A Bronze Statue of Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” Has Been Unveiled in Colombia
Shakira’s hometown, Barranquilla in Colombia, has honored the internationally renowned singer with an impressive 21-foot-tall statue made of bronze.
The 46-year-old “Hips Don’t Lie” hitmaker and superstar expressed her gratitude for this milestone in her career by posting a picture of her parents, William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado, as they stood in front of the masterpiece.
In her Instagram post, Shakira wrote, “It makes me happy to share this with my parents and especially my mother on her birthday. This is too much for my little heart.”
The statue is very much Shakira. The likeness is wearing a bikini top and her hips are in mid-shake, exactly like in her famous music video for the 2005 hit. The bronze statue is situated by the Barranquilla waters, where Shakira was born and raised.
Her statue’s dedication says, “A heart that composes, hips that do not lie, an unmatched talent, a voice that moves masses and feet that march for the good of children and humanity.”
This new milestone is something that Shakira has embraced openly, given the tough few years recently. Recall that her 11-year-long relationship with Gerard Pique officially ended in June 2022. That same year, her father had a serious health scare and needed to be hospitalized twice.
At the end of December 2023, the “Waka Waka” singer blasted Spanish authorities for continuing to target high-profile individuals like her. She was hit with a whopping £6.4 million penalty on top of the £15 million penalty for financial fraud. Shakira was given a seven-figure fine to avoid jail time, which she settled. It also ended the lengthy fraud trial in Barcelona even before it began.
The singer, worth about £240 million, insisted she was innocent. However, she decided to settle as she wanted to “spare her children from seeing their mother sacrifice her well-being.”
In a statement, Shakira shared, “I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career.”
Although she settled the suit, Shakira was still vocal about her displeasure at the Spanish authorities for pursuing her and saying that her case was the same as others. Now, the authorities have been going after athletes and other high-profile individuals.
Charging it all to experience, Shakira revealed that the ordeal will drain people’s energy, time, and peace for years.
The singer will be fined £6.4 million for the six tac fraud crimes she confessed to as part of her deal. This is less than a third of the amount that the prosecutors were originally after. To date, Shakira has repaid the tax the Spanish officials accused her of evading.
She is also expected to pay a £378,000 fine to avoid imprisonment. With all the financial matters laid to rest and Shakira moving forward with her life and sons, the bronze statue has become a significant and refreshing experience for the singer.
