Cotizarse literally refers to pricing something or being quoted on a financial market, but in Spanish slang, it means to play hard to get or intentionally boost your personal value.
In the lyrics, Shakira sings that the other woman "se hace la bruta pa' cotizarse" (plays dumb to raise her stock). It is a clever, engaging verb that highlights how Spanish creatively uses business terms to describe dating and romantic games!
Colombian superstar Shakira teams up with Dominican artist El Cata in this super upbeat pop track about being head-over-heels for your partner and not caring about anyone else trying to get in the middle. The narrator is completely unfazed by a rival driving by in her fancy car ("mientras ella se pasa en su BM" [while she drives by in her BMW]) or putting on an act to look appealing. Shakira stays cool, knowing who holds the real connection: "Ella muere por ti y tú por mí es que matas" (She's dying for you, but you would kill for me).
There is plenty of colorful Dominican street slang to learn here. Calling someone "mi tigre" (my tiger) is an affectionate way of saying "my guy" or "my man," which leads straight into the addictive hook: "Yo soy loca con mi tigre" (I'm crazy about my man). The lyrics do not shy away from being bold and direct, contrasting boring gifts with real fun through lines like "Mientras él te compra flores, yo compro condones" (While he buys you flowers, I buy condoms). It is all about spontaneous adventures down to the boardwalk ("malecón") and dancing mambo, leaving no doubt about who wins the day.
Shakira signed to Sony Music Colombia at thirteen, and her debut album Magia sold about 1,200 copies in Colombia. Born in Barranquilla in 1977 to a family of Lebanese, Catalan and Colombian descent, she was belly dancing by four, after hearing Arabic drumming at a Middle Eastern restaurant near home, and she has written or co-written most of what she records.
The breakthrough came with Pies Descalzos (1995) and its single "Estoy Aquí", and ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998) followed with "Ciega, Sordomuda" and "Ojos Así". She moved into English on Laundry Service (2001), whose "Whenever, Wherever" was released in Spanish as "Suerte", then topped the US Hot 100 in 2006 with "Hips Don’t Lie", featuring Wyclef Jean. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", recorded with the South African band Freshlyground, was the official song of the 2010 World Cup. Her 2023 session with Argentine producer Bizarrap won Latin Grammy Song of the Year, and Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran took Best Latin Pop Album at the 2025 Grammys, her fourth Grammy next to fifteen Latin Grammys.