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Tag: Shakira

  • “9 to 5” With An Edge (That Is To Say, “Mexican Style”): Shakira Sticks It to The Man in “El Jefe” Featuring Fuerza Regida

    “9 to 5” With An Edge (That Is To Say, “Mexican Style”): Shakira Sticks It to The Man in “El Jefe” Featuring Fuerza Regida

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    Inaugurating, however briefly, her regional Mexican music era, Shakira brings us yet another single designed to prepare us for her long-awaited twelfth album. And yet, if Shakira has conditioned us to understand one thing about her, it’s to expect the unexpected in whatever musical route she decides to take. Because who knew something like a corrido would be next in her wheelhouse. At the same time, after such varied-in-style hits as “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” “TQG,” “Acróstico” and “Copa Vacía” earlier this year, nothing Shakira releases should come as a surprise. The only real shock being if she didn’t manage to release a bop…or a song that didn’t feature someone else on it (in this case, Mexican group Fuerza Regida). And this one not only delivers on that front, but also, let’s call it, the People’s Liberation Front (no relation to the organization named as such in countries such as Sri Lanka and Ethiopia). And, yes, like Beyoncé’s anti-work anthem, “Break My Soul,” Shakira is also coming from a place of having never really worked the kind of soul-breaking job she refers to in “El Jefe,” yet still does her best to sound as though she has (hence, the need for co-writers Edgar Barrera, Kevyn Cruz and Manuel Lorente). 

    But, in contrast to her erstwhile collaborator, Bey, Shakira is far more aggressive in her contempt for thankless, underpaid jobs and the overpaid fat cats who make work so unbearable for the other ninety-nine percent. Because she doesn’t sing a passing verse like, “And I just quit my job I’m gonna find new drive/Damn, they work me so damn hard/Work by nine, then off past five/And they work my nerves/That’s why I cannot sleep at night.” No, instead, the entire song is about work being a fucking scam/joke for anyone who isn’t in a position of power (usually as a result of birth lottery circumstances). And, talking of the nine to five schedule (increasingly outmoded at this juncture), Shakira officially outdoes the anti-The Man anthem that is Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” That’s right, it only took forty-three years for something as oppressor-despising (hidden behind a “jaunty” tone and rhythm) to come along. 

    What’s more, “El Jefe” mimics the narrative structure of “9 to 5” in terms of laying out all the rightful complaints from the beginning of the day. From the very moment one opens their eyes to the sound of the alarm that might as well be a death (of the soul) knell. So it is that Shakira opens “El Jefe” with lyrics that translate to: “7:30 the alarm has gone off/I want to be in bed/But it cannot be done/I take the kids at 9/The same coffee, the same kitchen/The same always, the same routine/Another shitty day/Another day at the office.” In 1980, Parton phrased that opening as, “Tumble out of bed/And stumble to the kitchen/Pour myself a cup of ambition/And yawn and stretch and try to come to life…/Out on the streets, the traffic starts jumpin’/For folks like me on the job from 9 to 5.”

    Parton then serves up the iconic chorus, “Workin’ 9 to 5/What a way to make a livin’/Barely gettin’ by/It’s all takin’ and no givin’/They just use your mind/And they never give you credit.” Shakira feels much the same as she sings, “I have a shitty boss who doesn’t pay me well/I arrive walking/And he in a Mercedes-Benz [again, Dolly correlation]/He has me as a recruit/The son of a bitch/You’re dreaming of leaving the neighborhood/You have everything to be a millionaire/Expensive tastes, the mentality/You only need the salary.”

    In the accompanying video, Shakira plays up the regional Mexican tone with a Texana aesthetic that comes complete with cowboy hat, cowboy boots, leather fringe skirt, bombastic belt and some zapateado stylings intermixed with her own renowned “hip work.” Directed by Jora Frantzis, who has already dabbled with Latina mamis in the past (i.e., directing videos for Jennifer Lopez and Cardi B), scenes of Shakira on a horse that taps its hooves to the beat (something that deserves a visual effects award because that can’t be real) are quickly interspersed with scenes of immigrants on a train making their way, presumably, to the U.S. border. Where, as Shakira describes, they’ll be met with working conditions that can best be described as glorified slavery. No wonder she’s quick to urge, “Stick it to the man” in between scenes of warehouse workers (played by Fuerza Regida members) carrying too many boxes on their shoulders (perhaps a dig at Amazon, as famed for its “low” prices as it is for never giving warehouse pickers a bathroom break). 

    Soon, we see Shakira and Fuerza Regida joining the other aspiring Americans on the back of a boxcar as Shakira continues to speak on her rage regarding racial and class inequality (for the former is directly related to the latter, particularly in “anyone can be anything” America). Shakira, too, seems well-versed in the fact that it’s just as Dolly said: “It’s a rich man’s game/No matter what they call it/And you spend your life/Putting money in his wallet.” Ergo, “What irony, what madness/This is torture/You kill yourself from dawn to dusk and you don’t even have a writing.” That last word a botched translation from “escritura,” which can also mean a deed (as in: to property) or a “document”/“papers” (as in: the legal “right” to be somewhere).

    For good measure, Shakira also adds another dig at Gerard Piqué by calling out his father with the insult, “They say there is no evil/That lasts more than a hundred years/But there is still my ex father-in-law who has not set foot in the grave.” So much for a temporary peace between the two exes (yet perhaps it’s only fair considering Shakira took aim earlier this year at her ex mother-in-law through a carefully-curated witch display). But this song has nothing to do with getting revenge on an ex (unless it’s an ex-boss). No, it’s all in service of buttressing the proletariat…or at least comforting them by assuring that someone is very aware of what they’re going through (even if from their own perch on Millionaires’ Row). 

    Which is why, at the one-minute, forty-four-second mark of the video, things take a turn toward the indoors, with Frantzis focusing on the fat cats (literally fat, obviously) themselves as they sit at a banquet table. And what’s on the menu? Why, the proletariat, of course! A.k.a. Jesus Ortiz Paz’s (Fuerza Regida’s lead singer) head on a platter, John the Baptist-style. What the fat cats hadn’t bargained for (just as Franklin Hart hadn’t bargained for Violet, Doralee or Judy), however, was a calmly irate Shakira showing up to walk on their table and approach the so-called “jefe” at the head of it with an expression that says, “I’m the jefe now, bitch.”

    As for the mention of her former-turned-current nanny, Lili Melgar, by declaring, “This song’s for you/They didn’t pay you compensation,” well, that’s another direct hit at Piqué. Who apparently fired Melgar after she tipped Shakira off to a “third presence” visiting their house all the time before she finally clocked the suspiciously diminished contents of the jam jar. 

    The last shot in the video returns to a defiant-looking Shakira (dressed in her all-red cowgirl ensemble—because, sooner or later, the oppressed becomes the oppressor, right?) on her horse as she stares into the camera. As though daring the jefes of the world to try to keep her or her “kind” down. But, no matter who you are or where you’re from (to paraphrase the Backstreet Boys), there is always common ground to be had in the shared experience of how much work blows chunks (at pretty much any pay grade, to boot). 

