Shakira has made history at the MTV VMAs after taking home the prestigious Video Vanguard Award.
The global superstar was honoured for her decades-long, powerhouse career (hello “Hips Don’t Lie”, “Whenever Wherever”, “Try Everything”, “Waka Waka” and so much more!) and for her profound impact on the music industry. She is the first South American artist to ever receive the award.
After performing a medley of her biggest hits, Shakira accepted the honour on stage from her long-time friend and collaborator Wyclef Jean, who very rightly described her as a “musical genius.”
“This is amazing,” Shakira began, thanking MTV for being a part of her career since she was 18 years old.
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“I want to thank people who have played a key role in my story,” she continued, expressing her gratitude for her team and especially “the amazing women” who have pushed her through all her challenges.
She ended her speech by thanking her parents and her children, Milan and Sasha ,who attended the awards with their mama.
“Thank you so much for cheering me up and making me feel like mama can do it all.”
And finally, Shakira thanked her millions of fans around the world “who always support me through thick and thin. Thank you so much. Thank you for being my army and helping me fight all my battles.”
Shakira now joins the ranks of music legends including the Beatles, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj who are previous recipients of the Video Vanguard Award.
Check out the full list of MTV VMAs winners here.
(Feature Image Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV)
