Who doesn't love a good break-up song? Especially one with a side of scandal.
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Two women have this week joined the long line of musicians who dish out the dirt on former partners, with Miley Cyrus and Shakira both releasing instant hit songs about their respective exes, actor Liam Hemsworth and Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué. And I am here for the drama.
Cyrus's song Flowers was released on January 13 - Hemsworth's birthday - and while nothing has been confirmed, the lyrics seem to take aim at her ex-husband and has even reignited rumours that Hemsworth cheated on Cyrus.
Fellow singer Bruno Mars has even come into the mix, with Flowers' seeming to respond directly to his song When I Was Your Man. Where Mars sings "I should have bought you flowers, and held your hand" Cyrus sings "I can buy myself flowers" and "I can hold my own hand". Reportedly, it's because Cyrus and Hemsworth connected over Mars' music, and previously uploaded a video of them dancing on their wedding day to the singer's 2014 song Uptown Funk.
Meanwhile, Shakira is making headlines for the song she collaborated on with DJ Bizarrap, Out of Your League (also known as BZRP Music Session #53). The Colombian singer, who lives in Barcelona, split from her partner of 12 years after he reportedly cheated on her with a 23-year-old.
Shakira has come out swinging, with lyrics like "You swapped a Ferrari for a [Renault] Twingo, you swapped a Rolex for a Casio", "I'm worth two 22-year-olds", and "You left me my mother-in-law as a neighbour".
To add to the drama, Shakira had the song blasting from her home, while a life-sized witch decoration sat on her balcony, facing her mother-in-law's house. It doesn't seem like Piqué has an issue with the song, however. Since its release, the footballer has been seen wearing a Casio watch and driving a Renault Twingo.
Of course, a diss song - even one about a public break-up - is not a new thing. Yankee Doodle, for example, was originally sung by British troops to mock colonial troops during the American Revolution. And it's only understandable that break-up songs would go hand in hand with this vibe.
But does that make it OK? If a friend posted something on social media about an ex that had the same sentiments as a diss track, it leaves a different taste in your mouth.
And yet we love a break-up song. Is it all about the art? Or do the cheating rumours surrounding Piqué and Hemsworth mean they should face the music - quite literally?
Perhaps it's a good thing that the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT is having a moment right now. You seem bitter and angry if you post "I'm so much better than your new girlfriend" on social media, but maybe an AI-generated break-up song will make you come off as empowered.
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Will it be a hit song? Judging by the test I put into ChatGPT, probably not. It is cathartic though, and I can see why Cyrus, Shakira and the like, write these songs.
And you know what? It's also cathartic to listen to them. For every diss track, there are probably hundreds, if not more, people relating to it. And perhaps feeling less alone in what can be an isolating experience is reason enough to release these songs.
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