Shakira fuels romance rumors with Lincoln Lawyer actor Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as pair are spotted leaving hotel

Shakira has sent the rumor mill into overdrive after she was spotted enjoying what appeared to be a cozy outing with Lincoln Lawyer star Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.

The global superstar, 48, sparked fresh romance speculation when she was seen leaving the famed Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood alongside the Mexican actor, 44, on Tuesday evening.

And it wasn't just a case of two stars exiting the same hotspot at the same time. The pair were photographed climbing into the same vehicle, with Garcia-Rulfo taking the wheel while Shakira settled into the passenger seat, as seen here. 

Before making their getaway, the duo looked completely at ease in each other's company, sharing laughs and flashing wide smiles as they waited for their car at the valet stand.

Garcia-Rulfo appeared every inch the gentleman, holding the hotel door open for the singer, who turned heads in a fitted black tank top, jeans and towering heeled boots.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Shakira and Garcia-Rulfo's representatives for comment. 

The sighting comes as Shakira continues to move forward following her highly publicized split from former soccer star Gerard Piqué, while Garcia-Rulfo is also newly single after quietly parting ways with his famous actress ex. 

He was most recently linked to Audrey McGraw, 24, the daughter of country music power couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. 

The pair were first spotted packing on the PDA in 2024 but largely kept their romance out of the spotlight. 

However, speculation that their relationship had fizzled began swirling earlier this year when eagle-eyed fans noticed the two had quietly unfollowed each other on Instagram, with reports of a split soon following.

The outing also comes just days after Shakira made rare and candid comments about her explosive split from Pique, and admitted that she is not currently seeing anyone.

The exes, who share sons Sasha, 11, and Milan, 13, confirmed their separation in June 2022 after she discovered he had allegedly been unfaithful. 

While Piqué swiftly went on to date Clara Chia, 27, for three years, Shakira has remained single and said she is enjoying time with her kids and focusing on her career.

She told The Times: 'No romance for me for now. There's no space or time in my life for that. My plate is quite full. 

'My kids are my priority. And my career. Strangely enough, I'm in love with my career like I've never been in my life. I'm enjoying my time alone as well'.

In her rare comment about her split she reflected on going through the 'darkest moment' which happened the same time as her father William was hospitalized following a severe fall, but she ultimately feels stronger for her experiences.

She said: '[I was living through] the darkest moment - when I saw the dissolution of my family. The family that I had dreamt to keep forever. I've been through so much pain, but it has made me perhaps in an unforeseen way a wiser person - or stronger, at least.

'They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and it is true. It's amazing to learn that humans have a resilience that we can resort to at any moment in our lives.

'Sometimes through hardships and through pain is how we discover how strong we can be. Suffering sometimes makes you a better person, makes you value friends and support.'

Shakira went on to say that she believed there are always lessons to learn from hardship: 'Life sometimes can be a b****, but it's also beautiful and made of light and shadows.

The Grammy winner is also gearing up for another major appearance, as she is set to perform at the World Cup halftime show on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

She will take the stage alongside fellow music heavyweights Madonna and BTS during the highly anticipated event.

'Every World Cup is really magical, and I think this one is going to be all about bringing people together in this very sensitive moment in time, socially and politically,' Shakira told People.

The tournament holds special significance for the Colombian superstar, who first met her former partner Piqué during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where she performed the tournament's official anthem, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), at the closing ceremony.

Reflecting on her long-standing ties to the sport, she added: 'I have this connection with [soccer] that seems unbreakable.' 

In May Shakira was cleared of tax fraud in Spain after a legal battle lasting almost five years.

She will now be awarded a $64million refund and celebrated the victory by sharing one of Rihanna's best known lyrics alongside a series of new photos on social media. 

Taking to Instagram, Shakira accompanied her latest posts with a snippet from the Bajan singer's 2015 single, B***h Better Have My Money - a less than subtle reference to her incoming refund - while modelling a distinctive multi-print co-ord. 

Shakira had previously confessed to six tax fraud crimes at a Barcelona courthouse in 2023, accepting a suspended three-year prison sentence and a $8.5million fine. 

She admitted to wrongdoing for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 on the first day of a scheduled trial as part of a plea bargain deal, despite accusing the Spanish Treasury of 'publicly burning her at the stake' like a witch during the Inquisition in a subsequent no-holds-barred attack from her new home in Miami.