Shakira

Who Is Shakira?

Shakira is an internationally renowned Colombian pop singer and dancer, celebrated for her significant contributions to the music industry. With a career marked by numerous accolades, she has earned multiple Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy Awards, and American Music Awards. Shakira’s global impact is underscored by her record-breaking sales, making her the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time, with estimates exceeding 70 million albums sold worldwide. Her impressive discography includes iconic hits such as “Whenever, Wherever” and “Hips Don’t Lie.” In addition to her musical achievements, Shakira has also gained recognition as a judge on the acclaimed singing competition show The Voice.

Early Life and Career

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the daughter of a Lebanese father and a Colombian mother, reflecting a rich blend of Latino and Arabic influences in her music. Demonstrating prodigious talent from a young age, Shakira penned her first song at the age of eight and secured her initial record deal at thirteen.

Breakthrough: Pies Descalzos

After the underwhelming performance of her initial two albums, Shakira took full creative control over her third album, becoming deeply involved in every facet of its production. Released in 1996, Pies Descalzos—translated as “Bare Feet”—marked a significant turning point in her career, selling over 3 million copies. The album showcased Shakira’s distinctive style, characterized by a fusion of Latin, rock, and Arabic musical influences.

The success of Pies Descalzos was followed by the release of Dónde Están Los Ladrones? in 1998, which topped Billboard’s Latin charts. Shakira’s rising prominence was further solidified when she received her first Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for Shakira: MTV Unplugged in 2000.

With these achievements, Shakira emerged as a prominent figure in the Spanish-language music market, celebrated for her powerful vocals and mesmerizing belly dance performances.

International Stardom: ‘Laundry Service’

Although Shakira enjoyed widespread popularity in many parts of the world, she had not yet secured a major presence on the U.S. pop charts. Determined to expand her American fan base, Shakira relocated with her family to Miami, Florida, in 1997 at the age of 20. During this period, she undertook the challenge of learning to write songs in English. In Miami, she collaborated with Emilio Estefan, renowned for his work with Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, who agreed to serve as her manager and producer.

In 2001, Shakira released her first English-language album, Laundry Service. This album marked a pivotal moment in her career, achieving the American success she had long sought. Laundry Service debuted at No. 3 on the U.S. charts and sold over 200,000 copies in its first week. The album featured prominent hits such as “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes,” which contributed to its widespread acclaim and commercial success.

Oral Fixation

In 2005, Shakira made a remarkable return to the Top 10 albums chart with two distinct releases. Her Spanish-language album Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 was launched in June, followed by the English-language Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 in November. Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 earned Shakira her second Grammy Award, this time for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Meanwhile, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 produced the chart-topping hit “Hips Don’t Lie.”

Following an extensive tour, Shakira released two concert albums: Live in 2007 and Oral Fixation Tour in 2008. In July 2009, she introduced the single “She Wolf” from her studio album of the same name. The album reached No. 15 on the Billboard charts in 2009 and was certified platinum in 2010. Around the same period, her song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” from the 2010 album Sale el Sol became the official anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The music video for “Waka Waka” surpassed one billion views by January 2016.

By 2012, Shakira had achieved nearly 10 million album sales in the U.S. and over 70 million worldwide, making her the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time and the second most successful female Latin artist after Gloria Estefan.

The Voice

In late 2012, Shakira was announced as a judge and coach on NBC’s acclaimed singing competition show, The Voice. She made her debut alongside R&B singer-songwriter Usher in the fourth season premiere, which aired on March 25, 2013. Shakira and Usher took over the roles previously held by Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green, joining the returning coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. As Levine noted to The Huffington Post in late 2012, “Usher and Shakira are coming into it as a big frickin’ institution. So it’s different, but it still feels good, because they’re legitimate artists.”

Shakira quickly won the admiration of TV audiences. Although both Shakira and Usher departed from The Voice after the fourth season to make way for the return of Aguilera and Green, they returned as coaches for the sixth season.

More Music: From ‘Shakira’ to ‘El Dorado’

In March 2014, Shakira released a self-titled studio album featuring a collaboration with her “The Voice” co-star Blake Shelton. That same year, she captivated a global audience by performing at the closing ceremony of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Shakira continued to focus on her music, and in October 2016, she released the single “Chantaje” in anticipation of her forthcoming album, El Dorado. When El Dorado was officially released in May 2017, it showcased a tracklist predominantly in Spanish and achieved multi-platinum status.

Shakira planned a tour to promote the album, but unfortunately, it encountered challenges. Just before her scheduled performance on November 8, 2017, in Cologne, Germany, Shakira had to cancel the concert due to strained vocal cords. Although she hoped to recover in time for her November 10 show in Paris, she was compelled to cancel this performance as well as additional dates.

By late December, Shakira announced that she was recovering and preparing to resume her tour. The El Dorado World Tour restarted in June 2018 after Shakira won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. However, the tour faced another issue when a necklace sold on her website was criticized for bearing a resemblance to a Nazi symbol. The tour promoter acknowledged the mistake and issued an apology for the unintended resemblance.

Music Evolution: From Shakira to El Dorado

In March 2014, Shakira released her self-titled studio album, which featured a notable collaboration with Blake Shelton, a fellow coach on The Voice. That same year, Shakira captivated a global audience by performing at the closing ceremony of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Continuing her musical journey, Shakira unveiled the single “Chantaje” in October 2016, heralding the release of her upcoming album, El Dorado. Officially released in May 2017, El Dorado featured a predominantly Spanish-language tracklist and achieved multi-platinum status.

Shakira had planned a tour to promote El Dorado, but it encountered unforeseen difficulties. Just before her scheduled performance on November 8, 2017, in Cologne, Germany, Shakira was forced to cancel the concert due to strained vocal cords. Despite her hopes to recover in time for the November 10 show in Paris, she was compelled to cancel this performance and additional tour dates.

By late December, Shakira announced that she was on the mend and preparing to resume her tour. The El Dorado World Tour recommenced in June 2018, following Shakira’s win of the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. However, the tour faced another challenge when a necklace sold on her website drew criticism for resembling a Nazi symbol. The tour promoter acknowledged the oversight and issued an apology for the unintended resemblance.

Personal Life

Beyond her flourishing career, Shakira has dedicated significant efforts to philanthropic endeavors. She founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, aimed at providing quality education to children in her native Colombia. Additionally, she serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and was recognized by the United Nations’ International Labor Organization in 2010 for her substantial contributions to humanitarian causes.

In her personal life, Shakira is partnered with Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Milan, on January 22, 2013. The name Milan, as explained on Shakira’s official website, signifies “dear, loving, and gracious” in Slavic, “eager and laborious” in Ancient Roman, and “unification” in Sanskrit. Their second child, another son named Sasha, was born on January 29, 2015, following the couple’s announcement of her pregnancy in August 2014.

Shakira previously had a relationship with Antonio de la Rua, the son of former Argentine President Fernando de la Rua. In April 2013, de la Rua made headlines by filing a lawsuit against Shakira for $250 million, claiming his involvement in the creation of some of her hit songs and the development of the “Shakira brand.”