shakira

Shakira’s new “BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 53” alongside Argentine DJ and producer Bizarrap, is the equivalent of a sonic bomb. The 45-year-old Colombian star went to town, pulling no punches in a track that aims squarely at her ex, soccer player Gerard Piqué, who split with her for a far younger woman.

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This isn’t the first time an artist lets it all out next to Bizarrap. Last year, Puerto Rican rapper Residente made major waves with his “BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 49,” on which he lambasted the industry as a whole and J Balvin in particular.

And this isn’t the first time Shakira has taken aim at her ex either. Prior to the Bizarrap session, she released the more poignant “Monotonía” alongside Ozuna, lamenting the loss of love to “monotony.” But in the past few weeks, Shakira’s equanimity seems to have evaporated, as evidenced by a series of Instagram posts, including one that said: “There are more good than indecent people.”

Clearly, some disses at Piqué were to be expected, but there’s a lot to digest in this track, written by Shakira along with Bizarrap, Colombian songwriter Keityn and Santiago Alvarado. In line after line, Shakira spits bullets against Piqué that make one almost feel sorry for the guy. And though it’s hard to imagine Shakira being any more direct (as Spanish singer Aitana wrote on Twitter: “I’ve seen all these TikTok videos ‘analyzing’ the hints…what hints?”), there are some lines here that merit a closer view.

1. “Tanto que te las das de campeón, y cuando te necesitaba diste tu peor versión” (You go around saying you’re a champion, and when I needed you, You gave your worst version): Piqué, a former Manchester United and Barcelona soccer player, is widely considered one of the best defenders in the game’s history. He announced his retirement from soccer on Nov. 5, in the midst of his separation from Shakira.

2. “Una loba como yo no está pa’ tipos como tú, A ti te quedé grande y por eso estás con una igualita que tú“ (A she-wolf like me is not for guys like you; I’m too much for you and that’s why you’re with one just like you): The “Loba” reference harks back to Shakira’s 2009 mega-hit “She-Wolf” (loba in Spanish). The song is an ode to Shakira’s inner-she-wolf, who goes out hunting at night for real men because the one she has at home isn’t living up to expectations.

3. “Entendí que no es culpa mía quе te critiquen, Yo solo hago música, perdón que te sal-pique. Me dejaste de vecina a la suegra, Con la prensa en la puerta y la deuda en Hacienda” (I understood that it’s not my fault that they criticize you; I only make music, sorry that it splashed you. You left me my mother-in-law as my neighbor, media outlets at my door and in debt with the government): Let’s just say no translation can do justice to these lines. The word salpique, which translates to “splash” (as in, I’m sorry it splashed you) is used here as a play on Piqués name: “Sal Pique,” written as two different words, means “Get out, Piqué.” And then, of course, Shakira gets even more pointed: “You left me my mother-in-law as my neighbor, media outlets at my door and in debt with the government,” she laments, referencing her ongoing legal issues with Spain’s treasury department, for which she’s scheduled to go to trial this year.

4. “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan” (You thought you hurt me but you made me stronger; women don’t cry anymore, they cash in): Ooh. You can expect this one to become a rallying cry for spurned women everywhere for years to come.

5. “Tiene nombre de persona buena, Claramente no es como suena” (She has the name of a good person; it’s clearly not what it sounds like): Another tough translation. Piqué’s girlfriend’s name is Clara, which literally translates to “clear” — as in “clearly it’s not what it sounds like.”

6. “Yo valgo por dos de 22, Cambiaste un Ferrari por un Twingo; Cambiaste un Rolex por un Casio” (I’m worth two 22-year-olds, you traded a Ferrari for a Twingo; you traded a Rolex for a Casio): And no, Shakira definitely didn’t spare Piqué’s girlfriend Clara Chía Marti from her tirade. Shakira, 45, says she’s “worth two 22 year-olds,” but she doesn’t stop there. “You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo,” she adds, referring to the tiny, low-budget Renault model. The Rolex vs. Casio, though, we take a bit of exception to; not just because there are expensive Casios out there, but because we’re fond of the sturdy watches, which still have an element of hip.

7. “Ah, mucho gimnasio, Pero trabaja el cerebro un poquito también” (Lots of time at the gym, but your brain needs a little work too): Wait… is Shakira calling Piqué a dumb jock?