With the dream of becoming a performer from a young age, Shakira learned the art of belly dancing when she was just 4. After being left out of the singing choir in second grade due to her strong vibrato, she began singing at local events. At just 13 years of age, Shakira had signed a three-record deal and released her debut album Magia. While her initial songs were in Spanish, she released English songs in 2001 that helped her reach worldwide audiences. Today she has sold over 125 million albums worldwide and has become the highest-selling Colombian singer of all time.
Shakira gave several memorable hits to the world, including Whenever, Wherever, Underneath Your Clothes, Hips Don’t Lie, Beautiful Liar, Waka Waka, and Loca. Due to her immense popularity, the singer also had public scrutiny over her relationships and personal life. Some of her music received backlash; at other times, Shakira was at court defending her work and music. Let’s look at the biggest controversies that have been a part of Shakira’s life since her career took off.
9 Relationship With Antonio de la Rúa
Shakira has dated several high-profile personalities, and one of her most controversial relationships was with lawyer Antonio de la Rúa. After their breakup in 2012, he filed a lawsuit against the singer, claiming $250 million as a partnership interest in her income. He wanted $100 million on three accounts a few months later, but the Los Angeles Superior Court Judge had the charges dropped.
8 Complaints About The 2020 Super Bowl
Shakira and Jennifer Lopez set the stage on fire with their performance at the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show. While the power-packed duo played their parts to perfection, Lopez had issues sharing the stage with another singer. She wanted a solo act similar to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry in the previous years. There were also 1,312 complaints registered from viewers about their outfits being inappropriate for children.
7 Gerard Piqué’s Territorial Behavior
While promoting her self-titled album in 2014, Shakira sat down for a candid interview with Billboard, detailing her professional and personal life. The singer detailed that her then-boyfriend Gerard Piqué was territorial about her and implied that she wouldn’t make videos like before. The pair received backlash for the controlling behavior, and Shakira later clarified that she was being humorous.
6 Song Plagiarism
Shakira and fellow Colombian singer Carlos Vives released the song La Bicicleta in 2017, which became an instant hit. Musician Livan Rafael Castellanos accused the duo of plagiarism, stating that the song used similar lyrics and rhythm as his 1997 song Yo Te Quiero Tanto. Shakira and her team appeared at the Madrid court in March 2019 for their defense.
5 Performance At The 2010 FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup has been a global event for many decades and remains a highly anticipated event for fans everywhere. While fans rejoiced as the World Cup took place in South Africa, the natives were disappointed that Shakira was chosen to sing the theme song as she was non-African. It stirred the sentiments of the locals, but the board defended Shakira for creating music using African elements, which were enjoyed everywhere.
4 Can’t Remember To Forget You Music Video Ft. Rihanna
Shakira makes iconic collaborations with female singers, and one of her most unforgettable singles is Can’t Remember To Forget You with Rihanna. While the song became an instant hit worldwide, it hurt a few politicians' sentiments. Bogota’s Evangelical councilman Marco Fidel Ramirez called the music video a glorification of lesbianism. He also began an online campaign to ban the telecast of the video on Colombian national television.
3 Her Separation From Gerard Piqué
Shakira and Gerard Piqué had a long-lasting romance that lasted over a decade. The couple first met in 2010 while shooting the Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) music video and were introduced. They began dating and now share two sons, Milan and Sasha. In 2022, many reports surfaced that Piqué was spotted having an affair, but neither of them responded. A few months after speculation, they announced their separation.
2 Fumbling Colombian National Anthem
Shakira received a prestigious honor in 2017 to sing the Colombian national anthem at the VI Cumbre de las Américas. The event was held in Cartagena, Colombia, with several politicians, including Barack Obama, in attendance to pay tribute to the Afro-American communities. The singer fumbled with the national anthem and misspelled a few words, enraging the Latin American people. She later uploaded a revised version of the performance on her YouTube channel.
1 Alleged Tax Fraud
The biggest controversy Shakira has ever faced comes from Spain, where the singer is accused of alleged tax evasion. Shakira reportedly attempted tax evasion in 2012, 2013, and 2014 for $17 million when she lived in the country for more than 200 days. The singer could spend eight years in jail if convicted in court for the allegations.
Amidst her tax fraud drama, Shakira has also been in a heated debate with her ex-boyfriend Gerard Piqué regarding the custody of their children, as the singer spends most of her time living in the United States while he resides in Spain. She was last seen as a judge on the NBC reality TV show Dancing with Myself.
Sources: USA Today, Hollywood Reporter, US Weekly, CNN