Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, known simply as Shakira, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, businesswoman, and philanthropist who has become one of the most successful Latin American artists of all time.
Born on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira began her music career at a young age, and has since become known for her unique blend of Latin, rock, and pop music. In this article, we will explore Shakira’s upbringing and her musical trajectory, which has made her one of the most iconic and influential artists the world over.
Shakira was born into a working-class family in Barranquilla, a port city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Her father, William Mebarak Chadid, is of Lebanese descent, and her mother, Nidia Ripoll Torrado, is of Spanish and Italian descent.
From a young age, Shakira showed a passion for music and began singing and writing songs at the age of eight. She also took belly dancing lessons, which would later become a signature part of her stage performances.
Shakira began her music career at the age of 13, when she formed a band with her friends called “The Runaways.” The band performed at local events and competitions, and Shakira began to gain recognition as a talented young artist.
In 1991, at the age of 14, Shakira won a local talent competition, which earned her the opportunity to record her first album, “Magia,” and it was released in 1991. The album was not a commercial success, but it marked the beginning of Shakira’s career as a professional artist.
In 1996, Shakira released her second album, “Pies Descalzos,” which brought her international recognition and established her as a rising star in the Latin music scene. The album featured hit songs such as “Estoy Aqui” and “Donde Estas Corazon,” which helped Shakira to gain a large fanbase in Latin America, The Untited States and Spain.
The album sold more than six million copies worldwide and earned Shakira her first Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Performance.
Her albums have sold over 140 million copies worldwide, and she has earned numerous awards and accolades, including 3 Grammy Awards and 12 Latin Grammy Awards, making her one of the most awarded Latin artist of all time.
In addition to her successful music career, Shakira has also been involved in various charitable and humanitarian efforts. In 2002, she founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, which provides education and assistance to underprivileged children in her native Colombia.
She has also been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2003 and has been actively working to promote education and child development in Latin America and around the world.
Shakira’s upbringing and her musical trajectory have made her one of the most iconic and influential artists of her generation. From her humble beginnings in Barranquilla, Colombia, to her rise as a global superstar, Shakira has shown a dedication to her craft and a commitment to using her fame and success to make a positive impact on the world.
Her unique blend of Latin, rock, and pop music, combined with her powerful voice, charisma and contagious dance moves, has helped her win the affection and following of millions of people throughout the world.
Relationships:
Shakira began a relationship with Argentine lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 2000. In a 2009 interview, Shakira stated their relationship already worked as a married couple, and that “they don’t need papers for that”.
After 10 years together, Shakira and de la Rúa separated in what she described as “a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship”. She wrote that the couple “view this period of separation as temporary”, with de la Rúa overseeing Shakira’s “business and career interests as he has always done”.
As first reported in September 2012, de la Rúa sued Shakira in April 2013, asking for $100 million he believed he was owed after Shakira suddenly terminated her business partnership with him in 2011. Shakira won the court battle as it was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in 2014.
Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué in 2011. Piqué and Shakira met in 2010 after he appeared in the music video for Shakira’s song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”, the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Shakira gave birth to the couple’s first son, Milan, in 2013 in Barcelona, where the family lived at the time. In 2015, Shakira gave birth to their second son, Sasha. In June 2022, the couple confirmed in a joint statement that they were separating after being together for 11 years.
Business and creative Ventures:
Shakira has also shown an entrepreneurial flair, she has ventured into various other businesses from different industries.
She acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
Shakira started her own beauty line, “S by Shakira”, with an established company in the space in 2010. Among the first perfumes it released included “S by Shakira” and “S by Shakira Eau Florale”, along with lotions and body sprays. As of 2019, she has released over 30 fragrances.
In 2015, she was featured as a playable bird in the game Angry Birds POP! for a limited time, and also in a special tournament in the game Angry Birds Friends, later on in the year Love Rocks starring Shakira was the first video game that featured the pop star.
In 2016, at Disney’s D23 Expo, it was announced that Shakira would play a character in the Disney animated movie Zootopia; in it, she would give voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in Zootopia.
Shakira also contributed an original song to the film, titled “Try Everything”. It opened to a record-breaking box office success in several countries and earned a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 43rd highest-grossing film of all time.
In December 2022, it was announced that Shakira would be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series, in which she was also a judge.
