In an intimate conversation before they both take the stage at Super Bowl LIV in Miami on Sunday (Feb. 2), Shakira and Jennifer Lopez both hope their halftime performance will move the needle forward for Latinos in this country in every respect.
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“This show will have very important repercussions,” said Shakira, speaking in the only sit-down joint interview she gave in Spanish alongside J-Lo for NFL en Español, which gave Billboard an exclusive glimpse of the chat.
“We are a mix of cultures and we conserve so many idiosyncratic cultural traits that make us unique. Our music is a reflection of that.”
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“The energy we bring [as Latins] is very different,” agreed J-Lo. “I hope it’s the beginning of a change. What we can do is represent our community but also as women. We’re here, we have voices, let’s use them.”
In a twist, both performers this year are in longstanding relationships with professional athletes: Shakira with FC Barcelona soccer player Gerard Piqué, and J-Lo with former Major League Baseball player Alex Rodríguez. So, when asked what was tougher — sports or music — there was a big pause.
“Being an athlete,” Shakira finally offered. “As an athlete you always have the pressure to win. But,” she added, “we always have to be practicing.”
“Yes,” agreed J-Lo. “No off season for us.”
Watch the full interview here.
