Key Takeaways
- Spain’s National High Court ordered authorities to return more than $64 million to Shakira after ruling in her favor.
- The case focused on whether she met Spain’s 183-day residency requirement for income tax liability.
- Following the decision, she posted on Instagram using Rihanna’s “B**ch Better Have My Money” as the soundtrack.
Shakira seemingly has a not-so-subtle message for Spain’s government after officials were ordered to return €55 million (or roughly $64 million) to her over money ruled to have been improperly collected: “B**ch Better Have My Money.” On Monday night (May 18), the “Whenever, Wherever” artist used Rihanna’s 2015 hit single as the soundtrack for her latest Instagram post.
While she didn’t elaborate any further or even bother to add a caption to the Nicolas Gerardin-shot photos, plenty of fans took to the comments to interpret it as a nod to her latest court victory. “THE SONG. YOU’RE NOT SERIOUS,” one reply with more than 6,000 likes read. Another user wrote, “Ate with this song and this fit.”
“Wow!!! Love this look,” Anitta commented, while Dytto joked, “Song choice. ICON,” alongside a clapping hands emoji. Scroll to see the post.
The Spanish government was ordered to return more than $64 million to Shakira
Per People, Shakira was acquitted after an eight-year legal battle over her 2011 income. The court ruled that tax authorities failed to prove the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran artist spent 183 days in Spain, which would’ve effectively made her a resident and subject to personal income tax there.
“After more than eight years of enduring brutal public targeting, orchestrated campaigns to destroy my reputation, and sleepless nights that ultimately impacted my health and my family’s well-being, the National High Court has finally set the record straight,” the Grammy-winning musician said in a lengthy statement afterward. “There was never any fraud, and the Administration itself could never prove otherwise, simply because it wasn’t true.”
She continued, “For nearly a decade, I was treated as guilty. Every step of the process was leaked, distorted, and amplified, using my name and public image to send a threatening message to the rest of the taxpayers.”
Shakira, Madonna, and BTS are set for the first World Cup final halftime show
As if the month couldn’t get any better, Global Citizen announced last Thursday (May 14) that Shakira, Madonna, and BTS will headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Halftime show. Slated to take place at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19, they’ll have about 11 minutes of stage time to squeeze decades’ worth of hits into the spectacle. Coldplay star Chris Martin is curating the event, and Global Citizen is producing it, so fans of soccer and the headlining artists are excited to see what's in store. The halftime show will also raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a worthy cause to support the next generation's education worldwide.