    For even the white men known as Blink-182 once said, “Work sucks, I know.” And so does Shakira. Or at least she can “get into the headspace” of knowing, if “El Jefe” is any indication. Thus, the only thing that could be more triumphant than this anti-work anthem is an official mashup (à la “Numb/Encore”) of it with “9 to 5.”

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • “El Flow No Está a la Venta”: Karol G’s “S91”

    “El Flow No Está a la Venta”: Karol G’s “S91”

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    Having previously worked with Pedro Artola on videos like “Cairo” and “Provenza,” Karol G reteams with the director to bring us the surreal stylings of the “S91” video. Starting from the image of Karol G sitting in the desert next to a cross formed by speakers in lieu of pinewood, it’s clear that the singer wants to establish a religious motif from the outset. And considering that the title of the song is a reference to “Psalm 91,” that should come as no surprise.

    Sporting pink hair (perhaps a residual look from her “Watati” video for the Barbie Soundtrack) as she stares with a knowing glance into the camera, things are serene enough until the tension starts to mount as a crowd of people in the desert begin to approach her. They then abruptly run toward her in a manner that suggests a threat is at play, until we see another scene of an animated panther also about to pounce on her…or so we’re led to believe. In the next moment, the crowd has gone from ostensibly chasing her down to following right behind her as she leads the pack—even if being hotly pursued by it. That said, the people behind her suddenly turn into animated wolves that still happen to be out for Karol G’s blood.

    As she approaches the aforementioned panther—her apparent protector/“guardian angel”—it launches into attack mode against the lead wolf, both of them jumping into the air to give their best shot at taking the other down. And, just when you think the wolf might have the upper hand in the fight, the panther bitch slaps him across the cheek, leading us instantly to the next scene, wherein Karol G reminds us it’s always Bichota Season, with that phrase displayed on the black car she’s now driving. Gripping the wheel tightly, Karol G proceeds to drag race against the yellow car next to her. As the two go mano a mano in the desert, a random smattering of onlookers (including one tit flasher) cheers her on. But really, there’s no need. For, soon after starting the race, Karol G is coasting easily. So easily, in fact, that she’s riding on top of her car, straight chillin’ as she makes her way through the desert without a care in the world. A look that makes sense when taking into account how “S91” is a rumination on how she’s cut out the proverbial haters from her life. As such, Karol G assures, “I no longer have people who envy me/What I have is apprentices.” A polite word, perhaps, for “minions.” But surely Karol G is less diabolical than Blair Waldorf, so we’ll give her the benefit of the doubt on the kindness of a word like “apprentice” (which needed to be “reappropriated” from Donald Trump anyway).

    In the next scenario, Karol G is floating peacefully in a body of water, a close-up on her tattoo reading, “HOPE.” Something she might want to hold on to as animated sharks circle her in the water. All while she remains tranquilly in her lifebuoy at the center. For, as she’s already noted of the “sharks” out there thirsting for her blood, “From afar you can see that they want to be like me, I already saw them/But the flow is not for sale I’m sorry, but the flow is not for sale.” Would that Britney Spears told a few people that before it was too late. And in the concluding moment to this scene, a massive shark just barely visible beneath her suddenly shows not only the extent of its largeness, but how its entire mouth might just be about to swallow her whole.

    Before we can see if it actually does, Artola cuts to Karol G safely walking through a field before a barrage of religious imagery inside a church appears to emphasize the spiritual overtones of a song that speaks to how Karol G has reached a point in her life where she feels protected by some sort of “higher power.” Maybe that’s “arrogance,” or maybe it’s simply what the L.A. girls call “manifesting”—finding the confidence one needs to battle outside malignant forces by using “the strength within” (or “the voice within,” as Christina Aguilera would call it).

    Karol G’s confidence and self-assurance on this single ties into the psalm she refers to in the title via the lyrics, “Pues mil caerán a tu derecha, y diez mil a tu izquierda, pero a ti nada te pasará.” A.k.a.: “For a thousand shall fall at thy right hand, and ten thousand at thy left, but nothing shall befall thee.” In other words, she knows how to stay calm amid the noise and the flaccid attempts at “taking her down.” After all, how can any girl be taken down once she’s collaborated with Shakira? The concluding part of that psalm (“Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked”) alludes to how all one needs to do is sit back and let “karma” do its job.

    That’s the tip Karol G seems to be on as she makes the sign of the cross inside the church before another cut takes us to Paris at nighttime, where Karol G lets her inner basic bitch run wild as she poses and cavorts in front of the sparkling Eiffel Tower as though possessed by a jubilance she can’t control. For that’s what it is to give no credence to negativity or one’s detractors.

    After already releasing the optimistically titled album Mañana Será Bonito earlier this year, a title card at the end of the video promises “Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) Coming Soon” before one last scene of Karol G relaxing with the protective animated panther we saw earlier in the narrative. Whether that means Karol G is releasing some kind of deluxe edition of the record (à la Tove Lo with Dirt Femme) is left up to the viewer. But, either way, it’s clear that Karol G is not about suffering fools or letting her happiness be affected by others any longer.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Shakira Is A Mermaid of the Future in the “Copa Vacía” Video Featuring Manuel Turizo

    Shakira Is A Mermaid of the Future in the “Copa Vacía” Video Featuring Manuel Turizo

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    While Shakira might have reverted to “retro” 00s sensibilities in imagining “the future” with 2022’s “Te Felicito” featuring Rauw Alejandro, her latest single, “Copa Vacía,” has a more realistic take on what the years ahead will hold. And that is: a lot of fucking trash. Everywhere. Trash that will particularly affect marine life. And, regardless of Shakira portraying herself as the “mythical creature” of a mermaid to get that point across, it works quite effectively. Indeed, it’s probably precisely because she’s a mermaid that the imagery of her placed against the backdrop of what amounts to a sandy landfill is so potent. After all, people only seem to care about helping other life forms when they’re “attractive,” this being referred to in such terms as “lookism,” “the beauty bias” and “speciesism.” Plus, the jarring sight of Mermaid Shakira in this harsh environment is designed to complement a single about yearning and lack of fulfillment—sexually, in case you couldn’t guess. Thus, being resigned to a dried-up, post-apocalyptic landscape makes plenty of sense. But, for the rest of us, there won’t be much symbolism in the imagery…it’s just going to be full-stop dried-up and post-apocalyptic without the “benefit” of “looking mermaid hot” like Shakira. Everyone will certainly be hot though, burning up in a world that’s risen +two degrees Fahrenheit in temperature. And who knows if anyone will have time for lust/worrying about a “copa vacía” with constant thoughts of survival/being a climate refugee on the brain?

