COLOMBIAN singing superstar Shakira has made a public call for her two children to be left alone as the three of them begin a new life in Miami, and has slammed the treatment that her boys received when they lived in Barcelona.
‘My children, Milan and Sasha, have gone through a very difficult year, suffering relentless harassment and persecution with no respite by the paparazzi and several media outlets in Barcelona,’ she wrote in Spanish via her social media accounts.
‘Now that they are starting a new stage of their lives I earnestly call on the media, in the name of my children, to please respect their right to privacy,’ she continued.
Shakira has been constantly in the headlines since her high-profile split 10 months ago with former FC Barcelona football player Gerard Pique, who is the father of Milan, aged 10, and Sasha, aged 8.
In November of last year, the pair reached a custody agreement that involved Shakira and the two boys moving to Miami, with Pique granted generous visitation rights.
The move was delayed due to the illness of Shakira’s father, who was in Barcelona and was not well enough to make the trip to the United States.
The Colombian has now, however, decamped in Miami, where she is seeking greater privacy for the family.
‘I ask you to refrain from following [the children] to the exit or entrance of the school, waiting for them at the door of our house, or chasing them to their extracurricular and recreational activities, as happened every day in Barcelona in order to obtain photos or better ratings,’ her statement continued.
Although she is calling for privacy, Shakira has used her split with Pique as inspiration for her most recent songs. Session 53, which was released along with Argentine producer Bizarrap, was widely interpreted as a ‘diss song’ aimed at Pique, with a series of references about not just her ex, but also his new girlfriend Clara Chia.
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