Here Are the English Lyrics to Karol G & Shakira’s ‘TQG’

Karol G and Shakira craft the ultimate tabloid pop hit on their first collaboration together “TQG,” off Karol’s new album, Mańana Será Bonito, released on Friday (Feb. 24). An explosive kiss-off, the two forces of Latin pop chow down a heated breakup bop about leaving corny exes. It’s easy to speculate whom Karol G and Shakira are referring to.

Shakira’s highly-publicized disentanglement with soccer star Gerard Piqué was tabloid gold, which she actually converted into into big bills. Recall women empowerment lyric, “Las mujeres ya no llloran, las mujeres facturan” or “women don’t cry anymore, women generate money” from the best diss track of 2023 so far: “BZRP Music Session #53.” It racked up more than 82 million views on YouTube in 24 hours, the fastest in the video platform’s history. It also peaked numerous Billboard charts.

Meanwhile, Karol G’s separation from Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA from a few years ago was also somewhat messy. Since their breakup, it seems like a blimp of time that Anuel hooked up with Dominican rapper Yailin La Más Viral, whom he got pregnant, had her baby, and only stayed married for a mere nine months.

The visual for “TQG” (acronyms for “Te Quedó Grande” roughly meaning “too much for you to handle”) explores the sinister nature of celebrity life as reality TV. This is tabloid-pop gold at it’s finest, and they’re very aware of it. The video follows them across the world, where viewers see Karol G standing on top of Japanese billboards, and spectators are watching from their airplane TVs. Near the end of the video, a guy eating popcorn in a bathtub watches the singers lyrically slay their bygone men.

Here are the translated lyrics to “TQG”:

KAROL G

Whoever told you that a void is filled with another person is lying to you
It’s like covering up a wound with makeup
You can’t see it, but you can feel it
You left saying you got over me
And you got yourself a new girlfriend
What she doesn’t know is that you’re still looking at all my stories

CHORUS

Baby, what happened?
Thought you were very in love?
What are you doing looking for me, honey
If you know that I don’t repeat mistakes
Tell your new bae that I don’t compete for men
And to stop grudging, at least I had you pretty

SHAKIRA

Seeing you with the new girl hurt me, but I’m now set on me
I’ve forgotten what we lived together, and that’s what you’re offended by
And even my life got better, you are no longer welcome here
And what your girlfriend slayed at me, that doesn’t anger me, it makes me laugh

KAROL G

I don’t have time for something that doesn’t do anything for me
I changed my route
Making money like sport
Filling my bank account with shows, the car park, the passport
I’m harder, the press reviews say

SHAKIRA

Now you want to come back to me, it shows
Hold on, I’m no fool

KAROL G

You forgot that I’ve moved on
And that this Bichota was too hot for you to handle

CHORUS

Baby, what happened?
Thought you were very in love?
What are you doing looking for me, honey
If you know that I don’t repeat mistakes
Tell your new bae that I don’t compete for men
And to stop grudging, at least I had you pretty

SHAKIRA

You left, and I wen’t triple ‘m’
Much hotter, much tougher, much carefree

KAROL G

Getting back with you, never
You are the bad luck
Because now blessings are raining down on me
And you want to get back together, I knew it
You liked a photo of mine

SHAKIRA

You, looking to eat out
Me, saying that it was monotony
And you want to come back, I knew that much
‘Liking’ my photos
Now you’re outside searching for food

KAROL G

You look happy with your new life
But… if she knew that you still look for me

CHORUS

Baby, what happened?
Thought you were very in love?
What are you doing looking for me, honey
If you know that I don’t repeat mistakes
Tell your new bae that I don’t compete for men
She didn’t have a good hand on you, at least I had you pretty

SPOKEN

My love, you really distanced yourself
And I can’t see so far away, baby
TQM [I love you a lot], but TQG [You were out of your depth]… Barranquilla, Medallo