biography of shakira wikipedia

Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira is a hugely popular Colombian pop singer who is known for the hits "Whenever, Wherever" and "Hips Don't Lie."

Who Is Shakira?

Shakira is a hugely successfully Colombian pop singer and dancer and has won multiple Grammy, Latin Grammy and American Music Awards. Known for hits like "Whenever, Wherever" and "Hips Don't Lie," Shakira is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time, with estimates of more than 70 million albums sold worldwide. Additionally, she has served as a judge on the popular singing-competition show The Voice .

Early Life and Career

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia. With a Lebanese father and Colombian mother, Shakira honors both her Latino and Arabic heritage in her music. She wrote her first song at the age of 8 and signed her first record deal at 13.

Breakthrough: 'Pies Descalzos'

After her first two albums flopped, Shakira took the reins of her third album, becoming involved in every aspect of its production. Released in 1996, Pies Descalzos , meaning "bare feet," sold more than 3 million copies. The album featured her trademark sound, a blend of Latin, rock and Arabic musical styles. Her follow-up record, Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (1998), which translates as "Where are the thieves?", reached the top of Billboard's Latin charts. Not long after, Shakira won her first Grammy Award (best Latin pop album) for Shakira: MTV Unplugged (2000).

With the success of her albums, Shakira became a music superstar in the Spanish-language markets, known for her strong vocals and incredible hip-shaking belly dance moves.

International Stardom: 'Laundry Service'

While hugely popular throughout much of the rest of the world, Shakira had not yet achieved a major record on the U.S. pop charts. In an attempt to increase her American fan base, in 1997, at the age of 20, the singer moved with her family to Miami, Florida, and taught herself to write songs in English. There, she enlisted Emilio Estefan, of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine fame, to act as her manager and producer.

In 2001, Shakira released her first English-language album, Laundry Service , which quickly brought her the success in the United States she had been waiting for. The album reached No. 3 on the charts, selling more than 200,000 copies in its first week of release. Laundry Service 's big hits included "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes."

'Oral Fixation'

Shakira returned to the Top 10 of the albums chart twice in 2005. She released the Spanish-language Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 in June of that year, followed by the English-language Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 in November. Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 garnered Shakira her second Grammy, this time for best Latin rock/alternative album, while the English album produced the monster hit "Hips Don't Lie."

Touring extensively, Shakira went on to release two concert albums: 2007's Live and 2008's Oral Fixation Tour . In July 2009, she put out a new single, "She Wolf," from her studio album of the same name. The album hit No. 15 on the Billboard charts in 2009, and went platinum in 2010. Around the same time, her hit "Waka Waka" from 2010's Sale el Sol became the theme song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Shortly thereafter, the now-global superstar headed on tour to promote her album. By January 2016, the video for "Waka Waka" had been viewed more than a billion times.

By 2012, Shakira's U.S. album sales had reached nearly 10 million and her worldwide album sales had reached more than 70 million, making her the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time, and the second most successful female Latin singer after Gloria Estefan.

'The Voice'

Shakira quickly became popular with TV audiences. Although both she and Usher left The Voice after the season to make room for the return of Aguilera and Green, the season 4 newcomers were back again as coaches for season 6.

More Music: 'Shakira' to 'El Dorado'

In March 2014, Shakira released a self-titled studio album, which included a track with her Voice co-star Shelton. That same year, she took her signature grooves to the global stage again when she closed out the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Meanwhile, the Latin superstar continued working on her music. In October 2016, she dropped a new single, "Chantaje," from her upcoming album, El Dorado . Upon its May 2017 release, El Dorado revealed a tracklist comprised almost entirely of songs sung in Spanish. True to form, the album went multi-platinum for the Latin singer, who announced plans for a tour in June.

Unfortunately, the tour didn't go as planned. Shortly before her scheduled November 8 performance in Cologne, Germany, Shakira canceled the concert because of strained vocal cords. Although she was hopeful of recovering in time for a November 10 show in Paris, she apologetically canceled that one and subsequent dates as well.

In late December, Shakira announced that she was recovering and making preparations to continue her tour. Following another Grammy win, for Best Latin Pop Album, her El Dorado World Tour resumed in June 2018, though another snafu occurred when fans noticed that a necklace being sold on the performer's website bore a resemblance to a Nazi symbol. The tour promoter accepted responsibility for the design and apologized for the "inadvertent similarity."

