In June 2022, Shakira and Gerard Piqué officially split after 11 years together. But in the months since their breakup, things have gotten a bit messy. From rumors that a jam jar may have tipped off the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer that her partner was reportedly cheating on her to the release of her scathing breakup anthem “BZRP Music Session #53,” much of the end of their relationship has played out in the public eye – including Piqué making things official with his 23-year-old girlfriend, Clara Chia Marti.
Shakira and Piqué first met on the set of her “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)” music video in 2010, but they didn’t confirm their relationship until March 2011. Although the former couple never married, the dissolution of their relationship has been complicated due to them sharing two children: sons Milan, 10, and Sasha, 8. In their initial separation statement, Shakira and Piqué made it clear their children would remain their number one priority.
“We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the couple’s statement read, as reported by People. “We ask for privacy at this moment for the well-being of our children, who are our maximum priority. Thank you in advance for your understanding and respect.”
Read on for a complete breakdown of everything that’s happened since Shakira and Piqué ended their relationship.
- June 2022: Shakira and Piqué announce their breakup. On June 4, 2022, the couple announced that they’d ended their relationship in a joint statement that emphasized they were putting the well-being of their children first.
- August 2022: Piqué is spotted with Marti for the first time. Two months after his split from Shakira, Piqué was photographed getting cozy with Marti at the Summerfest Cerdanya music festival in Spain. In photos published by the Daily Mail, Piqué can be seen kissing the 23-year-old.
- September 2022: Shakira opens up about the split for the first time. In an interview with Elle, the singer got candid about how difficult her breakup had been for her and her children. “I’ve remained quiet and just tried to process it all,” she said. “And yeah, 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.” She went on to add that the situation felt “like a bad dream” sometimes.
- October 2022: Shakira releases “Monotonía.” The release of “Monotonía” brought with it speculation that Piqué may have been unfaithful. The lyrics of the song include lines like, “It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t my fault / It was monotony’s fault / I never said anything but it hurt / I knew this would happen.” Later in the video, Shakira’s heart is blasted from her chest, creating a powerful visual that many speculated was in response to her breakup with the soccer player.
- November 2022: A custody agreement is reached for Shakira and Piqué’s kids. On Nov. 8, 2022, the couple shared a statement with People confirming that they had reached a mutual custody agreement for their sons. “Our sole objective is to provide our children with the utmost security and protection and hope that they can continue with their lives in a safe and calm environment,” it reads. “We appreciate that their privacy will be respected.” A source also told People that Shakira planned to move her children from Barcelona to Miami in order to be closer to her maternal family.
- December 2022: Shakira reportedly found out Piqué was cheating on her on account of a jam jar. During a Dec. 9, 2022, appearance on the Spanish-language show “Socialite,” Shakira reportedly revealed she discovered her ex was cheating on her after returning home to discover someone had been eating her favorite strawberry jam while she was away. She claimed that neither her children nor Piqué liked the jam, which tipped her off that something was going on.
- Jan. 1, 2023: Shakira appears to reference the breakup in an emotional New Year’s post. On New Year’s Day, the “Whenever, Wherever” singer seemingly referenced her split in an Instagram post that emphasized resiliency after heartbreak. “Even if our wounds are still open in this new year, time has a surgeon’s hands. Even if someone’s betrayed us, we must continue to trust others,” she wrote. “When faced with contempt, continue to know your worth. Because there are more good people than indecent ones. More people with empathy than indifference. The ones who leave are fewer than the many who stay by our side. Our tears are not in vain, they water the soil our future will spring from and make us more human, so that even while suffering heartache we can continue to love.”
- Jan. 11, 2023: Shakira releases her breakup anthem “BZRP Music Session #53.” Shakira’s collaboration with Bizarrap is a searing breakup song that left no doubt the Grammy winner is singing about her dramatic split from Piqué. “You left me the in-laws as my neighbors / Media outlets at my door and in debt,” she sings. “You thought you hurt me, but you made me stronger / Women don’t cry anymore, they cash in.” Shakira goes on to add, “I was out of your league,” before seemingly referencing Marti in lines like, “I wish you good luck with my supposed replacement / I don’t even know what happened to you / You are so strange that I can’t even distinguish you / I’m worth two of 22 / You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo / You traded a Rolex for a Casio.”
- Jan. 13, 2023: Piqué claims Casio was sponsoring his King’s League competition. During a live stream, Piqué claimed that the watch brand would be sponsoring his new project, which seemed to be in response to his ex’s song.
- Jan. 14, 2023: Casio denies Piqué’s claims. After Piqué’s claims circulated, Casio issued a statement on Twitter denying the supposed sponsorship. “On Friday, January 13, 2023, diverse versions on social media circulated related to a sponsorship Casio had on a project led by Gerard Piqué. This information was diffused after declarations the FC Barcelona ex-player made during a streaming service alongside other people,” the statement read. “Through this statement, Casio completely denies these declarations. Up to this point, there hasn’t been any agreement for this sponsorship or interest in making it happen. We publicly ask Gerard Piqué to stop using our brand without authorization and avoid making declarations that don’t favor us as a way to prevent legal action.”
- Jan. 25, 2023: Piqué goes Instagram official with Marti. Shortly into the new year, Piqué made things official with Marti when he shared a cozied-up photo of the two of them on Instagram, sans caption.
- Jan. 27, 2023: Shakira shares a cryptic post on Instagram. Two days after her ex made things Instagram official with Marti, Shakira seemingly addressed Piqué’s relationship-status update with a cryptic post featuring her dancing to her song “#53” alongside the caption, “Women don’t cry anymore, women dance merengue!”
