Shakira’s Hometown Unveils A 21-Foot Bronze Statue Of The Pop Star

On December 26, a 21-foot bronze statue of Shakira was unveiled in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia. The singer is depicted in the same outfit and dance position as in her “Hips Don’t Lie” music video released in October 2009.

Shakira’s parents, Nidia Ripoll and William Mebarack, attended the unveiling of the statute alongside the mayor of Barranquilla, Jaime Pumarejo. Her siblings were also at the unveiling.

They took pictures alongside each other, which Shakira posted on her Instagram page. She shared five pictures in total.

The singer captioned the photos: “It makes me happy to share this with my parents and especially my mother on her birthday.”

Shakira also shared a picture of the dedication plaque. It displays the piece’s name as “Shakira” and shares a few words about the artist and the piece.

It starts by saying that on February 2, 1977, Shakira was “born in Barranquilla for the world.”

Then the dedication says, “A heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, an unmatched talent, a voice that moves masses and bare feet that march for the good of childhood and humanity.”

It starts to describe the statue, including its measurements and material. The plaque describes the pop star as being in her “iconic belly dance” pose.

It explains that the “aluminum end of her skirt symbolizes the waves of the sea and river. Her raised arms and vertically clasped hands represent the reach of transcendence.”

Shakira responded to the kind words on her post, saying it was “too much for my little heart.”

The plaque also credits the artist Yino Márques from the La Paz neighborhood. It also acknowledged the support of District School of Arts students and graduates.