Super Bowl Halftime Show With J.Lo

In September 2019, it was announced that Shakira would be joining forces with Jennifer Lopez for the Super Bowl 2020 halftime show in Miami, Florida. "I feel incredibly honored and humbled to be, in a way, next to J.Lo, representing the Latino community that is such an important force in the United States," Shakira said.

Taking the stage first for the performance, Shakira showcased her hip-shaking moves while speeding through a medley of her hits, finding the time to squeeze in a few guitar licks, handle the drums and send social media users into a tizzy with her tongue-wagging ululation.

Personal Life

Outside of her busy career, Shakira created the Pies Descalzos Foundation to help children in her native Colombia receive a quality education. She is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and was honored by the United Nations' International Labor Organization for her philanthrophic efforts in 2010.

Shakira is in a relationship with Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué. The couple welcomed their first child together on January 22, 2013. They named their son Milan, which means "dear, loving and gracious" in Slavic; "eager and laborious" in Ancient Roman; and "unification" in Sanskrit, according to a statement on Shakira's website . In August 2014, the couple announced she was pregnant again. Their second son, Sasha, was born on January 29, 2015.

Shakira previously dated Antonio de la Rua, son of former Argentine President Fernando de la Rua. In April 2013, de la Rua made headlines when he sued the Latin songstress for $250 million, charging that he had helped create some of his ex's hit songs as well as the "Shakira brand."

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Shakira
• Birth date: February 2, 1977
• Birth City: Barranquilla
• Birth Country: Colombia
• Best Known For: Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira is a hugely popular Colombian pop singer who is known for the hits "Whenever, Wherever" and "Hips Don't Lie."
• Astrological Sign: Aquarius
• Nationalities
• Cultural Associations
• Arabic/Middle Eastern

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us !

• Sometimes I look at my reflection and I see garbage and I guess I was worried about the size of my breasts for a long time but now I think I have finally reached an age where I have accepted myself for who I am.
• The pop life is boring when you have nothing to say.
• Of course I am trying to make my accent not bother anybody but I am not going to drive myself crazy trying to pretend I am American girl when I am from Colombia.
• I want one day to be able to love with the same intensity parents love their children. Is that possible?
• I admire people who, for the love of art, is able to take their clothes off in front of a camera, but I'm not capable. I'm too cowardly for that.
• The leaders are lacking love, and love is lacking leaders.
• Fame isolates people from reality. That happens to many artists, and I don't want it to happen to me.
• My brain, I believe, is the most beautiful part of my body.
• The worst mistake of a woman is to go in the kitchen, because then she never gets out of there.
• Writing songs has a therapeutic effect, and it either kills off love or wins the heart of the lover.

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• Born February 2 , 1977 · Barranquilla, Colombia
• Birth name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
• Height 5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
• Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia to Nidia del Carmen Mebarak (née Ripoll Torrado) & William Alberto Mebarak Chadid. She is of Lebanese, Spanish & Italian descent. Shakira began her musical career at the age of 12 and quickly captured fans around the world. She won the 2001 Best Latin pop Grammy for her MTV Unplugged album. - IMDb Mini Biography By: [email protected]
• Children Milan Piqué Sasha Piqué
• Parents William Mebarak Chadid Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado
• Relatives Tonino Mebarak (Sibling) Patricia Mebarak (Sibling) Ana Mebarak (Sibling) Valerie Domínguez (Cousin) Adriana Tarud Durán (Cousin)
• Performs barefoot in most of her concerts
• Belly dancing
• Sexy dance moves
• Frequently wears tight clothes.
• Blonde dyed hair
• Fluent in English and Portuguese, in addition to her native Spanish. She also speaks some Italian and French. Portuguese was the first language she learned after Spanish.
• Her Lebanese grandmother taught her the art of Arabian belly dancing so she can stay true to her Middle Eastern roots.
• Shakira means grateful in Arabic.
• Has perfect pitch: the ability to recognize any note upon hearing it or sing any note without prior to hearing it.
• Is a huge fan of Bollywood movies and music from India. She got in touch with Farah Khan , the most famous choreographer in India, and asked her if she could choreograph a dance for her performance at the 2006 MTV Video Awards. That night, Shakira's performance was the most memorable one as she sang and danced to "Hips Don't Lie" in traditional Indian clothing.
• The worst mistake of a woman is to go to the kitchen, because then she never gets out of there.
• I admire a person who, for the love of art, is able to take off their clothes in front of a camera. But I'm not capable, I'm too cowardly for that.
• It's not easy to work with me, I recognize that. It's not easy if those people aren't perfectionistic as as I am.
• The worst frustration for a singer is choosing a career in making music and then not being able to make music because you're always giving interviews.
• My brain, I believe, is the most beautiful part of my body.

