What are the tax issues that Shakira talks about in the BZRP Music Session about Piqué?
After a lengthy break from music the Colombian singer opened up in a new track with Bizarrap, released online on Wednesday.
Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira has released the first piece of music since her very public divorce from former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué. The two, who had been married for 11 years, split in 2022 after rumours of infidelity on the footballer’s part.
The song released online on Wednesday evening and made many references to the couple’s past and Shakira’s own troubles.
She talks about an outstanding Spanish court case which sees her alleged of tax fraud totalling €14.5m on six tax crimes. The charges relate to a spell between 2012 and 2014 when the singer claimed that she lived in the Bahamas, and was not qualified as a Spanish resident for tax purposes. From 2015 onwards she lived with Piqué in Barcelona.
What did Shakira say about tax in her new track?
In the recently-released track she claims that Piqué deserted her at a time when both the press and Spanish tax authorities were hounding her. The pair have two children, both of whom live with Shakira.
The verse in Spanish is as follows:
“Me dejaste de vecina a la suegra
Con la prensa en la puerta y la deuda en Hacienda
Te creíste que me heriste y me volviste más dura
Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan”
And in English that roughly translates as:
“You left me as a neighbour to the mother-in-law
With the press at the door and the debt at the Treasury
You thought you hurt me and you made me tougher
Women don’t cry anymore, women invoice”
When will Shakira go on trial for tax fraud?
Now aside from the obvious reference to her tax troubles and the cryptic promise to ‘invoice’ Piqué for perceived wrongdoing, there could be additional information to glean from the latest release.
She has repeatedly claimed that she has done nothing wrong in relation to her tax affairs in Spain, but does suggest that there are some outstanding payments to be made to the Spanish Treasury. It’s unclear whether she is implying that Piqué was in any way responsible, or simply that he left at a time when authorities were demanding payment.
What we know for certain is that Shakira is set to go to trial after refusing to accept a plea deal and fine of around €23m. Once the prosecution has submitted all the required paperwork a date can be set, Barcelona judge, Ana Duro confirmed.
Shakira said: “The prosecutor’s office has resorted to wrongful means to apply pressure—just as they do daily and unjustly with thousands of taxpayers for profit.”
“I’m confident that I have enough proof to support my case and that justice will prevail in my favor.”