With one of the most recognizable and unique singing voices, it would definitely not have gone unnoticed if Shakira could no longer sing. But sadly, due to health issues, the singer went through a time when she believed performing was in her past.
The singer couldn’t imagine her life without her voice
Towards the end of 2017, Shakira had to go through an “unbearable” health diagnosis. This left the Hips Don’t Lie singer completely depressed that most days she couldn’t even get out of bed.
According to her diagnosis, she had haemorrhaged her vocal cords and was told that she wouldn’t be able to speak or sing again.
During an interview, she opened up about the difficult time and how she never imagined having to live without her voice.
“I always thought there were going to be things in my life that would go away, like beauty, youth, all of that stuff. But I never thought that my voice would leave me because it’s so inherent to my nature. It was my identity.
“So, when I couldn’t sing, that was unbearable. There were times I couldn’t even get out of bed – I was so depressed.”
Piqué had his hands full
Shakira also admitted, that during this time her partner, soccer star Gerard Piqué, had to endure some of her worst times.
“I was not positive. I was so pessimistic. I was a bitter person to be around. Gerard saw the worst of me.”
The couple has been together since 2011 so we hope that Piqué knew how to make her feel better during her illness.
“He jokes that you would think you would want your wife to shut up – but when I had to remain quiet, he felt like one of those ex-convicts who are given their freedom and don’t know what to do with it.”
Shakira experienced a “miracle”
According to doctors, Shakira wouldn’t be able to sing again without surgery. However, she didn’t want to take the risk of going under the knife.
Instead, she pursued hypnosis and meditation and even travelled to Lourdes in France where she received a “divine intervention”.
And luckily for the singer (and the rest of the world), her voice returned without surgery and she refers to it as her “miracle”.
“I remember praying,” she said in an interview. “I had forgotten to pray for a while, but when you go through hardship you suddenly recover your faith!
“I was promising God if I could ever use my voice again, I would celebrate every night – and that’s what I’m doing.”