    With “Copa Vacía” translating to “Empty Cup,” Shakira as a mermaid with no water to soak in lends added poetry to the aesthetic choice. Building on her endless list of male collaborators of late is Manuel Turizo (a seeming Maluma lookalike [at least in this video]—maybe there’s something in the water in Colombia). Joining the ranks of Shakira collaborators past, including the aforementioned Alejandro on “Te Felicito” and Ozuna on “Monotonía,” Turizo is the one who jumps into the body of water Shakira eventually washes up from in other scenes that we see of her. While underwater, Turizo looks around to take in the fact that Shakira is swimming away from him, perhaps having realized that she’s only able to quench her thirst elsewhere (hence, suddenly being in an ocean as opposed to on dry, trash-filled land—where co-directors Shakira and Jaume de Laiguana initially set the video’s stage). But wait, it’s not over yet, for she foolishly decides to circle him (almost tauntingly), therefore giving Turizo the chance to capture her in his net.

    As he drags her through the “mud” (literally!), we soon see that her fate is not much better than Madison’s (Daryl Hannah) in Splash after she’s captured by government agents to be studied and dissected. But, at least, in that case, they were giving her some attention. Whereas Shakira exists in a barely-half-full tank of water, gazing out and pressing her hand to the glass as Turizo ignores her. And plays his video games (as Lana would point out). So while he might think he’s been “kind enough” to “rescue” her from her former existence, he’s actually created a worse one for her at present. Because, yes, humans tend to create worse environments for every creature that’s meant to be “wild.” Intercut scenes of Shakira lying down on the trash-filled beach again are accompanied with being in her “natural” environment on a rock (à la Ariel) or positively drenched (she wishes this wetness extended “down below,” of course) beneath a waterfall as Turizo stands next to her—not doing much to help a bitch out on feeling wanted. Desired. With the topic of sexual frigidity often being one that’s directed at women as yet another means to berate them, it seems worth reminding the latter gender that the surest sign a man is cheating is his sudden coldness toward your body. His general “meh” reaction. So it is that Shakira laments, “Why don’t you want/When I want/You are colder than the month of January/I ask for heat and you give nothing but ice, oh” (in Spanish, that’s: “Por qué no quieres/Cuando yo quiero/Estás más frío/Que el mes de enero/Pido calor y no das más que hielo, oh”). Lana Del Rey would have sung that as, “Oooh, you’re cold as ice baby/But when you’re nice baby/It’s so amazing in every way.”

    As for the frío man Shakira accuses in “Copa Vacía,” it obviously feels like another pointed jab at her ex, Gerard Piqué, who has lately been a muse for such indelible “fuck you” bops as “Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53” and “TQG.” To be sure, Piqué must have been quite thawed on his erstwhile “partner” to have prompted these feelings. And yeah, they clara…mente thawed because he had younger snatch to turn to for his own “thirst quenching” needs. To that point, Shakira sings, “I’ve been thirsty for a while/I don’t know why I’m left wanting more/Wanting to drink from an empty cup.” Perhaps because many of us are slow on the uptake with regard to learning our lesson. That someone isn’t going to change no matter how hard you want them to, or how hard you romanticize the initial phases of your relationship with them. Which is surely what Shakira was doing before she found out about Clara Chia Marti. While her father was in the hospital.

    In contrast to Piqué, however, Turizo comes across as more empathetic, not to mention actually interested making the relationship work. So it is that he offers his counterpoint perspective, “As if I didn’t feel anything/Now you look at me so different/Me swimming against the current/You have me on the street looking for/With what to fill this emptiness that you feel/I am not a mechanic/But I try to fix it and it doesn’t work/Reviving a heart that does not react/I don’t want to try it with someone else.” Shakira then explains, “Your kisses are salt water/I drink, and nothing calms me down/I wait for you and you disappoint me/It does not work like this.”

    All the while, her essential sense of mermaid freedom is stripped away from her the more hopeless and crestfallen she becomes. So it is that, by the end, we see her being strung up by a chain with her hands bound, a bland beige-ish tarp behind her to intensify the overall colorlessness of a world without love and sex (the world we’re quickly coming to know amid the exacerbating conditions of climate change). The final scene again shows her in the trash-laden, mud-like sand. For this is the mermaid vision of the future. Not just experiencing a love drought, but an actual one as well. The “empty cup”—an emblem of no water from which to drink—of the song also mirroring the according landscapes we see throughout the video. And what we’ll see as the next decade wears on.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Acrostic Poems Never Die: Shakira Revives the Elementary School-Favored Poetry Method on “Acróstico,” Takes a Risk on the “Song For My Children” Genre

    Acrostic Poems Never Die: Shakira Revives the Elementary School-Favored Poetry Method on “Acróstico,” Takes a Risk on the “Song For My Children” Genre

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    For those who thought Shakira was all embitterment and revenge with her song subjects of late (hear: “Te Felicito” and “Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53”), Gerard Piqué isn’t the only topic occupying her mind (therefore, songwriting tendencies) lately. With “Acróstico,” the newest single that will likely appear on her twelfth album, Shakira focuses her mind instead on maternal sentiment—which was just in time for Mother’s Day weekend, as the song was released on May 11th. Accordingly, Shakira has no shame in getting Oedipal (just as John Lennon didn’t have any), talking about a mother’s transcendent, inimitable love for her children; in this case, two sons named Sasha and Milan (yes, they sound as though they were plucked right out of a season of RuPaul’s Drag Race).

    It is these two names that are spelled out via the first letters of the verses in the song (though Shakira cheats more than a little bit by not having them spelled in a direct row—perhaps proving that acrostic poems are not exactly “elementary school child’s play”). A slow piano ballad, the beat drops around the one-minute, twenty-second mark as Shakira sings, “Se nos rompió solo un plato no toda la vajilla/Y aunque no sé poner la otra mejilla/Aprender a perdonar es de sabios/Que solo te salga amor de esos labios.” This meaning, “We only broke one plate, not all the dishes/And although I don’t know how to turn the other cheek/Learning to forgive is wise/May only love come out of those lips” (instead of the bullshit that came out of Piqué’s). As usual, everything sounds better and more poetic in Spanish than it does in English. But these are hardly the most standout or “maternal” expressions conveyed in the song. Elsewhere, Shakira gets even mushier with lines like, “The only thing I want is your happiness and to be with you/A smile from you is my weakness/Loving you serves as an anesthesia for pain/It makes me feel better/For whatever you need, I am here/You came to complete what I am.” How Jerry Maguire.

    Of course, with Shakira’s sons only being ten and eight, it’s easy to feel such warm fuzziness toward them. But hopefully, they never take the route of Britney Spears’ spawns and veer more toward the path of Pamela Anderson’s. Depending on Piqué’s (and Clara Chía’s…if she lasts) influence, that feeling could change as they grow older (plus, if we’re drawing a comparative line, Piqué is technically Shakira’s K-Fed). Indeed, Britney is no stranger to the “write a song for my sons” genre only to have it backfire, having released both “Someday (I Will Understand)” and “My Baby” in years before the sting of Jayden and Sean’s betrayal. Years when they weren’t sentient enough to backstab (hence, lyrics such as, “Tiny hands/Yes, that’s you/And all you show/It’s simply true/I smell your breath/It makes me cry”—that last sentiment sounding more like an insult than a compliment).

