Shakira's 2 Kids: All About Milan and Sasha

Shakira might be a musical superstar, but her two sons, Milan, 11, and Sasha, 9, take the spotlight at home.

The singer shares Milan and Sasha with her ex-partner, Gerard Piqué, who announced his retirement from professional soccer in November 2022. Shakira has said parenting is the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

"It's one of the most difficult things I've done in my life," she told PEOPLE in 2015. "I've been on the most challenging stages performing in front of really demanding audiences and I've been meeting with world leaders who sometimes make you a little bit apprehensive, but nothing has made me so self-conscious as being a mom. … Every day I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I just want to improve in the job, the hardest job on earth."

Though she and Piqué split in June 2022, the "Hips Don't Lie" singer said she is doing what she can to "conceal" the situation from her kids. She told ELLE, "I try to do it and to protect them, because that's my number one mission in life."

Shakira has also been vocal about giving her sons as normal of a life as possible — and that includes not playing her own music at home.

"I can't deny they can't escape the reality that I'm a public person, as well as their dad," the star told ET Canada in 2021. "But we try to provide as much normalcy as we can, and live really as very simple people."

In November 2022, Shakira and Piqué reached a custody agreement regarding their two sons. A few months later in March 2023, Piqué spoke publicly for the first time about his break up with Shakira. He told the Spanish publication El Pais that he's focused on doing "what's best for their kids" and "protecting them" from any harm.

Shakira, Milan and Sasha made the move from Barcelona to Miami in April 2023.

"I settled in Barcelona to give my sons stability, the same that we are now looking for in another corner of the world besides family, friends and the sea. Today we started a new chapter in the search for happiness," the "She Wolf" singer wrote on Instagram.

Milan and Sasha made a cameo in Shakira's Acróstico music video, which dropped in May 2023. The boys were seen playing the piano and singing the track's chorus.

"This year, Milan has written songs that have brought me to tears of emotion and Sasha has spent hours at the piano, finding his voice," Shakira wrote on Instagram. "Milan and Sasha, it's so nice to see how you spread your wings and follow your dreams! There is nothing that makes me more fulfilled than being your mother."

Here's everything to know about Shakira and Gerard Piqué's sons, Milan and Sasha.

Milan Piqué Mebarak, 11

Shakira and Piqué welcomed their first son, Milan, on Jan. 22, 2013.

"We are happy to announce the birth of Milan Piqué Mebarak, son of Shakira Mebarak and Gerard Piqué, born Jan. 22nd at 9:36 p.m. in Barcelona, Spain," the couple announced on Shakira's website. "The name Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn), means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification. Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth."

In early 2013, baby Milan visited his mom on the set of The Voice. An audience member told PEOPLE that host Carson Daly and Shakira's fellow coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton said hello to the 2-month-old. The onlooker added that Shakira "was nothing short of a proud and doting mom," handing the tot off to go backstage only when his cries became audible to the crowd.

In December 2021, Shakira revealed that Milan enjoys surfing and is a talented pianist. The singer shared a video of Milan playing piano alongside another boy playing the violin. "This virtual concert is Milan's small homage to our dear Bela, who left teaching us both parents and children the love, respect and devotion for one's work, and how to make our kids feel that what they do is the most important thing in our world," she wrote. Milan has also spent time in the studio with his megastar mom.

Another of Milan's talents? Dancing! In August 2021, Milan joined his mom and brother Sasha in dancing to J Balvin's hit "In Da Getto" in an Instagram video.

While talking to Zane Lowe in March 2024, Shakira said that while both of her sons "share a love for music," Milan has been writing songs to process his parents' split.

"I remember he wrote two beautiful songs during the whole separation process," she said. "He wrote two songs on piano and lyrics. And whenever he feels a little down, he goes to the piano and he writes. And that also is his catharsis, his therapy. I think he's probably going to be a producer, but he's obsessed with football."

Sasha Piqué Mebarak, 9

Shakira and Piqué's second son, Sasha Piqué Mebarak, was born on Jan. 29, 2015. Like his big brother, Sasha was born in Barcelona. Following his birth, the second-time parents explained Sasha's name in a message on Shakira's website: "The name Sasha is of Greek and Russian descent and means 'defender of mankind' and 'warrior,' " they wrote. Shakira also shared a photo of Sasha's feet from the hospital, writing, "I have Daddy's feet, it looks like I've been playing football my whole life."

In June 2021, Shakira posted an Instagram photo celebrating Sasha taking his first surfing lesson. He wore a wetsuit in the snapshot and posed with his surfing instructors. The following summer, Shakira shared more pictures of her sons enjoying the water at Wavegarden surf park in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Sasha has shown some athletic prowess beyond surfing, too. In 2017, Shakira shared a video of then-2-year-old Sasha playing tennis, shooting hoops and walking down a slide with the caption, "My little athlete!" A year later, the singer posted another video of Sasha practicing tennis with his soccer star dad. Following in his father's footsteps, Sasha started kicking soccer balls at just 6 months old.

He has also taken up karate. In February 2022, Shakira shared a video of him winning first place in a martial arts tournament. "Next time if they don't want me to yell so much they'll have to take me with a muzzle!" she joked. Months earlier, she shared a video of Sasha at another tournament, captioning the clip, "I'm the deranged woman screaming in the back."

In February 2023, Shakira shared that Sasha created the artwork for her single "Monotonia" on his iPad.

"I didn't like what the designers at Sony had created, and I asked Sasha what he thought about it," the songstress said in an interview. "He said, 'No mami, Iet me do it,' and he started making it on his iPad. He sent it to me and I sent it to people at Sony. I think kids have a special sensibility and I listen to them."