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---
title: People Rush to Shakira Memes of This Super Bowl 2020 Moment
description: Shakira&#x27;s tongue movement at the Super Bowl on Sunday sent the internet on a journey to quickly meme the moment. Here are the best.
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author: Rachel E. Greenspan
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article:published_time: 2020-02-03T01:52:46.000Z
article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T19:42:57.000Z
og:title: The Internet Rushes to Make a Meme Out of This Magic Shakira Super Bowl 2020 Halftime Show Moment
og:description: It&#x27;s the ultimate swagger move that is just made for GIFs
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twitter:title: The Internet Rushes to Make a Meme Out of This Magic Shakira Super Bowl 2020 Halftime Show Moment
twitter:description: It&#x27;s the ultimate swagger move that is just made for GIFs
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta69f6a7a42a97f68/698a09aa86f68e0d2e6ee4a2/shakira-superbowl.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# The Internet Rushes to Make a Meme Out of This Magical Shakira Super Bowl 2020 Halftime Show Moment

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by [Rachel E. Greenspan](https://time.com/author/rachel-e-greenspan/) and [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/)

Updated: Dec 12, 2023 7:42 PM UTCPublished: Feb 3, 2020 1:52 AM UTC

![Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta69f6a7a42a97f68/698a09aa86f68e0d2e6ee4a2/shakira-superbowl.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Shakira performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida.

Shakira performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Elsa—Getty Images

by [Rachel E. Greenspan](https://time.com/author/rachel-e-greenspan/) and [Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/)

Updated: Dec 12, 2023 7:42 PM UTCPublished: Feb 3, 2020 1:52 AM UTC

There are moments during broadcasts when millions are watching that are just made for highly meme-able magic.

And on Sunday night on the [internet](https://time.com/5772310/ariana-grande-grammys-2020-dress/), one such moment occurred when Shakira swiftly became a meme during the [Super Bowl LIV halftime show](https://time.com/5772622/super-bowl-2020-halftime-show/). During her performance alongside the one and only Jennifer Lopez, the artist sealed the deal, staring into the camera and wiggling her tongue.

It was the ultimate power move demonstrating her slayage of the event and swagger at once. Not to mention, it was her birthday.

All the more reason to celebrate Shakira.

And the moment was made to be captured in a video, so that’s exactly how that went down. Twitter users immediately did what they had to do, turning the footage into a meme.

See some of the first [Shakira memes from Super Bowl 2020](http://2020) below.

> [](https://twitter.com/mattraub/status/1224203896718970880)

> [](https://twitter.com/khoaphan/status/1224142169860005888)

> [](https://twitter.com/T%5FLumpkin47ABC/status/1224145917852508160)


> [](https://twitter.com/ThePhenomenalEE/status/1224139346627956742)

> [](https://twitter.com/Sarcastic%5FAsset/status/1224140526196273152)

> [](https://twitter.com/soer%5Fgasm/status/1224140305433268225)


> [](https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/1224144059478040582)

> [](https://twitter.com/SirBoursiquot/status/1224142387397693441)

> [](https://twitter.com/danielmemedoza/status/1224141504232353792)


> [](https://twitter.com/SallyIsADog/status/1224140658748862465)

> [](https://twitter.com/damenezi/status/1224156085495435264)


> [](https://twitter.com/%5Fruthiiie%5F/status/1224142266136170496)

Representatives for Shakira did not respond to TIME’s request for comment about the maneuver, but on Tuesday the Halftime Show headliner retweeted a story from [_Billboard Latin_ ](https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/8549981/super-bowl-2020-halftime-show-shakira-tongue-zagrouta?utm%5Fsource=twitter&utm%5Fmedium=social)that explained Zaghrouta, a celebratory gesture with Middle Eastern roots.

> [](https://twitter.com/billboardlatin/status/1224724350902919168)


Her tweet followed users endeavoring to put the [vocal move](https://www.fastcompany.com/90458982/shakiras-super-bowl-halftime-performance-sparks-memes-and-a-much-needed-history-lesson) into context.

> [](https://twitter.com/khalid%5Faun/status/1224147155671306241)

> [](https://twitter.com/dinicocacola/status/1224148945133240320)

> [](https://twitter.com/ea%5Fencinales/status/1224154301519532032)


> [](https://twitter.com/faraharidi19/status/1224157715590795265)

Habib Malik, an associate professor of history at Lebanese American University, told TIME that it’s a very positive signal.

“It is the traditional Lebanese village form of public acclaim and hailing of the bride by those among her close family and friends, usually all women. It happens at many Christian village weddings in Lebanon,” Malik wrote to TIME in an email. The proper transliteration from Arabic to English is zalghouta, Malik adds. It’s considered “a positive gesture of warmth and approval by a bride’s immediate friends and family.”

While there was no wedding ceremony portion of the halftime show, it certainly was a special occasion.


And of course, Shakira’s playful “wink” at the camera also led people to invoke [Spongebob memes](https://time.com/5647509/best-spongebob-memes/).

> [](https://twitter.com/S%5FS%5FR%5F717/status/1224157278405844997)

> [](https://twitter.com/kelley%5Fgodwin/status/1224142589802229760)

> [](https://twitter.com/%5F%5FFloww/status/1224140354938687489)


> [](https://twitter.com/ave%5Fcoop/status/1224139808995512321)

> [](https://twitter.com/LYSSin%5Fup/status/1224141862342184960)

Her performance featured songs like “She Wolf” and “Hips Don’t Lie” and Jennifer Lopez did “Waiting for Tonight” and “Get Right.”

Anyone who spends Monday making memes with this clip owes a lot of their Twitter game to the “Waka Waka” artist herself.


It certainly got tongues wagging the whole week. Even _SNL_ worked in a reference to the Shakira tongue move with the New Hampshire Democratic Debate cold open sketch with Rachel Dratch as Amy Klobuchar.

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