Shakira’s Hometown In Colombia Has Unveiled A Giant Statue Of Her And People Are Obsessed
The statue in Barranquilla features Shakira in a maroon outfit, striking her signature belly dance pose, a homage to her timeless hit, “Hips Don’t Lie.”
In a tribute to the iconic singer Shakira, a majestic bronze statue, standing at a height of 6.5 meters, now graces her hometown in Barranquilla, Colombia.
The statue, which was unveiled in front of Shakira’s parents and the mayor of Barranquilla on Tuesday, December 26, features Shakira in a maroon outfit, striking her signature belly dance pose, a homage to her timeless hit “Hips Don’t Lie.”
The statue was created by artist Yino Marquez and about 30 students from the District Art School in Barranquilla and finalized after five months.
“A heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, an unmatched talent, a voice that moves the masses and bare feet that march for the good of children and humanity,” the plaque under the statue read, paying tribute both to her singing career and philanthropy.
Taking to Instagram, the singer expressed her gratitude for the dedication and thanked the sculptor and his students for bringing the giant bronze statue to life.
“I am very excited for this tribute to the Colombian woman and the Barranquilleras inside and outside my land!” she wrote.
People on social media became obsessed with the statue, with some joking about doing a pilgrimage to the city just to see it.
Ok who’s coming with me to do the pilgrimage to the Santa Shakira statue this summer. https://t.co/QYdcjAH6c1
— Rata de Dos Patas (@luquin_ricardo) December 26, 2023
Others compared it to the Statue of Liberty in the US, even daring to say that Shakira’s statue was better.
Shakira’s statue in Barranquilla, Colombia 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IhLmo1F1YT
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) December 30, 2023
Shakira, 46, was born in Barranquilla, a port city of 1.2 million people that has long been home to many Colombian-Lebanese families like hers.
Even though Shakira now lives in Miami, she still maintains a deep bond with the city.
She visits several times a year, has funded multiple schools, and established a foundation to support early childhood education in Colombia called “Pies descalzos”, “Bare feet”.
Shakira made headlines earlier this year for winning three Latin Grammy awards and releasing a diss track about her former partner, ex-footballer Gerard Piqué, which shattered YouTube records in Latin America.
She was in the news again in November when she paid €7.5 million (£6.5 million) fine to settle a tax fraud charges brought against her in Spain.
