Shakira’s return after seven years between full-length studio albums is a powerful example of growth. “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran”, released on March 22, is highlighted by a simple collection of songs, and goes through a whole journey shown through her upbeat style and captivating vocals.
The title track, “La Fuerte,” sets the tone with a Latin pop style and lyrics. It shows Shakira’s signature vocals over an exciting beat. This energy carries through songs such as “Puntería” and “Cohete.” Shakira mentions a lot about pushing through struggle, and encourages strength to get through it. She makes listeners want to embrace their strength while continuing to listen
There’s also vulnerability woven in throughout the album. Tracks such as “Tiempo Sin Verte” and “Última” show past struggles, with Shakira’s vocals showing a depth of emotion. She expresses going through low points in her life through slower, somber vocals and low-tempo beats. “Acróstico,” featuring her sons Milan and Sasha, gives a peek into her life as a mother. “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” isn’t just a personal story told through songs, it’s a powerful album for anyone who has experienced heartbreak or loss. It feels like Shakira’s message of strength is highlighted through every song.
The album draws from a variety of other artists including Cardi B, Bizarrap and KAROL G. Her collaboration with these other Latin artists makes for a ton of upbeat songs and interesting mixes of vocals and flow. “Te Felicito” featuring Rauw Alejandro is another great example of a mix of pace and a captivating beat. Each collaboration adds a unique sound to the album, only making the listening experience better.
Although the album is very interesting and exciting to listen to, there are also some downsides. For starters, it’s not nearly as enjoyable as a native English speaker, as the lyrics are harder to understand. This sort of takes away the impact of some of the memorable lyrics. In addition, multiple songs on the album have very similar tempo and pace. With similar beats, it feels like listening to the same song over and over. She could’ve done a better job focusing on replicating some of her old style choices versus a newer EDM style.
I would definitely recommend this album to anyone who is a native Spanish speaker or a fan of Latin music. Even as someone who doesn’t listen to a lot of Latin music, I enjoyed a lot of the production and vocals. Spanish being my second language, it was a little hard to understand some lyrics, but the overall message was understandable. Personally, my favorite song off the album is “Puntería,” as it is very catchy — however, it would get annoying after too many listens.
In the end, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” marks a great return for Shakira. After a a long, exciting wait between full-length studio albums, she delivers an album that feels both fresh and familiar. The album highlights her talent as a songwriter, vocalist and performer, as well as her ability to combine with other talented artists and producers.
“Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran”: ★★★☆☆
