Most of Shakira’s new tracks deal with romantic ups and (mostly) downs. A J Mast for The New York Times

Shakira’s breakup album

Shakira has had a rough couple of years.

After decades of hit singles and groundbreaking Latin-pop crossovers, she broke up with her partner of 11 years, the father of her two sons. She helped her father through hospitalizations and brain surgery and settled a Spanish tax evasion case, paying a fine of about $8.2 million.

The breakup and the dissolution of her family form the backbone of her first album in seven years, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” which translates to “Women No Longer Cry.” Our critic spoke with Shakira about her new album, which comes out on Friday.

“If life gives you lemons, you make lemonade,” she said. “That’s what I did with this album — use my own creativity to process my frustration and my anger and my sadness. I transmuted or transformed pain into productivity.”