    But, for now, and despite Britney as a cautionary tale about writing songs for your sons, Shakira is hedging all her emotional bets on them by claiming ownership (almost as though marking her territory more strongly than Piqué can because he ain’t a singer). So it is that she declares, “You taught me that love is not a scam and that when it’s real it doesn’t end.” No pressure or anything for these sons to be her love “catch-all,” even as they grow up and inevitably try to distance themselves from their madre. Or worse, if they decide not to…meaning whoever they end up with will be marrying Shakira as much as her sons (though that might be motivation enough for some people).

    This is when it becomes worth noting that “Acróstico” is just as overbearing as it is “sweet.” And while there have been plenty of other pop stars who have used their children as lyrical inspiration (e.g., David Bowie’s “Kooks,” John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy,” Lauryn Hill’s “To Zion” and Madonna’s “Little Star”), this particular slow jam feels more like additional leverage against Piqué somehow. Forgive the jadedness, but it’s hard not to picture Shakira diabolically laying down this track as further proof of her beneficent superiority over her shady, two-timing ex.

    The album artwork, fittingly enough, features a teddy bear popping out of an unpacked box…seeing as how Shakira has relocated from Barcelona to Miami with Sasha and Milan after the fallout with their father. The box above it also has a sticker stamped on with a broken heart icon and the words, “Fragile Handle With Care.” Shakira believes her sons will do just that, the antidote to every other ill and heartbreak that might come along. Seemingly not realizing that a mother’s son can be just as much of a bane as a boon to her emotional well-being. Perhaps fellow celebrity mom Madonna put it best when she wrote in part of her own Mother’s Day message, “I have experienced my highest highs and my lowest lows as a Mother. No one could have prepared me.” Maybe Shakira herself has yet to be prepared for the potential disappointment that can come with putting so much weight on a child’s love if it isn’t reciprocated in the “right” way somewhere down the line. To add to the “aggressive, sticky maternal love!” (as Marcello in La Dolce Vita would say) vibe, Shakira also offers an accompanying lyric video featuring animated scenes of a mama bird protecting and tending to her nest of two eggs. Heavy-handed, to be sure. But not as much as when she defends her nest through a violent storm before the eggs hatch.

    Upon “safely” bringing her two babies into the world (as though anyone is ever safe once they’re here), she proceeds to “activate” as a mother by foraging for food to bring back to them—the maternal instinct innate (or so the video would like to suggest). Jumping up and down in excitement as she watches them learn to fly, the trio soon soars off together into the sunset. And, in an alternate universe, one could even imagine a Spanish version of Princess Diana having her time with William and Harry soundtracked to this. However, for those who are maudlin-averse or perhaps have a more Mommie Dearest experience with their own mother, this song—brief though it may be—might not be easy to stomach.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Shakira Announces She’s Moving From Barcelona To Miami In Emotional Statement

    Shakira Announces She’s Moving From Barcelona To Miami In Emotional Statement

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    By Sarah Curran.
    Published:
    Last updated:

    Shakira’s time living in Barcelona has come to an end.

    The Colombian songstress took to Instagram to share an emotional statement in which she confirmed that she’s leaving the Spanish city and moving to Miami, Florida with her two children.


    READ MORE:
    Gerard Piqué Says He’s Focusing On ‘Preserving Happiness’ Post Shakira Split

    “I settled in Barcelona to give my children a stability, the same we are now looking for in another corner of the world next to family, friends and the sea,” she said in a statement written in Spanish. 

    “Today we start a new chapter in the pursuit of their happiness,” the 46-year-old star continued. “Thank you to everyone who surfed alongside me so many waves there in Barcelona, the city where I learned that friendship is certainly longer than love.”

    Shakira and Gerard Piqué, who was born in Barcelona, split in June 2022 after 11 years together.


    READ MORE:
    Shakira Reportedly Dating Again After Gerard Piqué Split

    “Thank you to everyone who has been there to cheer me up, dried my tears, inspired me and made me grow,” Shakira added. “Thanks to my Spanish audience who have always covered me with their love and loyalty. For you, just a see you later, and as my father said so many times, see you around the curves!”

    Piqué has since confirmed his romance with Clara Chia Marti, with it being rumoured that he cheated on Shakira with her.

    Shakira has seemingly since taken swipes at Marti and her ex in diss tracks; the latest being the “TQG” collaboration with Karol G.

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    Sarah Curran

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  • ‘There is a place in hell..’ – Shakira finally addresses Pique cheating in new interview

    ‘There is a place in hell..’ – Shakira finally addresses Pique cheating in new interview

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    Shakira seems broken yet emerges strong as she calls out her ex-husband Gerard Pique and his rumoured lover Clara Chia.

    In June 2022, she filed for separation from her spouse of 11 years, Gerard Pique, citing infidelity. But it never looked like Barcelona FC defender Gerard Pique was ever guilty of cheating on his 11-year marriage with Shakira.

    The songwriter and singer lost her cool when she came across an Instagram post that featured Pique and Clara all cozy and cuddled up, which made her come out and address how these days women pull down other women instead of uplifting them, which directly points out to Clara Chia, with whom her ex-husband cheated.

    Shakira’s candid comment to the Daily Mail

    Shakira opened up about how she felt herself emotionally dependent on men, but after this incident, it made her stronger, and now she feels she is self-sufficient and doesn’t need any men or support to make her feel strong.

    In an interview, she took quotes from Taylor Swift and summarised how the world is changing, where a woman is against other woman on the battlefield, adding that when a woman faces life’s challenges, she emerges stronger. She feels whole because she relies on herself, adding that she has two children who depend on her, which means she has to be stronger than a lioness.

    The Hips Don’t Lie singer remarked that her strength came from losing, accepting difficulties, and recognising that you don’t always get what you want in life.

    “There are broken dreams, and you have to pick up the small pieces off the ground and put yourself back together, as well as be an example to my children,” Shakira stated.

    ALSO READ: Did Shakira’s ex Gerard Piqué and girlfriend Clara Chia Marti just make their relationship Insta-official?

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  • Fire and Ice Combine For Something Nice: Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG”

    Fire and Ice Combine For Something Nice: Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG”

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    Having only freshly released her fourth album, Mañana Será Bonito, Karol G’s “TQG” featuring Shakira already marks the fifth single from the record. Granted, Karol G got a bit of a head start before the album’s official announcement was made, with singles like “Provenza” and “Gatúbela” coming out in the spring and summer of 2022. Nonetheless, “TQG” somehow feels like the first “real” single from the album. Shakira might have more than a little something to do with that, especially considering how much she’s been in the spotlight of late thanks to her Gerard Piqué-slamming track, “Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53.” The reemergence of Shakira’s signature “sass” (and ass) has only helped contribute to the clapback vibe of “TQG”—an acronym for “Te Quedó Grande.” This loosely translating to: “Too much for you to handle.”

