Beyond Shakira: other songs of spite

The “BZRP Music Sessions #53″ by Shakira and Bizarrap is the hit of the moment. With more than 130 million views on YouTube and growing, it is world number one in musical trends and since its premiere on January 11, nothing else has been talked about.

Now popularly known as “For guys like you”“Session No. 53” is a song in which the Colombian is very comfortable with her ex-partner, Gerard Piqué, and also has clear hints at the soccer player’s current girlfriend, Clara Chía.

But this collaboration with the Argentine is not the first time that Shakira sings to one of her exes. In fact, Piqué has already been peppered with two other songs: “Te Felicito” and “Monotonía”. And previous couples of the singer are not free either: “I warn you, I announce you”, “I leave you Madrid”, “No”, “I am here” or “Inevitable” are some examples.

Of course, Shakira is not the only one. There are many other artists who have dedicated, directly or indirectly, songs of spite and heartbreak to their ex-partners.

OLIVIA RODRIGO: DRIVERS LICENSE

Olivia Rodrigo became a youth icon almost overnight when her single “Drivers License” went viral shortly after its release. And it is that, although the singer and actress was already famous, the song was a before and after.

What not everyone knows is that both this single and many others from his album “Sour” (2021), especially “Good 4 U”, are born of a love disappointment. And it is that they are dedicated to his ex, the actor Joshua Basset, his partner in the series “High School Musical”, who would have left Rodrigo for the also actress Sabrina Carpenter.

C. TANGANA: YOU STOPPED LOVING ME

The relationship between the Spaniards C. Tangana and Rosalía is an open secret, and there are many theories about songs from one and the other that would speak of their love story. But El Madrileño went one step further when he released “Tú Me Dejaste de Querer” (2021).

The song, a collaboration with La Hungara and El Niño de Elche, included in the video clip an actress whose resemblance to the author of “Motomami” (2022) did not go unnoticed by anyone: many believe that the theme is a succession of hints from Tangana to Rosalia.

BEYONCE: LEMONADE

Beyonce She is one of the most important artists of the 21st century, considered a virtuoso both for her voice and her ability to dance. And she, like many others before her, has sung on numerous occasions about love… and heartbreak.

And it is that her album “Lemonade” (2016) is largely dedicated to her husband, Jay Z. In fact, the song “Sorry” stands out especially, in which she even alludes to “Becky the one with the good hair”, with which the rapper would have cuckolded him.

MALUMA: HAWAI

The singer Maluma shares several things with Shakira, such as nationality: he is also Colombian. But, also, just like her, Maluma has sung both about love and heartbreak… And infidelity.

And it is that his song, “Hawái” (2020), supposedly tells the story of an alleged infidelity of his ex-girlfriend, the model Natalia Barulich, with the soccer player Neymar Jr. This would have happened in theory in Hawaii, and hence the name of the issue.

PAQUITA LA DEL BARRIO: TWO-LEGGED RAT

The Mexican singer, Paquita la del Barrio, is an exponent of the “tiraeras” or “beefs” even without knowing it. And it is that she is the queen of spiteful songs against an ex-partner, for her unforgettable “Two-legged Rat” (2004).

“Scum of life”, “poisonous snake”, “vermin”, “badly made eyesore”, “damn vermin”, “spectre from hell”, “filthy rat”… The number of humiliating adjectives he uses has turned the theme in his masterpiece.

In fact, her verses have been quoted by other Latin artists such as Karol G and Becky G in “Mami” (2022), a song that many believe is dedicated to Karol’s ex, the Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AAA.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE: CRY ME A RIVER

The former leader of “N-Sync” also knows a lot about spite. And it is that if his love relationship with the princess of pop, Britney Spears, was always in the spotlight, his breakup was no less.

And indeed, in 2002, the singer released “Cry Me a River”, a song whose lyrics were inspired by this heartbreak. In fact, the video clip featured a model whose style was reminiscent of Spears’s, suggesting that perhaps she had been unfaithful.

DEMI LOVATO: 15 MINUTES

Demi Lovato is one of the most famous former Disney Girls, a Latino and millennial icon, and an artist who has been in the eye of the hurricane many times. In 2020, she got engaged to actor and singer Max Ehrich but they broke off their engagement shortly after.

From that break, “15 Minutes” (2021) was born, a song in which Lovato would talk about Max, with allusions and hints and accusing him of having been with her in search of her fifteen minutes of fame.

ED SHEERAN: DON’T

Ed Sheeran is one of the most valued composers and singer-songwriters of this century and, of course, his repertoire could not lack love and breakup songs either. This is the case of “Don’t” (2014), a song that the artist told Billboard magazine “is 100% true”.

This song talks about the alleged infidelity that Sheeran experienced at the hands of his ex-partner, the singer Ellie Goulding, who would have cheated on Ed with Niall Horan, a member of One Direction.

TAYLOR SWIFT

Talk about Taylor Swift It’s talking about love and heartbreak. Although the singer has dealt with other themes in her songs, romanticism has been the protagonist of many of her hits.

There are so many that it’s hard to pick just one: “Better Than Revenge” would be dedicated to singer Joe Jonas, “Look What You Made Me Do” to DJ Calvin Harris, “Dear John” to singer John Mayer, “Back to December” to actor Taylor Lautner or “All Too Well” to actor Jake Gyllenhaal; among many others.

AND MANY MORE…

The list of artists who have sung to their ex-partners is almost endless and includes many more examples: Rosalía with “Despechá”, Alanis Morissette with “You Oughta Know”, Miley Cyrus with “Flowers”, Nancy Sinatra with “These Boots Are Made For Walking”, Jennifer Lopez with “Qué Hiciste”, are some examples.

Others would be Luis Miguel with “Guilty or Not – Lie to Me As Always”; Julio Iglesias with “Hey!”; Carly Simon with “You’re So Vain”; Adele with various songs such as “Rolling in the Deep” or “Someone Like You”; Joaquín Sabina with “Princess” or Rocío Jurado with “Ese hombre”.

Also, of course: “The Heart Wants What It Wants”, by Selena Gomez, “Olvídame y Pega la Vuelta” by Pimpinela; “Yo Perreo Sola” by Bad Bunny, “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish, or the Maroon 5 album “Songs About Jane”.

In short, love and its counterpart, heartbreak, whether in the form of spite or nostalgia, is one of the most powerful sources of inspiration in music.