Colombian singer Shakira has responded to tax evasion charges against her by the Spanish government in an interview published yesterday (21 September). 

Shakira's appeal in a Spain tax fraud case was dismissed on 26 May this year, having been initially charged in 2018 with failing to pay €14.5m on income earned between 2012 and 2014. A trial date has not yet been set.

In a cover story for Elle published yesterday (September 21), the pop star said she'd paid everything that the government had claimed she owed, claiming "as of today, I owe zero to them".

She also explained her confidence in being transparent about her earnings, since she "was advised by one of the four biggest tax specialist firms in the world, PricewaterhouseCoopers".

Elsewhere in the interview she further said: "It is well known that the Spanish tax authorities do this often not only with celebrities like me (or [Cristiano] Ronaldo, Neymar, [Xabi] Alonso, and many more), it also happens unjustly to the regular taxpayer. It's just their style. But I'm confident that I have enough proof to support my case and that justice will prevail in my favor."