songwriting is \u201clike going to a shrink, only cheaper.\u201d<\/p>\n Her heartbreak revealed her strength. \u201cThrough those challenging moments, I discovered how resilient we all are,\u201d says Shakira. She leaned on loved ones\u2014\u201cLife is a bitch, but it\u2019s so worth living because friends are there for you,\u201d she says\u2014and focused on family as she regrouped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>
Credit: Ruven Afanador<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n