Musical Trajectory:
In 2002, Shakira released her first live album “MTV Unplugged” which featured a mix of live performances of her hit songs and new songs as well. The album was well received by critics and was certified double platinum in the United States and Latin America.
2003, Shakira released her sixth studio album “Fijacion Oral, Vol. 1”, which sold over 5 million copies worldwide and featured the hit singles “La Tortura” and “Dia de Enero”. The album received critical acclaim and earned Shakira a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.
2005, she released her seventh studio album “Oral Fixation, Vol. 2”, which sold over 6 million copies worldwide and featured the hit singles “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Don’t Bother” with Wyclef. The album earned Shakira a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.
2009, Shakira released her eighth studio album “She Wolf”, which sold over 2 million copies worldwide and featured the hit singles “She Wolf” and “Did It Again”. The album received mixed reviews from musical critics.
In 2010, Shakira performed at the World Cup opening ceremony in South Africa and released the official song of the tournament, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”. The song became a global hit and reached number one in more than 22 countries.
2014, she released her ninth studio album “Shakira”, which sold over 1 million copies worldwide and featured the hit singles “Can’t Remember to Forget You” and “Dare (La La La)”. The album received mixed reviews from critics.
2017, Shakira released her tenth studio album “El Dorado”, which sold over 1 million copies worldwide and featured the hit singles “Chantaje” and “Me Enamoré”. The album received positive reviews from critics and earned Shakira a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.
In 2018, she announced her El Dorado World Tour, but due to a vocal cord hemorrhage, the tour was delayed until 2019.
In 2019, Shakira performed at the Super Bowl LIV halftime show along with Jennifer Lopez, which was widely praised and was watched by 103 Million viewers worldwide.
2020, Shakira released her eleventh studio album “Me Gusta” featuring the hit singles “La Bicicleta” with Carlos Vives and “Me Gusta” with Anuel AA.
In 2021, she announced her “Tour of the Mongoose” which was supposed to start in June 2021, but it was delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 2022, Shakira’s net worth is estimated to be $450 million, she continues to be one of the most successful and influential Latin artists of all time. Check out Shakira’s top 10 music videos below
https://youtu.be/r8-oNAdm1bM
Interesting Facts:
- Her album “Laundry Service” is her first English Album. It’s been certified 4 times platinum. She named it “Laundry Service” because she loves it when laundry feels “clean and fresh”
- She teamed up with fellow Colombian author the late Gabriel Garcia Marquez to launch a child poverty foundation, “America Latina en Accion Solidaria” or Latin America in Solidarity Action, aimed at fighting poverty in Latin America in 2006
- Her song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” received over 500 million views and became the seventh most-watched video on YouTube
- When she was a teenager, she represented Colombia at the Festival Vina del Mar and earned the third place through her own song, “Eres”
- In 2010 she was awarded a medal by the U.N. International Labor Organization for her work with children
- She is immortalized with a 16-foot iron statue in her home city of Barranquilla Colombia
- Pies Descalzos was her third album, which catapulted her to fame in Latin America
- She was engaged to Antonio de la Rua, son of the then-president of Argentina
- Her IQ is 140 and she speaks Spanish, English, Italian, and Portuguese fluently
- Shakira is an avid painter and one of her favorite things to paint is fried eggs
- She does not have any tattoos on her body
- She performs barefoot at most of her concerts
- Shakira is Arabic for “grateful” or “full of grace”
- She has 28 Billboard Latin Music Awards
- Shakira is the youngest of eight siblings
- Her nickname is Shaki
DISCOGRAPHY
Albums:
- 1996: Pies Descalzos
- 1998: Donde Estan Los ladrones
- 2001: Laundry service
- 2005: Oral Fixation vol. 1.
- 2005: Oral Fixation Vol 2.
- 2009: Loba
- 2010: The sun rises in
- 2014: Shakira
- 2017: El Dorado.
Filmography:
- 1986: Vivan Los Niños
- 1994: The Oasis
- 2001-2009: Saturday Night Live
- 2005: Seven Lives
- 2009: Ugly Betty
- 2010: Wizards of Waverly Place
- 2011: Dora the Explorer
- 2013: The Voice (United States)
- 2016: Zootopia – Gazelle (Voice).
