Shakira can't lie about her feelings.
With the "Whenever, Wherever" singer preparing to release her first album in five years, fans are speculating that some lyrics are referencing recent events in the musician's life, including her break up from Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué.
In her single "Te Felicito," which translates to "I Congratulate You," featuring Rauw Alejandro, Shakira sings about a relationship with a disingenuous lover.
"For pleasing you, I broke into pieces. They warned me but I didn't pay attention," Shakira sings in the song, released in April 2022. "I realized you were fake. It was the drop that spilled the glass."
She continues in the song, "Don't tell me how you feel. It seems sincere, but I know you well and I know you lie."
Fans took to Twitter to decode the song, with some believing it traces back to Gerard.
One user wrote in Spanish on Twitter, "Listening carefully to ‘Te Felicito' by Shakira to understand the gossip. Oh Piqué, how well you act," and another commentator stating in Spanish, "Fan Theory: The song ‘I congratulate you on how well you act' by Shakira is directed toward her ex Gerard Piqué."
The "Hips Don't Lie" singer announced her split from the FC Barcelona player after 11 years together in June.
"We regret to confirm that we are parting ways," they said in a joint statement to E! News on June 4. "For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect their privacy. Thank you for your understanding."
The duo share sons Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7.
Shakira explained the lyric's significance in a recent interview, but she didn't confirm whether the lyrics were about her relationship with Gerard.
"I can only say that either consciously or subconsciously, everything I feel, everything I go through is reflected in the lyrics I write, in the videos I make," Shakira told Elle in a September cover story. "When the glove fits, it fits. Like I said before, my music is that channel."
The "Waka Waka" singer didn't provide in-depth details about her breakup in the interview, stating that "everything is so raw and new."
She added, "I can only say that I put everything I had into this relationship and my family."
She said that in order to be there for her children and to support Gerard "play football and win titles," she made a "sacrifice of love" and put her career "in second gear."
"Thanks to that, my kids were able to have a present mom, and I have this amazing bond with them that is unbreakable and that sustains us," she said. "You know, that is it. That's all I can say."
Gerard hasn't said anything publicly since the split.