Editor’s Note: Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu is a communications specialist and writer based in Chicago. The views expressed here are hers.read more opinion on CNN.
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Last week, Shakira told former soccer star Gerard Pique what every man who is abused and underappreciated by his partner wants. You reminded the world that you can do it.
In 24 hours, her latest single “BZRP Music Session #53” has broken records with Argentinian producer and DJ Bizarrap. 63 million views YouTube and 14.4 million streams on Spotify. Catchy pop her ballads are a formidable addition to her canon of heartbreak songs, but they’re more than her tracks about her ex-partner and her diss. father of her two childrenShakira has made an explosive and significant cultural statement by refusing to expose the embarrassment associated with the end of a relationship by voicing her dissatisfaction on such a public forum.
but in it there is frictionNot everyone agrees with her approach. Headlines for her smash single took on a sexist tone calling her actions “little things” and the song a “revenge hit.” I’m here. Social media users are questioning whether Shakira broke an unwritten rule between women by dragging out her ex’s new flame. Others are happy to watch her drama unfold while judging her for hanging her dirty laundry.
I’ve heard accusations of women falling in love before. Most notably, Taylor Swift.of 2014 interviewSwift responded to criticism that she was profiting from her exes.
“Some people will say, ‘Oh, she’s just writing songs about her ex-boyfriend,'” the singer said. “Frankly, I think that’s a very sexist view. No one says that about Ed Sheeran.No one says that about Bruno Mars.They all wrote songs about ex-girlfriends, current girlfriends and love lives, but there No one raises a red flag.
and she is right. Look at Bad Bunny. His Spanish album “Un Verano Sin Ti” broke record after record It topped Billboard’s Album of the Year list. The translated title means “Summer Without You”. That heartbreaking theme is rightly placed in the title, and it repeats itself in the majority of the 23 songs.Yet even if you search the Puerto Rican singer online and search his album his title, his love Criticism around him monetizing his life doesn’t come immediately. They admire his genius and creativity.
In a viral tweet posted the same day as the song’s release, user Melanie Mora Murillo breaks down all the subtle ways Shakira weaponizes her intimate knowledge of Piqué, mentioning who she is. Highlights of the thread include “Me Enamoré” (“I Fell in Love ”), pointing out how Bizarrap sampled the beat, and highlighting how Shakira adjusted the lyrics to allude to numerology. in their relationship. At the 2:22 mark, she sings, “I’m worth twice as much as she is at 22.” younger girlfriend (Currently 23 years old, 36 next month) share a birthday February 2, 10 years away.She also uses Pique’s signature gesture two fingers up with both hands.
To truly understand the heat behind the song, you have to watch it in conjunction with the video, where Shakira’s body language adds another layer of complexity. Her camera focuses on her as she attacks her former flame. She takes up space and swings her body around, projecting her confidence and power. “far from”Monotonia”, released in October 2022.
And this is really where Shakira jets up and says (in a very sharp wordplay on her original last name), “I understand it’s not my fault if you’re criticized. She sarcastically downplays her influence by saying, “I just make music,” but that’s the only time she takes a low-key approach, and she’s not a female gender stereotype. as weak and soft to her advantage.
She puts her problems at his feet and offers insight into what keeps her up at night. tax evasion If convicted, she faces eight years in prison and a nearly $25 million fine (which she has repeatedly denied). accusation against her). After running through the obstacles she faces after his departure, what would be crushing under normal circumstances, she doubles down on her faith in herself, exclaiming, “Women don’t cry anymore, women make money,” before being betrayed. Take another woman to fold.
The song may have been made as an act of survival – she calls it “catharsis” and sings about needing to “pull down” her pain – but it’s about making money. is undeniable and shows the world that she still has it. cash surely.But by being so open about what she’s going through, she’s stepping into her power and winning. She rejected societal expectations and pressures to act in Biggest Spanish Debut In Spotify history (a considerable achievement in the post-Bad Bunny “Un Verano Sin Ti” era).
As the woman whose former life partner is now hers, Shakira is a reminder of what happens when you accept less than you are worth, and is a universal truth about sharing with others. I am reminding you that there is no playbook for the worst moments in your life. No matter what you do during therapy, there is a good chance that someone will criticize you.