Check out Shakira!

The ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ hitmaker scorches on the cover of ELLE Magazine‘s October issue.

Much like her music, though, there’s much more on offer beyond the surface.

For, within the inner pages of her cover spread, the superstar opens up in earnest about her recent split from partner Gerard Pique, new music, and weathering her “darkest hour.”

Head below for pics and quotes…

On Her Split from Gerard Pique:

“Oh, this is really hard to talk about personally, especially as this is the first time I’ve ever addressed this situation in an interview. I’ve remained quiet and just tried to process it all. Um, and yeah, it’s hard to talk about it, especially because I’m still going through it, and because I’m in the public eye and because our separation is not like a regular separation. And so it’s been tough not only for me, but also for my kids. Incredibly difficult. I have paparazzi camping outside, in front of my house, 24/7. And there’s not a place where I can hide from them with my kids, except for my own house. You know, we can’t take a walk in the park like a regular family or go have an ice cream or do any activity without paparazzi following us. So it’s hard. And I’ve tried to conceal the situation in front of my kids. I try to do it and to protect them, because that’s my number one mission in life. But then they hear things in school from their friends or they come across some disagreeable, unpleasant news online, and it just affects them.”

On This Current Period of Her Life:

“Exactly. And I feel like in this moment of my life, which is probably one of the most difficult, darkest hours of my life, music has brought light.”

On New Music:

“I have a full album’s worth of music that I’m so excited about. And some songs you’ll hear imminently, some are collaborations. Some are in English and some in Spanish, different genres. But I’m really, really thrilled about not only the body of work that I have right now to share with the people who are waiting for it, but also how gratifying the whole process has been for me. How therapeutic as well. I thought I was done with my album. But every time I get in the studio to do, like, one line or something, or to mix a song that’s almost ready to come out, then I end up with new music because I feel creative right now, and I feel that is an incredible outlet for me to make sense of things.”

Your thoughts?

[Photo Credit: ELLE / Jaume De Laiguana]