    On Beyoncé’s 2016 track, “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” she similarly boasted of being “too much” for the man who jilted her (a.k.a Jay-Z), flexing, “Blindly in love, I fucks with you/‘Til I realize I’m just too much for you/I’m just too much for you.” Where once it was the ultimate curse for a woman to be called “too much” (a not so veiled code for: “too much to deal with because she actually shows her emotions and intellectual complexities”), it’s now owned as a badge of honor (hence the new adage, “If I’m too much for you, then go find less”). For no woman wants to attract the kind of man who can’t “handle” a little “emotionalism” (this being a word certain men use to describe a woman’s expression of any feeling whatsoever). This is the type of man that Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) once characterized as being averse to “Katie girls”—a The Way We Were reference to those non-gays in the audience who don’t get it. And yes, Mr. Big (Chris Noth) is just that sort of breed (though it didn’t stop Carrie from continuing to lust after him). Preferring instead the “simple girls” that Pink so often loves to talk shit about despite such rhetoric no longer being considered chic.  

    Both Shakira and Karol G are ostensible Katie girls as well. Yet, unlike Beyoncé (an undercover simple girl), neither of these women are willing to forgive their erstwhile significant other for their transgressions, with Shakira once again referring to Gerard Piqué when she sings, “Seeing you with the new girl hurt me, but I’m now set on me/I’ve forgotten what we lived together, and that’s what you’re offended by/And even my life got better, you are no longer welcome here.” As for Karol G, her poisonous ex inspiration is Anuel AA (side note: Shakira collaborated with him on 2020’s “Me Gusta” before Karol G knew how it was going to turn out…but how’s that for full-circle retribution?). Despite being engaged to Karol G for two years, he ended up marrying a fellow rapper named Yailin La Más Viral—even had a baby with her before deciding to ditch her, too. So when Karol G declares, “You left saying you got over me/And you got yourself a new girlfriend/What she doesn’t know is that you’re still looking at all my stories,” one can really tell who the “muse” behind the lyric is.

    Karol and Shakira then goad their exes in concert via the chorus, “Baby, what happened?/Thought you were very in love?/What are you doing looking for me, honey/If you know that I don’t repeat mistakes/Tell your new bae that I don’t compete for men.” A sentiment that sounds similar to when men say, “I don’t have to pay for sex.” The confident bravado of the song is mirrored by its Pedro Artola-directed video, in which, while channeling Loud-era Rihanna with her red hair, Karol G takes up the mantle for Ri in “Can’t Remember to Forget You,” which also featured Shakira. In stark contrast to the lament and yearning of that single (released almost ten years ago now), “TQG” is a sign of the times for women who are no longer naïve or trusting enough to put up with multiple affronts from men. They’d rather turn such pain into profit, as Shakira mentions on her Bizarrap session with the line, “Women no longer cry/Women get paid.”

    Karol G confirms that with her verse, “I don’t have time for something that doesn’t do anything for me/I changed my route/Making money like sport/Filling my bank account with shows, the car park, the passport/I’m harder, the press reviews say.” Or perhaps “more wizened” is the better choice of words. Therefore not so prone to buying into the usual male bullshit, featuring such greatest hits as, “You know I love you, baby,” “It was only one time,” “It didn’t mean anything,” etc.

    With the video opening on images of Karol G projected on screens throughout the globe (including the many screens present on an airplane), she does a freefall off a building as Artola cuts to Shakira in an icy blue bodycon dress amid a snowy backdrop. After all, men have such a knack for turning women “cold” with their behavior. Karol G then appears on the scene in a contrasting red number that coordinates with her hair before the two transition to the opposite environmental milieu: fire burning all around them. For that’s the trail they’ve left in their wake after being burned by the men who did them wrong, only to scorch those men’s earth in recompense.

    As Karol G takes a page from the Shakira aphorism, “Hips don’t lie,” they dance suggestively in unison (even throwing in a portion of the beloved “Anitta dance” from “Envolver”), as though taunting any and every ex who made the mistake of thinking he could do better. The setting then shifts to a snowy one again as the rage in each woman subsides in favor of a cool, calm collectedness that her ex can no longer penetrate.

    That calmness being further emphasized by the The Truman Show-inspired blue sky-painted wall they hit at the end, complete with stairs leading to an open door (the possibilities presently wide open now that the whole world is their oyster without some cloying, complaining bloke to diminish their worth and make them feel guilty for it). And yes, someone—a slavish man—is watching them on TV in their bathtub in the final scene. For what else can any man do but watch as women continue to prove their superior value over and over again?

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • The Wrath of Woman: Miley Cyrus and Shakira

    The Wrath of Woman: Miley Cyrus and Shakira

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    When Angela Bassett set the car on fire in Waiting to Exhale. When Aubrey Plaza spirals for a full episode after finding the condom wrapper in White Lotus. When Rosamund Pike fakes her death, frames her husband — Ben Affleck — for murder, and disappears completely after discovering his affair with EmRata in Gone Girl. Chefs kiss to all of it. Because one thing about me? I love the wrath of women.

    While I don’t support the scorning of women, I support the actions of scorned women. Just like Lady Gaga said on the House of Gucci’s red carpet, “I don’t believe in the glorification of murder. I do believe in the empowerment of women.”

    And recently, both Shakira and Miley Cyrus metaphorically murdered their cheating partners — Gerard Piqué and Liam Hemsworth respectively — by skewering them with the spikes of hit break-up anthems.

    It’s the Taylor Swift treatment. Immortalizing a man in song — in the worst way possible … for him. Jake Gyllenhall and John Mayer are probably texting Piqué and Hemsworth words of support. They’ll need it.

    In case you missed it, here’s a quick rundown on current breakup anthems on the charts that are bringing back girl power.

    The backstory behind Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers”

    Miley Cyrus is no stranger to penning songs about Liam Hemsworth. After being married for only one year, Cyrus and Hemsworth divorced in February 2020. However, their tortured romance has been making headlines since 2010. That means Liam Hemsworth wasted this woman’s time for an entire decade. No wonder she’s pissed.

    Ever since they fell in love on the set of The Last Song, Miley’s been dedicating absolute bangers to her on-again-off-again partner. The movie’s breakout track, “When I Look At You,” should have netted her a slew of awards. A snub I shall never-ever get over. But since then, there have been many others: “Wrecking Ball,” “Malibu,” and even one named “I Would Die For You.”

    But the instantly viral hit “Flowers” has special significance. The single is the first release from the former-Disney star’s upcoming album, Endless Summer Vacation. But this single was released on January 13th — little Liam’s 33rd birthday. It seems Miley is in her petty era. And we love it for her.

