Shakira explains why she almost retired from music

Shakira revealed that she has almost retired from her decades-long music career.

In a new interview with Vogue, the Waka Waka hitmaker admitted that she nearly walked away from the music business "a few years ago."

"A few years ago, I was ready to just buy a farm, raise animals, and retire from music," Shakira told the outlet.

"But I look back, and I’m like, ‘How crazy is that?’ I had and have so much more to say and to do. Sometimes we just take what we do for granted, or just forget about who we are," added the 49-year-old singer.

The Whenever, Whenever songstress further told the publication that she loves performing live for her fans.

"I think that when I perform, I don’t just do it in front of ‘an audience,'" said Shakira.

"I do it surrounded by my family. I feel that my fans, those who have fun in the crowd, those who have listened to my music for so long … I feel they really understand me, and they also know my flaws. They don’t condemn my defects," she continued.

The She Wolf songstress added, "There’s a sense of comfort when I am on stage. I’m just living in the moment with a group of people that have been there for me and who, really, I feel I have a strong friendship with."