‘My darkest hour’: Shakira says split with Gerard Piqué is ‘incredibly difficult’ while dodging question about his GF
Shakira opened up on her breakup with Gerard Piqué and described the split as "incredibly difficult." The 45-year-old singer said in her October 2022 Elle digital cover story, which was published on Wednesday, September 21, that she purposefully ‘remained quiet’ after her divorce from the 35-year-old soccer star initially made headlines in early June.
She said, “It’s hard to talk about it, especially because I’m still going through it, and because I’m in the public eye and because our separation is not like a regular separation. And so it’s been tough not only for me but also for my kids. Incredibly difficult.” The ‘Waka Waka’ diva claimed that since the news emerged, paparazzi have been camping outside her house 24/7, and she has been attempting to guard her kids, Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7. While she chooses not to discuss Piqué's romance with his new girlfriend, Clara Chia, or allegations that he cheated on her, Shakira does say that her priority is raising their children as co-parents.
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Shakira blamed her split from Piqué on their ambitious careers. She explained to the magazine after Milan and Sasha started school, the family had to choose between moving to the US for her music career or remaining in Barcelona, where the footballer plays. “One of the two had to make that effort and that sacrifice. And I did it. I put my career in second gear, and I came to Spain to support him so he could play [soccer] and win titles. And it was a sacrifice of love,” she added.
The former couple released a joint statement in June to confirm their separation. After meeting on the set of Shakira's ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’ music video, they started dating in 2010. The Grammy winner confessed that she felt she had to support Piqué’s dreams over her own. Shakira said, “Once Milan started school, at the end of 2014, I knew that my constant travel and nomadic existence had to be put on the back burner and my career had to be put in second gear. I knew that when he started school, I had to settle down, plant roots in Barcelona, and be there for him and for Gerard and then later on for Sasha as well.”
Shakira claimed that although the choice allowed her children to have a ‘present mom’ and forge an unbreakable bond, it ultimately destroyed her long-term marriage. The singer declined to discuss additional reasons for the split, telling Elle that they are still ‘raw and new.’ “Regardless of how things ended or how Gerard and I feel about each other as ex-partners, he is the father of my children. We have a job to do for these two incredible boys, and I have faith that we will figure out what is best for their future, their own dreams in life, and what is a fair solution for everyone involved” she remarked.