    Even the lyrics of the song allegedly dig at her former relationship. “I can buy myself flowers,” Miley sings, “I can hold my own hand.” This assertion of self-love is a direct response to Bruno Mas’ “When I Was Your Man.” Why? Well, apparently Liam dedicated this song to Cyrus at their wedding. Odd, because it is a breakup song. Foreshadowing, maybe? At least we now get a breakup banger out of it.

    The video is also sure to go down in music video history. Its vintage fashion looks were instantly striking, but when fans looked closer, they sussed out the deeper meaning of the video’s captivating narrative. First off, the video contains multiple references to Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Classic and unhinged.

    But that’s not all! Turns out, it was filmed in the very house where Hemsworth allegedly cheated on Cyrus… with multiple women… multiple times! And there she is, reclaiming her space and her time. As she should!

    Watch Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers” Video here

    Miley Cyrus – Flowers (Official Video)www.youtube.com

    The backstory behind Shakira’s “Out of Your League”

    One other woman-scorned dominating the news? None other than the ever-iconic Shakira. The Columbian singer shattered YouTube records for the most streamed Latin music song in 24-hours. The track, “Out Of Your League,” is an unapologetic rant to her former partner Gerard Piqué. Astoundingly, it’s logged 63m+ YouTube views in 24-hours, making it the most-watched new Latin song in the platform’s history.

    And the story behind this song? More infidelity, unfortunately.

    Rumor has it, Shakira realized her former partner was cheating on her after returning home to find that her jar of jam had been eaten. And, supposedly, Piqué has never tasted jam in his life. Shakira playing detective and ending up with a hit song? I’m obsessed.

    This story is so crazy it just has to be true. It’s 2023’s equivalent of the Harry Styles x Olivia Wilde x Jason Sudeikis salad dressing debacle of 2022. More celeb relationship drama with food involved, please!

    The song is pretty much a diss track. And like all fine diss tracks, it’s filled with savage jabs and no pulled punches. Shakira — 45 — sings: “I’m worth two 22-year-olds,” referencing her ex’s quick rebound with a 22-year-old. She sings: “You swapped a Ferrari for a Twingo/You swapped a Rolex for a Casio.”

    The title is also a play on Piqué’s profession. As a soccer player, he’s familiar with leagues. But Shakira is definitely far beyond his.“I was out of your league,” she says, “which is why you’re with someone just like you.”

    Watch Shakira’s “Out of Your League” Video here

    SHAKIRA || BZRP Music Sessions #53www.youtube.com

    None of this was on my 2023 BINGO card. But I’m living for the drama, supporting women, and playing these songs on repeat.

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    LKC

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  • Shakira Reportedly Places Witch Doll On Balcony Facing Mother-In-Law As She ‘Blasts Gerard Pique’s Diss Track’

    Shakira Reportedly Places Witch Doll On Balcony Facing Mother-In-Law As She ‘Blasts Gerard Pique’s Diss Track’

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    By Anita Tai.
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    Last updated:

    Shakira is redecorating her Spanish home.

    DailyMail reports the singer has placed a lifesize witch doll on her balcony which supposedly faces her former mother-in-law’s property.

    The move comes after her highly publicized breakup with soccer player Gerard Piqué in July 2022.

    Shakira released a song titled Shakira Bzrp Music Sessions 53 which is said to be a diss track aimed at her ex and his new girlfriend with its lyrics. One lyric in particular seems to be referring to the 23-year-old in specific with the line, “I’m worth two 22’s. You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo. You traded a Rolex for a Casio.”

    Residents reportedly heard the singer ‘blasting the song at full volume’ from her property.


    READ MORE:
    New Music Friday: Miley Cyrus, Sam Smith, Shakira, Sam Smith & More

    Another lyric seems to be aiming at her neighbour with the line, “You left my mother-in-law as my neighbour, with the press at the door and the debt in the Treasury…”

    Fans seem to be enjoying the drama with many of them praising Shakira for her revenge.

    “🧙‍♀️🔊 Shakira has reportedly been listening to her BZRP session on a loop today, where there is also a witch on the balcony pointing at her ex-mother-in-law’s house…” wrote one account.

    “shakira is playing her song out loud in a balcony that faces her ex-family in law, this is the level of pettiness i aspire to have,” added another.


    READ MORE:
    Shakira’s New Song Seemingly Takes Shots At Ex Gerard Piqué And His Girlfriend

    Her former mother-in-law was said to have welcomed Pique’s rumoured girlfriend, Clara Chia Mart, which soured relations with the singer.

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    Anita Tai

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  • Shakira Just Knocked Every Post-Breakup Diss Track Into the Toilette

    Shakira Just Knocked Every Post-Breakup Diss Track Into the Toilette

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    If anyone ever wanted proof that you don’t fuck with a Colombiana woman, Shakira is here to provide it in the form of a new single with DJ Bizarrap. While it has no specific title, other than “BZRP Music Sessions #53” or, more unofficially, “Pa’ Tipos Como Tú,” maybe that’s for the best—at least for her ex, Gerard Piqué, who might have ended up getting the song named after him in some fashion or another had Shakira decided to title it right now. For it’s all directed very specifically at him. And while Shakira had two other singles this year that gave plenty of hints about the heartache that resulted from her eleven-year long relationship with Piqué, they were nowhere near this savage.

    It all started, innocently enough, with little “hints” already manifest in the drenched-in-sarcasm “Te Felicito” (a.k.a. “I Congratulate You”), released in April 2022. Then came “Monotonía” in October. The latter was part of her ephemeral “sad girl” phase in addressing the betrayal Piqué inflicted by leaving her for a now twenty-three-year-old named Clara Chía. Featuring Ozuna, the video takes place in a supermarket where Shakira, looking as “disheveled” as she’s able to, stoically appears in front of the camera. We then get a close-up shot on her teary eyes as she declares, “It wasn’t your fault, nor mine/It was the monotony’s fault.” The rest of the Jaume de la Iguana-directed (or rather, co-directed…with Shakira) video shows our crestfallen protagonist losing her heart altogether when Ozuna blows it out of her chest with a bazooka. This, to be honest, is far more brutal than what SZA does to her ex in “Kill Bill.” But then, men do tend to be more brutal in general (despite spouting that line about hell having no fury like a woman scorned) so…

    In keeping with that inhumaneness, Shakira’s heart is still beating on the ground as she reaches out to pick it back up. The only truly “accusatory” thing she says of Piqué being, “You left me because of your narcissism.” Of course, we all know he really left for the cliché reason so many men do: younger snatch. In any case, Shakira tries to get her heart to the safety of a lockbox without it being further damaged. Unfortunately, it gets stepped on a few more times along the way before she can secure it inside the bank vault and throw away the key. Now that she has, it’s apparent she’s in her full-on beast mode part of the recovery process.

