In her latest song, the world’s most influential Colombian singer continues her masterful style of social critique, moving her hips and singing lyrics that voice the silent cries of millions of exploited workers. She also weaves in sharp personal jabs with creative flair, which have proven highly profitable.
Beyond the musical headlines, it’s worth highlighting that an artist from our region is capable of touching on sensitive issues and sparking social debates in a music scene often dominated by shallow trends.
Tackling significant issues while remaining commercially successful is a challenge that only true artists can achieve; the rest are merely singers. Being an artist means understanding the societal role they play, and Shakira consistently demonstrates her commitment to this through her actions.
Her songs have taught us the importance of education, questioning social inequalities, corruption, and the loneliness that plagues young people. In her recent releases, she has focused on empowering women.
In “El Jefe,” she uses a modern narrative with colloquial language and insults that, beyond being merely crude, express rebellion. At its core, the song calls for equal rights for immigrant workers.
While the context of the song and video highlights the injustices in developed countries, it also applies to our societies, where feudalistic labor practices still exist.
With direct criticism, the song portrays exploitative bosses enjoying themselves while their employees work tirelessly.
Shakira and Fuerza Regida dramatize the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable workers, highlighting alarming statistics recently reported by the International Labour Organization (ILO):
- 50 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery, with 1 in 4 victims being a child.
- Women earn 23 percent less than men for the same work.
- More than 40% of the world’s population live in countries without conventions that allow freedom of association and collective bargaining (unions).
These reflections resonate with the national discourse on an impending labor reform aimed at improving workers’ rights amidst concerns about its impact on productivity.