Shakira Admits She Was ‘Emotionally Dependent On Men’ Before Separation

Shakira‘s new interview with Mexican outlet NMás was exactly the comeback we needed.

After spending the better part of the last year releasing hits like “Te Felicito” and her iconic Bizarrap session, the Barranquilla-born singer says “she’s finally on her way up.” She explained to interviewer Enrique Acevedo that she feels like she’s lived “6 or 7” lives by now — living “wealth, poverty, acclaim, prejudice,” all to gain new “perspectives.”

Not exactly like a loba, but in this instance, more like the catwoman she didn’t know she had in her.

Shakira revealed bombshells about her own struggles with not feel “enough”

Shakira said in the interview that she has “more confidence in herself” after her separation from her soccer star ex Gerard Piqué. In fact, she didn’t know she could be so resilient — she always believed she was “fragile,” until she had to become as “strong as a lion” for her sons Sasha and Milan.

Many aspects of the new interview were surprising — namely, the Colombian powerhouse explaining she “never thought” she could feel “enough” on her own. As in, the woman who headlined the Super Bowl, has countless Grammy’s, and just became the first Latin[a] woman to have the most Spotify monthly listeners in the world.

Shakira, arguably the most important Latina in music ever, never felt “complete” before — making this interview a revelation that will help countless others feel they’re not alone.

The singer also wanted a storybook ending

While the singer finally “achieved knowing [she’s] enough,” she remembers always “buying the story that a woman needed a man to complete her” before her separation. Interestingly, she confessed she has “always been emotionally dependent on men,” something OG fans might already know. I mean we do have “Tú,” “Antología,” “Que Me Quedes Tú,” and “Ciega Sordomuda” for reference. Still, it seems like it was her romantic nature that made her so vulnerable to the pain of her separation.

Shakira explained she has always been “a lover of love,” but finally sees love “from a different perspective”— you know after fighting “life’s battles” (we’re looking at you, Piqué). In a moment of pure honesty, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer described: “I also had a dream to have a family with the kids having a mom and dad under the same roof. Not all dreams come true.”

She always puts her two children first — a loba mom if we ever saw one

Still, she assured that life still “makes up for” broken dreams, and for her, it’s her “incredible” children. She counts them as the biggest reason she found her strength after her breakup and dealing with possible infidelity — “I depend on myself, and I have two kids that depend on me.” As Shakira puts it, “I feel that I’m enough for me, and that when a woman has to fight life’s battles, she comes out stronger.” Reina.

The star’s relationship with her kids was one of the interview’s biggest revelations — namely, because Milan and Sasha sound awesome. She said they “participate” in her career” and always have great ideas… and she wasn’t kidding. Sasha came up with the robot idea for her “Te Felicito” video, while Milan thought the green fire was a great touch (it was).

Even more incredible? 8-year-old Sasha actually designed Shakira’s cover art for her song “Monotonía” on his iPad. She didn’t like what Sony’s designers had sent, explaining kids have a “special sensitivity” we should all listen to. Check out Sasha’s artwork here:

Moreover, 10-year-old Milan was the one who originally thought up Shakira’s session with Argentine DJ Bizarrap. He told his very-famous mom, “You have to do something with Bizarrap. He’s an Argentine god.” She listened — and the rest was world-record-breaking history. A future career in music management, maybe?

That Bizarrap session was “necessary” for the singer to heal

About that epic Bizarrap session, Shakira said she came out of the studio feeling like “another person,” and sees making music as therapy. She says the song was “a necessary creative outlet” for her “healing process,” and she would be in a “very different place” if she hadn’t made it. All power to her!

Shakira also spoke out about her amazing fanbase, counting them as a big reason she’s on her feet today. While she “never expected” the overwhelming support she got from fans after her separation, it meant everything to her. “When I was on the floor, where I was for a long time, [my fans] gave me the strength to stand up and say ‘I’m ready for the next round, and for life to show me what’s next.”

We are so ready to see what’s next for her, too.