    That’s why she’s quick to lead with the soccer-alluding shade, “So much talk of being a champion and when I needed you the most/You gave me the worst version of you.” A version that dips out for a woman half Shakira’s age, hence her mathematical insult, “I’m worth two twenty-two year olds.” Although the video/recording session might be simple in its aesthetics, Shakira does furnish us with the special effect of her eyes glowing like a loba’s when she taunts, “A she wolf like me isn’t for rookies/A she wolf like me isn’t for guys like you.” Those who know Shakira’s music will of course realize she’s referencing her 2009 banger, “She Wolf.” Which Piqué has invoked big time with his behavior.

    To mix up some of the visual “monotonía” at the forty-seven-second mark, Shakira offers major “Take On Me” vibes by emulating A-ha’s sketched animation look from said video as she repeats, “Pa’ tipos como tú” before further reminding, “I was out of your league/That’s why you’re with someone just like you.” A direct hit at both of the basic parties involved. In case there was any confusion about why Shakira decided to make this song, she sings, “This is for you to be mortified/To chew and swallow, swallow and chew/I won’t get back with you/Not if you cry/Not even if you beg me.”

    Certain to exonerate herself from any culpability with regard to his current lack of favorability among the media, Shakira notes, “It’s not my fault if they criticize you.” After all, the only thing he had to do was not cheat on her. Or at least not make her move to Barcelona where it would end up costing her very literally with the Spanish government, now accusing her of tax fraud and evasion. All because she wanted to be supportive of Piqué’s career…even though not moving to the U.S. was more of a burden on hers. Shakira herself told Elle in the October 2022 issue, “I put my career in second gear and I came to Spain, to support him so he could play football and win titles. And it was a sacrifice of love.” A sacrifice that majorly backfired.

    In the same interview, Shakira had stated, “I think that those [breakup] details are somehow too private to share, at least at this very moment—everything is so raw and new. I can only say that I put everything I had into this relationship and my family.” Well, it ain’t too private now, with “Pa’ Tipos Como Tú” garnering over sixty million views within twenty-four hours of its release. What’s more, Shakira even commits the ultimate taboo (especially in Latin culture) by bringing Piqué’s mother into it with the complaint, “You left me with your mom as a neighbor, the press at my door and a debt with the Treasury.” That last reference being to her aforementioned tax debacle with the Spanish government. A debacle that, again, wouldn’t have even come to roost in Shakira’s life were it not for Piqué’s need to live in Barcelona.

    It’s all a very far cry from 2017’s “Me Enamoré,” an upbeat love song written about Piqué for the El Dorado album, complete with a video in which he appears at the end, smiling at her with a grin that can now only be described as “Cheshire cat.” But Shakira’s the only feral feline in this latest song, having caught the canary without any abashment. For when a woman is hurt, all she can do is weaponize that pain into anger. Channel it into something productive a.k.a. artistic. It’s the most magical type of alchemy. Hence, Shakira announcing, “You thought you’d hurt me, but you made me stronger.” A line that echoes Christina Aguilera on “Fighter” when she says, “Makes me that much stronger/Makes me work a little bit harder/It makes me that much wiser/So thanks for making me a fighter.” And even the sentiments of Destiny’s Child on “Survivor” are there, namely when Beyoncé defiantly sings, “You thought that I’d be weak without you/But I’m stronger/You thought that I’d be broke without you/But I’m richer/You thought that I’d be sad without you/I laugh harder.”

    Shakira delivers a subsequent coup de grâce with, “Women no longer cry/Women get paid.” And this has certainly been an accurate take on the steady commodification of female musicians’ breakups—running the gamut from Taylor Swift to Olivia Rodrigo to Miley Cyrus to Ariana Grande to Lana Del Rey. Shakira was part of the omnipresent trend long before this group, however, with many songs on her first English “crossover” album, Laundry Service, spotlighting the behavior of cads. This is notable on one track in particular, “Objection (Tango).” As though presaging her fate with Piqué, Shakira opens that single with the verse, “It’s not her fault that she’s so irresistible/But all the damage she’s caused isn’t fixable/Every twenty seconds you repeat her name/But when it comes to me you don’t care/If I’m alive or dead.”

    But Piqué definitely cares that Shakira’s alive (and kicking) after hearing this track. For she doesn’t relent with the shade when adding the double meaning of, “She’s got the name of a good person, clear…ly (said as “clara…mente”). The word for “clearly” in Spanish being muy convenient for trolling the name of Pique’s concubine herself. Of course, some would fault Shakira for bringing “the other woman” into it, when it’s the man who led his own dick astray. But Clara Chía was well-aware of Piqué’s status as a “spoken for” man with two children. A so-called “family man.” So no, Shakira is not sparing her either as she spits, “She’s just like you/For guys like you” and “You traded in a Ferrari for a Twingo/You traded in a Rolex for a Casio.”

    Shakira further condemns Piqué’s stupidity for having thrown away what could have been a lifetime of love and family for what will likely be a drop in the bucket fling by adding, “So much time at the gym/But maybe work out your brain a bit too.” Alas, the dick always wins when it comes to getting the “workout.” In the end, Shakira seems to decide that maybe she was the one engaging in stupidity by ever thinking that Piqué was on her level, concluding, “That’s what you’ve settled for/Someone just like you.” Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) once made a similar assessment when she branded Natasha (Bridget Moynahan) as a “simple girl” and not a “Katie girl” (it’s a The Way We Were reference)—this being why Big (Chris Noth) married her instead of sticking with Carrie. Indeed, Shakira is far from the only “complicated” woman to have been thrown over for someone “more manageable” (read: more malleable, therefore usually younger than the man in question). But she might be the only woman (or at least among the few) to have gotten a chance to say her piece on the matter so ferociously.

    Fist bumping DJ Bizarrap at the end of the video, it’s Shakira’s equivalent of a mic drop. And if one were in Piqué and Chía’s position, they might reconsider showing their faces in public. At least until the next fire breakup song comes out (isn’t Olivia Rodrigo soon to grace us with another album?). Though it will surely be a challenge to top this one.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

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  • Shakira Releases Brutal Breakup Song About Ex Gerard Piqué — And Wow

    Shakira Releases Brutal Breakup Song About Ex Gerard Piqué — And Wow

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    Shakira holds little back in a stinging new musical dig at soccer star Gerard Piqué after the couple’s split last year. They share two young sons from their decadelong relationship.

    The Colombian pop star doesn’t explicitly name the former Spanish and Barcelona player in the track that Argentine musician Bizarrap produced and released on YouTube Wednesday as part of his BZRP Music Sessions.

    But multiple references make it crystal clear who’s the target.

    Shakira also appears to rip Piqué’s new girlfriend amid rumors of his infidelity, saying he’s “traded a Ferrari for a Twingo” and “a Rolex for a Casio.” Piqué is well known for his love of luxury cars and watches.

