Shakira

📷 Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 — Junta de Andalucía — 2023

1977 — ?

Espagne, Colombie

Performing ArtsMusic20th CenturyLate 20th and early 21st century, an era of cultural globalization and the rise of digital media

Shakira is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and actress born in 1977 in Barranquilla. A global icon of Latin pop, she blends Arabic, rock, and Afro-Caribbean influences. She was the first Latin American artist to surpass one billion views on YouTube.

Famous Quotes

« Hips don't lie. »

« I wanted to be a singer since I was four years old. »

Key Facts

Born on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, to a Lebanese father and a Colombian mother
Signed her first record deal at age 13 with Sony Music Colombia (1991)
International breakthrough with the album 'Laundry Service' (2001), which sold over 13 million copies
Founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation in 1997 to support education for underprivileged children in Colombia
First Latin artist to reach number one on the US charts with 'Whenever, Wherever' (2001)

Works & Achievements

Pies Descalzos (1995)

Shakira's third album and her first major commercial success in Latin America, selling over 5 million copies. It marked the emergence of her artistic identity, blending rock with Latin sounds.

¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998)

A critically acclaimed album that established Shakira as a socially conscious songwriter. It explores political and social themes tied to Colombia in the 1990s.

Laundry Service (2001)

Her first entirely English-language album, selling over 13 million copies. It marked Shakira's breakthrough into the global market and features the hit 'Whenever, Wherever'.

Oral Fixation Vol. 2 (2006)

Contains 'Hips Don't Lie', one of the best-selling songs in music history, symbolizing the fusion of global pop and Afro-Caribbean sounds.

Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) (2010)

The official anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, it was YouTube's most-watched video in history for several years, accumulating over 3 billion views.

Pies Descalzos Foundation (1997)

A humanitarian organization founded by Shakira that funded the construction of several schools in Colombia, giving thousands of underprivileged children access to education.

Bzrp Music Sessions Vol. 53 (2023)

A collaboration with Argentine DJ Bizarrap that reached number one in over 30 countries within 24 hours, setting a historic streaming record for a Spanish-language song.

Anecdotes

Shakira began composing songs at age 8, following the death of her half-brother in a motorcycle accident. Music became her way of coping with grief and expressing her deepest emotions.

Her name Shakira comes from the Arabic شاكرة (shākira), meaning 'the grateful one'. Her father is of Lebanese descent, which explains the strong Middle Eastern influences in her music and dance.

At an audition for a record label at age 13, a producer dismissed her by saying she 'sounded like a mooing cow'. Despite this humiliating rejection, she persisted and signed her first contract at 13 with Sony Colombia.

Shakira was the first artist to simultaneously have two songs in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 in both Spanish and English, with 'Hips Don't Lie' in 2006. The track stayed at number 1 in more than 55 countries.

Primary Sources

Shakira Interview in Rolling Stone (2001)

I started writing songs when I was eight years old. It was after my half-brother died. Music was my salvation, my way of dealing with pain.

Shakira's Speech to the United Nations Commission on Education (2010)

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. I believe every child deserves the chance to learn, to grow, and to dream.

Shakira's Statement at the Launch of the Pies Descalzos Foundation (1997)

When I was 18 I decided to create this foundation because I had seen poverty up close in Colombia and knew I had to do something concrete to change that reality.

Shakira Interview in El País (2005)

I am Colombian, I am Latin American, I have Arab roots and that is reflected in my music. I never wanted to choose between my identities — I carry them all with me.

Key Places

Barranquilla, Colombia

Shakira's hometown, a multicultural Caribbean port where African, European, and Arab influences coexist. This cultural diversity has deeply shaped her musical universe.

Bogotá, Colombia

The Colombian capital where Shakira signed her first record deal and recorded her early albums. The city remains the nerve center of the Latin American music scene.

Miami, United States

A major hub for international Latin pop, Miami is the city where Shakira built her English-language and international career, with recording studios and her production company.

Barcelona, Spain

Shakira lived in Barcelona from 2011 to 2022 with her two sons, recording several albums there. The city shaped her European roots and boosted her global media presence.

Johannesburg, South Africa

The venue of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where Shakira performed 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)', which became one of the most-listened-to sports anthems in history.