CELEBS

After her split from Gerard Piqué, Shakira said she is 'free' and 'now I can actually work.'

After her split from Gerard Piqué, Shakira said she is 'free' and 'now I can actually work.'

During an appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, the Colombian singer, 47, spoke about being "free" to make her new album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. The record marks Shakira's first album in seven years, following her and Piqué's 2022 breakup after 11 years together. They share sons Milan, 11, and Sasha, 9.

"I've been putting out music here and there but it was really hard for me to put together a body of work," Shakira said of why the release is happening now.

"I didn't have time. It was the husband-factor. Now I'm husband-less. Yeah, the husband was dragging me down. Now I'm free. Now I can actually work," she continued.

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Gerard Piqué and Shakira at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. 

GREGG DEGUIRE/WIREIMAGE

The musician also revealed that the record's name in Spanish translates to "Women no longer cry," adding to Fallon, "It's men's turn now. For too long we have been sent to cry with a script in our hands and without an end just because we are women. We have to conceal our pain in front of our kids, in front of society." 

"We have to heal in a certain way. And I don't think anyone is supposed to tell us how to heal. No one is supposed to tell a She-wolf how to lick her wounds," the "Hips Don't Lie" singer added.

Fallon showed viewers the emerald, ruby, diamond and sapphire vinyl covers of the 16-track release as Shakira explained how it was made. "I was raw. I was dealing with a lot of stuff. I felt at times with a knife between my teeth," she said. "I was picking up the pieces of myself from the floor. I was trying to rebuild myself. Music was the glue."

She added that she was "transforming pain and anger and frustration" into "creativity, productivity, strength and resilience" while working on the record.

"The resilience of a diamond, you know? So that's why I picked the metaphor of the precious stones, because of the resilience that us women have today when we have to face adversity," the star shared.

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Shakira makes appearance on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' on March 25, 2024. 

TODD OWYOUNG/NBC VIA GETTY

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Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran marks Shakira's 12th studio album release, following 2017's El Dorado.

The new record includes eight new songs, a new remix and seven previously-released smash hit singles including “Music Sessions Vol. 53” with Bizarrap, “TQG” with Karol G, “Monotonía” with Ozuna, “Te Felicito” with Rauw Alejandro and “Copa Vacía” with Manuel Turizo. It also includes her new collab with Cardi B, "Puntería."