    “A wolf like me isn’t for guys like you,” she adds at another point, a reference to her 2009 hit “She Wolf.”

    Piqué does not appear to have commented.

    The music video for the track, above, garnered more than 26 million views in its first 12 hours on YouTube. Shakira’s name also trended worldwide on Twitter throughout that time.

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  • Soccer Star Gerard Piqué Announces Retirement With Sweet Home Movies

    Soccer Star Gerard Piqué Announces Retirement With Sweet Home Movies

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    Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué announced Thursday that he’s leaving the sport.

    On Instagram, the Barcelona defender shared home videos of himself as a child and talked about how he had hoped to one day play on the Catalan team.

    “I’ve been thinking a lot about that kid lately,” he said, according to translated subtitles in his post. “About what little Gerard would have thought if he had been told that all his dreams would come true.”

    He went on, “And now that all that kid’s dreams have come true, I want to tell you that I’ve decided that now is the time to bring this journey to its end.”

    The 35-year-old’s final game is set for Saturday, after which he said he’ll be a “regular fan.” However, he also concluded the video by saying: “And you know me. Sooner or later, I’ll be back” — hinting that he may return to the sport in some capacity.

    Piqué also mentioned he would pass his “love for Barça” to his children ― two young sons he shares with pop star Shakira. The couple announced back in June that they were splitting up after more than a decade together.

    Piqué began his career at the Barcelona team’s youth academy before joining Manchester United, then returning to play for Barcelona in 2008, according to CNN. He would go on to become a major star, winning numerous trophies and titles.

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  • Iran’s celebrities face reprisals for supporting protests

    Iran’s celebrities face reprisals for supporting protests

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    BAGHDAD — Singers, actors, sports stars — the list goes on. Iranian celebrities have been startlingly public in their support for the massive anti-government protests shaking their country. And the ruling establishment is lashing back.

    Celebrities have found themselves targeted for arrest, have had passports confiscated and faced other harassment.

    Among the most notable cases is that of singer Shervin Hajipour, whose song “For …” has become an anthem for the protest movement, which erupted Sept. 17 over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody after she was arrested for not abiding by the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.

    The song begins with a soft melody, then Hajipour’s resonant voice starts, “For dancing in the streets,” “for the fear we feel when we kiss …” — listing reasons young Iranians have posted on Twitter for why they are taking to the streets against the ruling theocracy.

    It ends with the widely chanted slogan that has become synonymous with the protests: “For women, life, freedom.”

    Released on his Instagram page, the song quickly went viral. Hajipour paid the price: The 25-year-old was arrested and held for several days before being released on bail on Oct. 4.

    Since the protests took off — and expanded from anger at Amini’s death to a complete challenge to the 43-year-old rule by conservative Islamic clerics — a string of celebrities have faced reprisals, from singers and soccer players to news anchors.

    At least seven public figures have been detained inside the country, most of whom were released on bail and could face charges, according to Iranian news outlets. Others were questioned and released.

    But their popularity has also made it difficult to crack down too hard on them — in contrast to protest activists whom security forces have arrested in large numbers. Iran has a vibrant scene of singers and actors, as well as sports stars, who are closely followed by the public.

    Holly Dagres, an Iranian-American non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, said the attempts to intimidate public figures were no surprise.

    “Celebrities — be it athletes, actors, singers or artists — have a large following inside Iran, particularly on social media, and their support gives life to these protests,” she said.

    Their support has helped invigorate protesters struggling with widespread internet outages that limit their ability to have their voices heard and facing a brutal government crackdown. There have been widespread arrests, dozens have died and many more wounded. Still, protests have spread to dozens of cities, drawing broad segments of Iranian society, from schoolgirls to oil workers.

    One of Iran’s most beloved singers of classical Persian music, Homayoun Shajarian, projected a large photo of Amini behind him on stage as he sang a traditional song, “Dawn Bird,” during a tour in Australia in September.

    The audience joined him in singing one of the song’s most iconic lines: “The tyrant’s oppression like a hunter has blown away my nest. God, Sky, Nature, bring dawn to our dark night.”

    When Shajarian returned to Iran, his passport and that of actress Sahar Dolatshahi, who was traveling with him, were seized at the airport. He later said on his Instagram account that they had been barred from travel.

    Similarly, a soccer legend in Iran, Ali Daei, had his passport confiscated at the airport when he returned from abroad. He had urged the government on social media to “solve the problems of the Iranian people rather than using repression, violence and arrests.”

    A few days later, the passport was returned to him, he told the press.

    Two well known former soccer players, Hossein Mahini and Hamidreza Aliasgari, were arrested and released on bail. Mona Borzoui, a female songwriter and Mahmoud Shahriari, a former state TV showman, have also been arrested and face charges.

    Iranian leaders blame foreign governments for fanning the protests. Iranian Deputy Interior Minister Majid Mirahmadi said celebrities in particular have had a “steering role” in the unrest.

    Mirahmadi said celebrities who have backed the protests will be allowed to atone for their “mistaken actions.”

    He denied any athletes had been arrested but said some had received “guidance.” He said Mahini, for example, had been released and given “the chance to make good on his mistakes,” according to the Mehr News Agency.

    Public figures have not been deterred.

    Amirhossein Esfandiar, a national volleyball player, reposted a video of violent confrontations between security forces and protesters, writing, “You have no sense of humanity, why do you beat and kill innocent people?”

    Qasim Haddadifar, a veteran sportsman and former soccer captain, published photos of girls protesting and wrote he was proud of them in an Instagram story.

    Some players on the soccer team Persepolis F.C. reportedly wore black armbands during a Wednesday match in solidarity with the protest movement and were later summoned by security, reported British-based Iran International.

    Actress Hediye Tehrani said Iranian security had warned her about her posts to her nearly 1 million Instagram followers. Still, she continues to share images in support of the protests. “Millions of girls are now Mahsa Amini,” she wrote in a recent post.

    Celebrities outside of Iran have also raised their voices, from Dua Lipa and Shakira to the fashion house Balenciaga. On Instagram, Angelina Jolie posted a photo of a protester holding up an image of Amini and wrote, “To the women of Iran, we see you.”

    The ruling establishment clearly sees danger in celebrities’ wide reach. Ali Saaedi Shahroudi, a former representative of the Supreme Leader of Revolutionary Guards, called for an organization to oversee the behavior of musicians, actors and sports stars, similar to institutions regulating professional groups.

    But the damage may have already been done.

    Although Hajipour was forced to remove his song from Instagram, it continues to reverberate, sung by everyone from Iranian school girls to protesters in European capitals.

    A campaign is under way to nominate the song for a Grammy, in the best song for social change category.

    “While using #MahsaAmini might seem like keyboard activism, Iranians see the world’s attention is on them and they appreciate it,” said Dagres. “The solidarity invigorates protesters to keep braving batons and bullets to make a change in their country. It gives them hope.”

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