Celebrity
A Huge Shakira Statue Has Got Fans Making The Same Joke
“This is my Statue of Liberty.”
The city of Barranquilla, Colombia, gave its hometown hero Shakira a big honor to close out her already-ultra-successful 2023: a 21-foot-tall bronze statue of the pop star. Shakira and her family gave it their seal of approval on the day of unveiling ceremony on Dec. 26, and fans have been doing the same on social media. Many love it so much that they can’t seem to stop comparing it to the Statue of Liberty.
A Tale Of Two Goddess
The Statue of Liberty has been an iconic part of the New York City skyline since it was dedicated in 1886, but numerous Shakira fans think her statue has outdone the famous landmark. “Never thought Id [sic] see the day the statue of Liberty would be humbled, today is the day,” one fan tweeted. “I’m honestly floored by how goddess like they made Shakira’s statue for us her public.”
Many people joked that the Statue of Liberty — in all its 151-foot glory — is in shambles after the Shakira statue’s unveiling. “new shakira statue has been unveiled today,” a fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “statue of liberty get off the floor !!” Another quipped, “oh shakira, don’t end the liberty statue like that.”
There were also numerous memes imagining the Statue of Liberty’s reaction to seeing the Shakira statue. Fans pictured it “falling into the Atlantic” in shock, trying to find a new job, and enviously judging the other statue. One person summed it up by saying, “Shakira’s statue could hold the torch but the statue of liberty could never dance ‘Whenever, Wherever’.”
People even called for a big change: “We need to replace the Statue of Liberty with Shakira. Except larger.” Yet another fan wrote, “This is my Statue of Liberty,” while someone else added, “honestly this is so real, i’d also want shakira as my statue of liberty.”
The Shakira Symbolism
Like the Statue of Liberty, the Shakira statue has its own symbolism. Sculpted by Yino Márquez, it shows Shakira belly dancing and has a plaque below that reads, “A heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, an unmatched talent, a voice that moves the masses and bare feet that march for the good of children and humanity.” Barranquilla Mayor Jaime Pumarejo shared a year ago that he and city officials’ goal was to honor local figures who would inspire young people and attract tourists, according to The New York Times.
The pop icon shared photos of the statue to her Instagram on Dec. 26, and she made it clear that she loves it. “It makes me happy to share this with my parents and especially my mother on her birthday,” Shakira wrote in part, in Spanish. As for the tribute on the plaque, she called it “too much for [her] little heart.”
