Shakira Opens Up About Split From Gerard Piqué: 'Now I Can Actually Work'

The Colombian singer was a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Monday, where she opened up about her split from Gerard Piqué, and how it spurred her return to music.

"I've been putting out music here and there but it was really hard for me to put together a body of work," Shakira said of her new album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran -- her first in seven years.

Shakira, who shares sons Milan, 11, and Sasha, 9, with the soccer star, split from Piqué in 2022 after 11 years together, following allegations of infidelity. While they were never legally married, the pair lived in Barcelona, where Piqué played for football club, FC Barcelona, and raised their two kids. Shakira has since moved stateside, and is reportedly living in Miami.

"I didn't have time. It was the husband-factor. Now I'm husband-less," she continued. "Yeah, the husband was dragging me down. Now I'm free. Now I can actually work."

The "Hips Don't Lie" singer also dished on the album and its title, which in Spanish, translates to, "Women no longer cry."

"It's men's turn now. For too long we have been sent to cry with a script in our hands and without an end just because we are women. We have to conceal our pain in front of our kids, in front of society," she explained. "We have to heal in a certain way. And I don't think anyone is supposed to tell us how to heal. No one is supposed to tell a She-wolf how to lick her wounds."

The process of crafting the album was at times a painful one for the musician, who said she was dealing with a lot when she made it.

"I was raw. I was dealing with a lot of stuff. I felt at times with a knife between my teeth," Shakira said. "I was picking up the pieces of myself from the floor. I was trying to rebuild myself. Music was the glue."

All in all, it was transformative for Shakira, who said she took her "pain and anger and frustration" and turned it into "creativity, productivity, strength and resilience" while working on the record.

"The resilience of a diamond, you know? So that's why I picked the metaphor of the precious stones, because of the resilience that us women have today when we have to face adversity," she said of the emerald, ruby, diamond and sapphire vinyl covers of the 16-track release.

The new record includes eight new songs, a new remix and seven previously-released smash hit singles including "Music Sessions Vol. 53" with Bizarrap -- the diss track she released following her breakup from Piqué -- "TQG" with Karol G, "Monotonía" with Ozuna, "Te Felicito" with Rauw Alejandro and "Copa Vacía" with Manuel Turizo. It also includes her new collab with Cardi B, "Puntería."

Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran is out now.