- Almost lost her voice, Shakira opted for alternative treatments over surgery, using hypnosis and meditation to heal a vocal cord hemorrhage.
- Vocal cord scare was Shakira's "darkest moment," affecting her sense of identity; the singer almost lost her "gift" before making a comeback.
- Despite childhood teasing for singing "like a goat," supportive dad helped her achieve massive success in the music industry without formal training.
Shakira rose to fame for Hips Don't Lie, which caused her bitter ex to sue her. But aside from her iconic dance moves, she's also known for her distinct voice, which she almost lost in 2017. The musician had a vocal cord hemorrhage that threatened her sense of "identity."
Then-living with Gerard Piqué – who famously cheated on her – Shakira admitted to being awful to be around during that "depressing" time. But instead of getting surgery as doctors advised, the alleged tax fraudster opted for alternative treatments. Here's how it worked out for her.
Shakira's Vocal Cord Hemorrhage "Miraculously" Healed Without Surgery In 2017
In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Shakira opened up about hoping for "divine intervention" instead of getting vocal cord surgery as her doctor recommended in 2017. "Either I needed surgery or divine intervention," recalled the singer who "had to communicate through signs... nobody could understand." But she strongly believed getting the operation wouldn't work and that her voice would naturally return.
"Instead she tried hypnosis and meditation, even going to Lourdes to get holy water," the outlet said of Shakira's vocal cord treatment."
Well, going against the doctor's advice worked. Shakira got her voice back, which she described as a "kind of religious experience." In 2018, she learned how precious her "gift" was during a show in Los Angeles. "You go out in search of affirmation that you're good, that people like you," she said of her comeback performance. "But this time it was different – I was out there because I wanted to feel the pleasure of singing," she continued.
Losing Her Voice Was Shakira's "Darkest Moment" In Life
Shakira said that suffering from vocal cord damage was the "darkest moment" in her life. "I always thought that one day I would lose many things, one day you lose your youth, you lose your beauty, you even lose friends, there are people who come and go... but I never thought my voice was something that could disappear," she said in another 2019 interview.
"When that doubt arose, when I did not know if I could sing again, it was the darkest moment of my life"
At that time, Shakira and Piqué were still seemingly happy together. When asked how the foootballer handled her condition, the three-time Grammy winner said: "He jokes that you would think you would want your wife to shut up – but when I had to remain quiet, he felt like one of those ex-convicts who are given their freedom and don't know what to do with it." She added that she "was not positive" at all during her healing process.
In fact, she "was so pessimistic" and "was a bitter person to be around," with Piqué seeing "the worst" of her. The Whenever, Wherever hitmaker also confessed to being "depressed" back then. "I never thought that my voice would leave me, because it's so inherent to my nature," she told The Guardian. "It was my identity. So when I couldn't sing, that was unbearable. There were times I couldn’t even get out of bed – I was so depressed."
It's understandable why Shakira was so scared of losing her voice. She's achieved so many things with her talent. Here are her major milestones:
1990 | 13-year-old Shakira signed her first record deal with Sony Music Colombia |
1995-2000 | Shakira had her breakthrough in the Latin music scene |
1999 | Shakira also received her first Grammy Award nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album |
2001-2004 | Shakira achieved global acclaim with Laundry Service |
2005-2007 | Shakira's Hips Don't Lie era (from her seventh album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2) |
2008 | Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in the music industry; start of her She Wolf era (until 2010) |
2011 | Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year |
2012 | She became a coach on The Voice |
2018 | Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado |
2020 | Shakira performed for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show alongside Jennifer Lopez |
January 2023 | Shakira's Piqué diss track, Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53, broke 14 Guinness World Records |
December 2023 | A 21ft bronze statue of Shakira was unveiled in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia. |
Shakira Was Teased At School For Singing "Like A Goat"
Despite her huge musical success, Shakira's voice wasn't always appreciated by her peers. She didn't even make it in her elementary school choir. "He didn't like the way I sang," the Chantaje songstress said of the music teacher who rejected her. "He thought it was too much. Some people still think that it's too much."
Shakira's classmates also made fun of her for singing "like a goat." Thanks to her dad, she kept singing until she became Billboard's first Latin Woman of the Year in April 2023. "I would be doing a different job. I'd probably be a doctor or an archaeologist." she said of her dad's supportive nature.
"I always wanted to make my dad proud and wanted to please him."
Still, Shakira admitted that it was nerve-wracking performing in front of her family. "To this day, I find it hard to sing to a small group. It's embarrassing. I feel a little silly, a little ridiculous, and a little naked," she said, describing it as "exposing your soul." But she conquered her fears, determined to impress her father.
"When my dad discovered my voice, he was just proud and wanted to share what his little girl could do," recounted the mother of two who strives to be like her hands-on parents. "Thanks to that [moving to Spain], my kids were able to have a present mom, and I have this amazing bond with them that is unbreakable and that sustains us," she said of arenting her two sons with Piqué.