Shakira poses for a photograph.

Shakira is busy “focusing on her family” after being forced to deny rumours that she is dating Tom Cruise. The pair sparked romance rumours earlier as they were spotted together in Miami at the Formula 1 Grand Prix, reports Mirror.co.uk. A source said there was “chemistry” between Shakira and Hollywood star Tom, 60, following the singer’s painful split from football star Gerard Pique.

The 46-year-old singer and Barcelona defender, 36, announced their breakup in June last year after 12 years together. Gerard has since moved on with Clara Chia Marti, 24. Mirror.co.uk further states that while ‘Top Gun’ star Tom was said to be “extremely interested in pursuing Shakira,” a family friend has revealed the pair are just friends and said that Shakira has other priorities.

“When friends are in Miami, they get together. The press wants to create a romance, but she’s known Tom for a long time. She’s focused on her family,” Ana Lourdes Martinez told Page Six. A source had previously told the publication: “Shakira needs a soft pillow to fall on, and that could be Tom,” before adding that he is “a nice-looking guy, and he is talented.”

But it seems as though it’s not meant to be, with Shakira reportedly having “a lot on her plate” right now. A Colombian singer and songwriter born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the “Queen of Latin Music” and is noted for her musical versatility. She made her recording debut with Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13.

Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). She entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide.

Buoyed by the international success of her singles “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes”, the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc., described Shakira as a “pioneer” who extended the global reach of Latino singers. Her success was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and were certified diamond (Latin) by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Meanwhile, her English albums Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009) and Shakira (2014) were all certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in various countries worldwide. Some of her songs have charted at number one in multiple countries, including “Whenever, Wherever”, “La Tortura”, “Hips Don’t Lie”, “Beautiful Liar”, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”, “Loca”, “Can’t Remember to Forget You”, “Chantaje”, “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53”, and “TQG”. She served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice (2013–2014).

Agencies