Colombian pop music sensation Shakira has revealed that her two sons were born because of her 2010 hit “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”
Shakira, 49, recorded the Afropop track as the official anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The event took place from June 11 until July 11 that year.
The tournament was won by the Spanish national team, who had Gerard Piqué at the heart of their defence. It was because Shakira recorded the competition’s official track that she was in South Africa — and it was there that she met Piqué.
Shakira and Piqué became a couple and were together for 12 years until 2022. In that time, they had two children, both sons, called Milan and Sasha. The former was born in 2013 (he’s now 13) and the latter was born in 2015 (he’s now 11).
The singer and former coach on “The Voice” now credits “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” for gifting her two sons.
She went into detail about the subject in a recent chat with People.
Shakira Calls Her Sons the ‘Waka’ Kids
GettyThe fabulous Shakira spoke to People for the publication’s cover story this week. Speaking about her 2010 FIFA World Cup song, she told them, “That’s why I call my kids the ‘Waka’ kids. I think they were born because of that song.”
She added, “That song took me to the World Cup. The World Cup had an important impact in my life, and they were born — the best thing that has happened to me.”
The “Whenever, Wherever” singer continued. She said, “Then in 2014, I was pregnant with Sasha, with my little one, and all of my fans, they saw me perform, and they’re like, ‘Shakira’s pregnant.’ And I was like a month pregnant — I was like two months maximum, but they know me so well.”
2014 also happened to be a World Cup year. On that occasion, however, the official song “We Are One (Ole Ola)” was recorded by Pitbull with guest vocals by Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte.
Shakira actually has a long association with FIFA World Cup Tournaments that continues to this day.
The Star’s Association With World Cups Goes Back to 2006
GettyBack in 2006, when the FIFA World Cup was held in Germany, Shakira appeared at the event. In a joint effort with rapper Wyclef Jean, she performed her iconic hit “Hips Don’t Lie” there. Incidentally, if you’re wondering, the official record of the 2006 tournament was “The Time of Our Lives” by Il Divo and Toni Braxton.
After being responsible for the official track of the 2010 competition, Shakira is at it again this year. Along with Nigerian singer Burna Boy, she has recorded “Dai Dai” for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This year’s event will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11 and end on July 19. On the latter date, during the World Cup Final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Shakira will make history by co-headlining the inaugural World Cup Final halftime show.
Rather excitingly, beginning on June 13, Shakira is also embarking on a World Cup-themed tour around the United States.
The “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour” will see her performing in locations like California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and New York. New music, including the official song of the World Cup, will be performed.
We wish Shakira all the very best with all of her World Cup-related activities in the coming weeks.
