“I have realized we women are stronger than we think”: When Shakira apparently addressed controversial Gerard Pique split

Shakira, the 46-year-old beloved Colombian songwriter and singer, is well-known all across the globe for her musical expertise and versatility. The singer has been a significant part of the music industry for more than two decades now, producing highly popular and inspiring music. With her iconic voice and incredible dance moves, Shakira has been deemed as the "Queen of Latin Music".

Her long list of accolades includes 7 Billboard Music Awards, 3 Grammy Awards, 21 Guinness World Records, 39 Billboard Latin Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and more.

The singer was married to Spanish football player Gerard Pique. However, the two split and got divorced in 2022, after news of Pique having an affair with another woman named Clara Chía started circulating, as per ET.

At Billboard's first Latin Women in Music gala, which took place on May 6, 2023, Shakira was honored with the prestigious Woman of the Year award. While receiving the award, the Colombian singer went on to deliver a powerful and moving speech, which seemingly hinted at some of the difficult situations she had been through in her personal life, including her controversial split with her former husband Gerard Pique.

During the speech, Shakira said:

"This has been a year of seismic change in my life where I’ve felt more than ever and very personally what it is to be a women. And what it means...It’s been a year where I’ve realized we women are stronger than we think, braver than we believed, more independent than we were taught to be."

Without further ado, let's dive right in to find out more details about the acceptance speech given by the singer at Billboard's Latin Women in Music award.

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What else did Shakira say during her acceptance speech at the first-ever Billboard's Latin Women in Music gala

On May 6, 2023, Colombian singer Shakira was honored with the esteemed award of "Woman of the Year" at Billboard's first Latin Women in Music award show. She was presented with the award by fellow Colombian singer friend Maluma. While accepting the award, the singer gave an emotionally heavy and inspiring speech. She said:

"Because what woman hasn’t at some time in her life forgotten herself because she’s seeking the attention and love of someone else? It happened to me, more than once,...But there comes a time in the life of every woman where she no longer depends on someone else to love and accept herself just as she is."

She further continued:

"A time when the search for someone else is replaced by the search for oneself. A time when the desire to be perfect is replaced by the desire to be authentic, and where finding someone who is faithful is less important than being faithful to ourselves."

The singer and performer then went on to explain why women are inspirations to each other. She said:

"The most important lessons I learned from other women, and for them I wrote what I wrote and I sang what I sang. Because only a woman can love until she’s ripped apart; can speak with the most brutal honesty; can sing with anger; dance in ecstasy and be brought to tears with emotion. Only a woman can do that,"

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As reported by ET, Shakira's memorable speech touched upon her heartbreaking split from her ex-husband Pique, with who she shares two children 9-year-old Milan and 7-year-old Sasha.

Post-divorce, the singer has revealed that she will be moving from Barcelona, Spain, where she used to live for many years with Pique and their children. As per Deadline, she is considering moving to Miami, Florida, where she has previously lived.