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Some lesser known facts about shakira.

• Shakira can speak several languages. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese.
• Shakira loves dogs and has three named  Coquito, Chan, and Gordita.
• In 2002, Wherever, Whenever  became the best-selling song. Also, her single  Hips Don’t Lie  is considered to be the best-selling song of this century.
• Shakira has had the honor of singing the  2010 FIFA World Cup  official song  “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”.  The music video crossed over a billion views on YouTube and still is one of the most viewed videos.
• She has won two Grammys, 26 Latin-American Grammy Awards, five MTV Music Awards and has had a Golden Globe nomination too.
• Shakira also has Star  on the  Hollywood Walk of Fame. 
• The first person to reach 100 million followers on Facebook was none other than Shakira.
• She was only four when she wrote her first poem.
• She wanted a typewriter for Christmas as she always watched her father writing stories on one. She got one when she was seven and has been writing poetry since then.
• She wrote the song “Dark Glasses” because her father always wore a pair of dark glasses hiding the grieving since her brother died in an accident when he was riding his motorcycle.
• She was inspired to be a performer when her father took her to a restaurant where a dancer was doing Belly-Dance to an Arabic drum beat.
• She was let off the school choir at the age of two because she had too strong of a vibrato. She used to perform Belly-Dance on a new number every Friday in School.
• Shakira shares her birthday with her partner Gerard Pique.
• Shakira was known as the “The Belly Dancing Girl” in her school, where she discovered her passion for performing live.
• Shakira found some recognition in her hometown by the time she was 13 when she used to be often invited to perform at different places. This is when  Monica Ariza noticed her and talked to Sony Executives to crack her a deal.
• Sony Columbia signed her after watching her perform three songs.
• Sony gave her only $100,000 to record her album  Pies Descalzos  because they thought that it would not sell more than 100,000 copies. It sold itself well and sold 5 million copies.
• She is already immortalized by having a five-meter statue built in her home city Columbia’s Caribbean Coast.
• Hips Don’t Lie  was the number one single in 55 countries. It was also the maximum played song on the radio totaling 9637 in a week.
• She was listed by Forbes  the highest-earning female artist of 2008.
• Shakira runs  Pies Descalzos Foundation  for helping poor children all around Columbia. Thanks to her father who used to take her to a park where orphans lived, to make her grateful for her life. Since then, she dreamed to help those kids after getting famous. She was also awarded Humanitarian Award in 2003 for the same cause.
• Her Fiance Antonio De La Rúa was the son of the president of Argentina at the time.
• Her IQ is 140.
• Her grandmother was the one who taught her Belly Dancing.
• She loves Bollywood and its music.
• She has been awarded and honored with a medal International Labor Organization.
• Steven Spielberg wanted to cast Shakira before Catherine Zeta-Jones in the movie  The Mask of Zorro. She turned it down because she wasn’t confident enough with her English.

References/Sources: [ + ]

• 1970s births
• Wizards of Waverly Place
• Singer-songwriters
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Kickin' It
• Marvel Comics
• Voice actresses
• Captain America
• Marvel Cinematic Universe
• Disney Channel Actors and Actresses
• Choreographers
• Performance models
• International voice actors
• Hispanic and Latino people
• View history

Shakira was born in Barranquilla, Colombia where she spent most of her childhood. During the 1990s, she grew into prominence on the Latin music scene with songs, like " ¿Dónde Estás Corazón? ", " Un Poco de Amor ", and "Antología". She eventually crossed over into mainstream U.S. Pop music and continued her success with a number of hits singles including " Whenever, Wherever ", " La Tortura ", " Hips Don't Lie ", " Beautiful Liar ", " Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) ", " Loca ", " Can't Remember to Forget You ", " Chantaje ", " Te Felicito ", " Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 ", and " TQG ".

She has also branched out into other ventures in the entertainment industry, such as acting the telenovela El oasis and mentoring singers on NBC 's The Voice .

• 4 External links

Gallery [ ]

• But in Zootopia+ , Shakira doesn't reprise her role in the Latin Spanish dub, instead being replaced by Annie Rojas.
• Her song " La Tortura " was used in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode " Face My Enemy ".
• In the Latin Spanish dub of  Captain America: The Winter Soldier , Shakira is on Captain America 's list of things to which he wants to catch up.

External links [ ]

• 1 Lyn Rakish
• 2 Johnny Worthington III
• 3 Randall Boggs

Shakira (Q34424)

• Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
• Shakira Mebarak

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