Shakira grew up seeing the love between her parents, William Mebarak and Nidia Ripoll, who have been together for around five decades. For the singer, their relationship has always been an example of how love can endure over the years.
On several occasions, Shakira has spoken about how her parents’ story influenced the way she understands love. Seeing them stay together for so many years made her believe it was possible to build a lasting relationship and share an entire life with the same person.
She also built her own story with Gerard Piqué with that idea in mind. The couple began their relationship around 2011 and stayed together for approximately 12 years. They had two children together, Milan and Sasha, before announcing their separation in 2022.
After the breakup, Shakira spoke publicly about how difficult that time had been and admitted that she hadn’t been as lucky as her parents in love. However, she also noted that life had made it up to her in other ways, especially through her children, her friends, and the affection of her fans.
Shakira’s story shows how the example we see in our own family can influence the way we imagine love. She grew up seeing a relationship that seemed to withstand the test of time, and although her own story ended differently, she still holds her parents’ example as a model of lasting love.
