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During Shakira’s challenging times post-separation from Gerard Piqué, she found support from family, fans, and friends. Notably, Carlos Vives, a close friend, emerged as a significant pillar for the singer during this period. She has said that the vallenato holds a special place in her heart and that he has been her biggest support after the breakup. Vives, in turn, has consistently defended Shakira, recently addressing the difficulties she faced in her romantic life.
“It caught my attention that when she separated from Piqué, I realized that marriage is no longer as important to people. In Europe, I realized and said, ‘You do not value marriage,’” Vives stated in a conversation with the Colombian radio station Bésame. “For a Colombian woman, for a woman like Shakira, her marriage is the most sacred thing,” the singer commented.
Vives, who was surprised by Shakira during his concert in Miami last October, continued, “It’s not that she is hurt for no reason. But I realized that we are in a society where marriage is disposable.” While Shakira never formally married Piqué, they were together for more than a decade and built a family together with their two sons, Milan and Sasha.
“I say, ‘Forgive me, I don’t know how things are in Spain, but for a woman like Shakira, losing her marriage, the pain of the children, is very tough, very hard,’” Vives continued. “And they messed with a woman who is also very creative, very Barranquillera, very musical,” he added with laughter, apparently referring to the sharp lyrics of the songs she composed, which were like arrows for the former footballer.
“I was surprised to see how the press portrayed it like ‘she split up and is making a fuss.’ No, no, no. For a woman with that background, her marriage, her kids, for that to fall apart... It happened to me, and people think ‘they’re artists, they have many partners,’ but no, when your core breaks...”
His deep affection and admiration for Shakira
During the interview, Carlos didn’t hold back in expressing his admiration for the singer, appreciating not just her talent but also her character. “I have immense respect for Shakira; she’s an amazing role model, an extraordinary woman, and truly embodies Colombian spirit,” remarked Vives, who collaborated with ‘Shaki’ on the song “La Bicicleta.”
“She’s a musical genius, and not just in music but in life; she’s a fighter,” said the singer. He emphasized his friend’s dedication and professionalism for every performance, starting from the time she first visited Colombian radio stations. “Watching her overcome challenges, witnessing her journey hasn’t been easy. Breaking into the Anglo market, something we didn’t necessarily aim for due to our inherent local focus—our dreams were always rooted here. But the path she took was a tough one.”