"Empire" is a song recorded by Colombian singer and songwriter Shakira for her self-titled tenth studio album, Shakira (2014). It was written by Steve Mac and Ina Wroldsen, while production was handled by Mac and Shakira. The song was released as the second single from the album on 22 February 2014. "Empire" is a downtempo rock ballad about finding a love so powerful their empire could make "the world unite." Her vocals on the track was compared to those of Tori Amos, Jewel, Joni Mitchell and Alanis Morissette.

Upon its release, "Empire" was acclaimed by music critics, who commended the singer for getting back to her rock roots. Some even called it a gorgeous ballad and praised her vocals. The song charted moderately in countries like France, South Korea and Spain. In the United States, it peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song's accompanying video was released on 25 March 2014 and portrays Shakira playing a runaway bride unharmed by fire and on the side of the Montserrat mountain, near Barcelona. Shakira performed the song in a number of places, including The Voice (both U.S. and UK), Billboard Music Awards, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, iHeartRadio Music Awards and others.

After the success of her ninth studio album, Sale el Sol, in 2010, Shakira revealed in November 2011, "I've begun to explore in the recording studio whenever I have time in Barcelona and here in Miami. I'm working with different producers and DJs, and I try to feed off from that and find new sources of inspiration and new musical motivation. I'm anxious to return to the studio. My body is asking for it." In 2012, it was reported that Shakira was shooting the video for the tentative-first single "Truth or Dare" in Lisbon, Portugal. However, due to Shakira's pregnancy, the song was not released. Later, in March 2014, Shakira explained to Billboard that, "It's been two-and-a-half years of making songs, trashing them, doing them again, doing eight versions of each song, having a baby, doing The Voice, coming back to the studio, reconnecting with my songs".

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