But to hear Shakira speak of this scale, money, and impact syncs more with the aforementioned qualities than what one might typically associate with this magnitude of celebrity: she was easy and kind about it, and she imparted a tranquility—despite the stop-and-go of the dense Miami traffic outside—that felt genuine.
“I think that when I perform,” she said, “I don’t just do it in front of ‘an audience.’ I do it in front of… I do it surrounded by my family. I feel that my fans, those who have fun in the crowd, those who have listened to my music for so long… I feel they really understand me, and they also know my flaws. They don’t condemn my defects. There’s a sense of comfort when I am on stage, especially [with this current tour], as I feel that I’m not just showcasing my talents or my wardrobe. I’m just living in the moment with a group of people that have been there for me and who, really, I feel I have a strong friendship with.”
She paused for a moment.
“I feel contained and protected and surrounded. I don’t at all feel there are judges [in the crowd]. It’s almost like a communion, you know. When we go through a repertoire of songs that have been a part of people’s lives for so long, and have been a soundtrack for so many of them, and to mine as well, it makes us have something in common that is just unbreakable. And that makes me feel really at ease, and happy, and celebratory that this is my career now more than ever, you know?”
She waited one more beat.
“A few years ago, I was ready to just buy a farm, raise animals, and retire from music. But I look back, and I’m like, ‘How crazy is that?’ I had and have so much more to say and to do. Sometimes we just take what we do for granted, or just forget about who we are.”
We were nearing Shakira’s home at that point, and it was almost dark. Even so, her naturally wavy hair still glimmered in the half-light. It reminded me that I had to ask about Isima, and in particular, a detangler called “No Drama” that she debuted just a few hours prior at the event.
“I created Isima because for a long time, I’ve been sort of a hair victim myself,” Shakira said. “My hair is constantly under the stress of, you name it, blow dryers, irons, curling irons, flat irons, and more. I’ve been brunette, blonde, I’ve had red hair, pink hair, all of it. My hair has really suffered a lot! So I wanted to make products that not only help me style it, but at the same time repair it, and I think that’s what’s very innovative about Isima. I think it’s the best out there. It repairs hair from the inside while also sealing it in from the outside.”
She says her favorite products from the line are the Riquísima Shampoo and the Suavísima conditioner: “Because I use them when I’m in the shower, which is my only moment when nobody can get in. Nobody can call me, no kids, no manager,” she said, laughing.
