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A few weeks ago, Carlos Vives made headlines when he changed the lyrics of the song “La Bicicleta” to support Shakira. In an interview with HOLA! TV, he explained why he made that decision and the public’s reaction.
The video that he’s talking about made headlines earlier this month and features a moment where Vives zips his lips when he sings about Barcelona, a city that people associate with Shakira and Gerard Pique.
Embarrassed and with a laugh, Vives explained that it was more or less an accident and that he let himself go due to the influence of some girls in the audience. When asked if he’d prepared that moment in advance, he said in Spanish, “No, I wouldn’t do that. I let myself go in the moment because I was singing the song and I had a group of young girls in front of me.”
“And I was singing to them when I reached that part and they did like this,” he said, making the hand-zipping lips gesture. “And I don’t know why I mimicked them and made the same gesture.”
“The last thing I want is for people to think that I didn’t want to say Barcelona, when it’s a city that I love.”
Still, despite the fact that it was accidental, Vives talked about Shakira and how much he cares about her and wishes her the best. “I’m sure that Shaki… She won’t stop loving and valuing that song. Because that came from her heart when she wrote it,” he said.
Shakira and Vives have often spoken up about each other, expressing their fondness for their song “La Bicicleta,” which has an important emotional significance for both. “We were kids again,” said Vives to the Associated Press. “We wanted to do everything barefoot. We strolled happily to several places. ... And watching Shaki contented, happy, reuniting with her friends, with her people, I think that the video registered a very, very special energy.”