Shakira Put Music 'on Hold' So Ex Gerard Piqué's Career Could Thrive: 'I Was Dedicated to Him'

Shakira's life as a single woman has done wonders for her career.

Prior to ex Gerard Piqué's affair last year, the couple was living with their two kids in Barcelona, where the athlete played soccer professionally. However, in a new interview, the singer revealed that residing in Spain caused her to put music on the back-burner.

"The thing is, I was dedicated to him. To the family, to him. It was very difficult for me to attend to my professional career while in Barcelona. It was complicated logistically to get a collaborator there," the blonde beauty, 46, explained. "I had to wait for agendas to coincide or for someone to deign to come. I couldn’t leave my children and just go somewhere to make music outside my house. It was hard to maintain the rhythm."

"Sometimes I had ideas I couldn’t lock down. Right now, I have an idea and I can immediately collaborate with whomever I want to. Something inescapable about Miami, Los Angeles, the U.S. in general is I have the logistical and technical support, the resources, the tools, the people," continued the mom-of-two. "Living in Spain, all that was on hold."

The star — who now co-parents sons Milan,10, and Sasha, 8, with the former soccer player, 36 — said she's now able to release music faster than ever, though she admitted, "sometimes I think being a single mom and the rhythm of a pop star aren’t compatible."

"I have to put my kids to bed, go to the recording studio; everything is uphill," said the "Hips Don't Lie" crooner. "When you don’t have a husband who can stay home with the kids, it’s constant juggling because I like to be a present mom and I need to be there every moment with my children: take them to school, have breakfast with them, take them to play dates. And aside from that, I have to make money."

Shakira was blindsided by Piqué's affair with Clara Chia Marti, 24, who he's still seeing to this day.

"I believed in 'till death do us part. I believed that dream, and I had that dream for myself, for my children," she insisted.

Nowadays, the star has been able to heal and moved forward in her love life — she even sparked romance rumors with NBA player Jimmy Butler, 34, after they were spotted on date in London this past July.

Though an insider claimed things "are going well" between the two as they're "growing closer every day ... Shakira has a lot on her plate. Her main priority is her kids and career. But she’s definitely optimistic about finding love again."

Billboard interview Shakira.