Shakira deleted phrases from her session with Bizarrap to avoid lawsuits from Gerard Piqué.
“We had to change it to be more meticulous. We were looking for the exact spot,” explained lyricist Kevyn, who helped in the creation of this viral piece
Last January, Shakira teamed up with Bizarrap for the Argentine producer’s #53 session. The song was a hit thanks, in large part, to the not-so-subtle messages Shakira launched against her ex-husband, Gerard Piqué. Phrases like Yo contigo ya no regreso/Ni que me llores, ni me suplique’/Entendí que no es culpa mía que te critiquen/Yo solo hago música, perdón que te salpique; or Te creíste que me heriste y me volviste más dura/Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan, already became part of popular culture.
And although the lyrics of this song created a revolution in networks, the truth is that it is far from what it was originally intended to create. Kevyn Mauricio Cruz Moreno, lyricist who helped Shakira and Bizarrap to create this piece, gave an interview to Molusco TV where he revealed that many phrases that were planned for the song ended up cut. It is common for a song to be rewritten several times in favor of following the melody or to better explain the message, but in this case, the changes were made to avoid problems with the father of Shakira’s children.
“We removed strong things. We changed parts because then things could happen (…), we changed the verses several times. We had to change it to be more meticulous. We were looking for the exact point, without going overboard, but not sounding soft either,” Kevyn stated.
Despite the team’s self-imposed censorship, the song was direct enough to understand the dedication behind Shakira’s verses and many people even began to dedicate this song to their respective ex-partners. In fact, it’s hard to know what kind of lyrics they originally had planned, because the one that hit the music platforms was explicit enough for Shakira to make a reference to Clara Chia, Pique’s new girlfriend.
“Shakira pulled out the ‘clara-mente’. (…) She’s very tough. The composer of that was Shakira. I was just helping her rhyme, but the composer was Shak,” explains Kevyn about the origin of this controversial verse.
Previously, the composer gave some more details about how Shakira worked on this song, which came when she was wounded after breaking up with Piqué after more than 10 years together.
“Everyone does his mourning, overcomes his dismissals as he wants. She always sings what she feels, I can send her songs, but if she hasn’t lived it or felt it, she won’t sing it. It is not like any other artist. Shakira has to live it, when she is in love she makes you a love song, when she is in spite, she makes you a song of spite and makes you feel it”.
Previously, Shakira made a statement about this song that ended up becoming an anthem for thousands of people around the world.
“What for me was a catharsis and an outlet, I never thought it would go straight to number one in the world at 45 years old and in Spanish”.
At the time, Shakira also took advantage of the song’s popularity to reiterate her support for all women who have faced injustice and who, for a long time, had to remain silent.
“I want to embrace the millions of women who rise up against those who make us feel insignificant. Women who stand up for what they feel and think, and raise their hands when they disagree, even if others raise their eyebrows. They are my inspiration. This achievement is not mine, it belongs to all of us. We have to stand up 70 times 7. Not the way society tells us to, but the way we can think of, the way that will help us to get ahead for our children, our parents and for those who need us and hope for us.