Shakira pays tribute to women and their struggles in a speech after receiving Billboard’s woman of the year award

Shakira received this weekend the “woman of the year” award at the inaugural ceremony of Billboard Latin Women. The gala pays tribute to the contributions of women in the music industry and rewards both new talents and musical legends.

Artists like Goyo, Ana Gabriel, Evaluna Montaner, Thalia, Emilia Mernes and María Becerra were also honored.

But, without a doubt, the most anticipated moment of the night was Shakira’s speech upon receiving the award.

It happened right at the end of the gala and he received it from the hands of his compatriot Malumawith whom the woman from Barranquilla has collaborated on two songs, “Clandestino” and “Chantaje”.

Shakira and fidelity with oneself
The singer began her speech by speaking roughly of what she has experienced in the last year, a time that she described as “seismic changes” in her life and in which she has understood what “it truly means to be a woman.”

Shakira said that this past year, which made headlines for her controversial songs inspired by her breakup with former soccer player Gerard Piqué, made her understand that “women are much stronger than we think.”

The singer made reference to the topic of infidelity, saying that “it doesn’t matter so much if someone is faithful to you or not, what really matters is if you continue to be faithful to yourself.”

She also highlighted the struggle of women for self-love, to stop pleasing others, to live authentically.

Music, your salvation
Shakira has already said on various occasions and in interviews that music saved her during their highly publicized separation. Her profession, writing and performing songs, is the float that keeps her above the water throughout her career.

“When I felt most lost, it was the music that put me on the path back to myself,” Shakira said.

He also said that everything he sang and wrote was done for women. Her song “BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 53” -with which she also won 14 Guinness records along with the Argentine producer Bizarrap- became a representation of the fight for women.

The phrase “Women don’t cry, women bill” became a hymn for women and is used on social networks left and right.

“The most important lessons I have learned this year, I have learned from other women. And for them, for you, I wrote what I wrote and sang what I sang, because only a woman can love until she is torn apart,” Shakira said.

Her mother, the most important woman in Shakira’s life
The most emotional moment of the speech came when Shakira dedicated the award to her mother, Nidia Ripoll, considering her as her true woman of the year.

“There is a very special woman for me, the one who has inspired me more than anyone, who is not here today, she is my mother, my mother Nidia Ripoll… mommy if you are watching me on TV, despite the difficulties you have faced This year you are still standing, with your boundless love and your resilience and for me, mommy, you have been my woman of the year. So this award goes to you.”

She also dedicated the award to her children Milan and Sasha and to her friends, who have “supported her and support me when my legs give out” and to all the single mothers “who defend and protect their children like lionesses.”

Finally, Shakira said that instead of paying tribute to the woman of the year, it should be celebrated that this is the year of women. The singer highlighted how the singers and songwriters have raised their voices to talk about issues that before, she says, could not be done and ᴀssured that there is no turning back for this movement.

“More than celebrating the woman of the year, we should celebrate the year of women, because this has been the year of women. It is that women have touched on issues that could not be touched. We have said things that could not be said and, although some have complained out there, there is no turning back. Because together we have taken a step forward and with each step we take hand in hand, we are freer and fuller,” said the singer.

Shakira’s entire speech on Billboard Latin Women in Music
This was Shakira’s five-minute speech at the inaugural ceremony of Billboard Latin Women in Music, where she received the first woman of the year award.

It has been a year of seismic changes in my life, in which I have felt… I have truly felt more than ever, and firsthand, what it is to be a woman. And what it truly means to be a woman, because it is a year in which I have realized that women are much stronger than we think.

We are braver than we think we are. And I think we’re also more independent than we were taught to be. Because, hasn’t it ever happened to a woman that, for example, by seeking the attention and affection or approval of another, she has forgotten herself? It has happened to me more than once!

But there also comes a time in the life of every woman in which one no longer depends on someone to come to love or accept himself as he is. There is a moment in the life of every woman when the search for the other is replaced by the search for oneself.

And there comes a time in every woman’s life when the desire we have to be perfect is replaced by the desire to be authentic. And it doesn’t matter so much if someone is faithful to you or not, what really matters is if you continue to be faithful to yourself.

And it’s true that when I felt most lost it was music that put me on the path back to myself. But the most important lessons I’ve learned this year, I’ve learned from other women. And for them, for you, I wrote what I wrote and sang what I sang, because only a woman can love until she is torn apart.

Only a woman can speak with the most brutal honesty and can sing in anger and dance in ecstasy and be moved to tears, and only a woman can do that.

But there is a very special woman for me, the one who has inspired me more than anyone, who is not here today, she is my mother, my mother Nidia Ripoll… mommy if you are watching me on TV, despite the difficulties you have faced This year you are still standing, with your limitless love and your resilience and for my mom you have been my woman of the year. So this recognition goes to you.

It also goes to my children, Milan and Sasha, because for them I want to be a better woman every day. It also goes to friends because you, my friends, have supported me and support me when my legs give way and to all the single mothers who defend and protect their children like lionesses. Claudia, my friend, you are one of them.

I receive this honor with great, great affection, but for me, more than celebrating the woman of the year, we should celebrate the year of women, because this has been the year of women. It is that women have touched on issues that could not be touched.

We have said things that could not be said and even if someone has complained there, there is no turning back. Because together we have taken a step forward and with each step we take hand in hand, we are freer and more fulfilled.

So thank you for this recognition and I share it with all of you, with all those incredible women in the world that I call sisters and who have taught me so much because they know their vulnerability but also their strength.