When Michael Mejía’s dance video earned him Shakira’s custom purple Lamborghini Urus last December, it seemed like the ultimate prize. The Colombian-American artist beat thousands of contestants in a promotion for the pop star’s hit song “Soltera” (Spanish for “single woman”), which Shakira wrote following her split from soccer star Gerard Piqué.
However, just a week after receiving the keys to the $280,000 exotic SUV, Mejía made a surprising announcement: he was selling it. “Not only did she gift me a car, but she also gave me money to maintain it, $90,000!” Mejía explained during a recent appearance on the Spanish-language program El Gordo y La Flaca. “However, that $90,000 was only enough to cover very little.”
The reality of owning such a high-end vehicle quickly set in. Insurance costs more than $2,000 monthly, and the fuel-hungry Urus demands approximately $70 fill-ups every two days. Furthermore, looming federal taxes could reach $95,000 by year’s end. “So, with the money she gave me, the car is maintainable for a while, but it’s always quite expensive to keep it,” Mejía admitted.
The eye-catching SUV, wrapped in purple with a distinctive white and neon-green interior, has attracted significant attention. Potential buyers have appeared with offers between $700,000 and $800,000, almost triple the market value of a new Urus.
Some have even suggested Mejía could make more by selling the celebrity vehicle piece by piece, auctioning everything from the tires to the steering wheel. He is also considering separate auction plans for a jacket allegedly belonging to Shakira which he found inside the car.
For Shakira, the giveaway served a greater purpose than mere publicity. “This car was a gift to myself as I began my single life, but I realized that what truly matters is human connection,” she stated when announcing the contest. “The material things — they don’t transform us.”
Ironically, the material gift may indeed transform Mejía’s life, just not in the way either originally imagined. With a reported offer approaching a million dollars, his windfall could exceed anything Shakira planned when selecting a contest winner.
“I think it’s anyone’s dream to have their million,” Mejía said with a smile. “One million and one dollar; I’ll be happy.”
While the Lamborghini’s days in Mejía’s garage appear numbered, he won’t be leaving empty-handed. The artist is reportedly writing a book about his journey from contest winner to reluctant supercar owner, proving that sometimes, the most valuable prize isn’t the one with the highest sticker price.
