Shakira and Gerard Pique separated last June. The singer agreed to talk about this still painful subject for the first time in ELLE magazine.
The Colombian popstar and sportsman, who have two boys, announced their split in June after 12 years together. Addressing the split for the first time in an ELLE magazine cover interview, Shakira described 2022 as “one of the most difficult, darkest times of my life.” Besides the end of his love affair with the father of his children, the artist also faces a lawsuit for tax evasion in Spain and his father had serious health problems.
“It was difficult, not only for me, but also for my children. Incredibly difficult. I try to hide the situation from them as much as I can. It’s really confusing for two kids trying to deal with their parents’ separation. And sometimes I feel like it’s all just a bad dream and I’m going to wake up at some point. But no, it’s real. And what’s also real is the disappointment of seeing something as sacred and as special as what I thought was the relationship I had with the father of my children and seeing that turned into something something vulgar and belittled by the media,” she said.
The 45-year-old singer went on to admit that breaking up a family unit is ‘probably one of the most painful things you can go through’ and insisted that a lot of the speculation surrounding their separation is not true.
Asked about the child custody dispute rumours, she replied, “No matter how things ended or how Gerard and I feel about each other as ex-partners, he is the father of my children. We have a job to do for these two amazing boys, and I’m confident that we’ll find what’s best for their future, their own dreams in life, and what’s a fair solution for everyone involved.”
Asked if the end of her relationship was a surprise, she said these details were “too private to share” when “everything is so raw and new”. However, Shakira went on to insist that she “put everything I had into this relationship and into my family” and sacrificed her career and habits to stay with Gerard Pique in Spain and raise their children.
“I put my career on the back burner and came to Spain, to support him so he could play football and win titles. And it was a sacrifice of love. Thanks to this, my children have been able to have a mom present, and I have this incredible bond with them which is unbreakable and which supports us. You know, that’s all. That’s all I can say,” she said.
Shakira is also preparing to stand trial for allegations of tax evasion, which she denies. During this difficult period, her father, who had come to Barcelona to support her during the separation, suffered a bad fall and had to undergo brain surgery. A week later, he fell again and “broke many bones in his face”.
cover media