Shakira

Artist Image: Shakira
Attribution
Image Credit: Vogue Taiwan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oV2ItiRkpE), CC BY 3.0

Biography

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977) is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer, and model. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she began performing in school, demonstrating Latin, Arabic, and rock and roll influences and belly dancing abilities. Shakira released her first studio albums, Magia and Peligro, in the early 1990s, failing to attain commercial success; however, she rose to prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut, Pies Descalzos (1996), and her fourth album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service. Its lead single, "Whenever, Wherever", became the best-selling single of 2002. Her success was solidified with her sixth and seventh albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), the latter of which spawned the best-selling song of the 21st century, "Hips Don't Lie". Shakira's eighth and ninth albums, She Wolf (2009) and Sale el Sol (2010), received critical praise but suffered from limited promotion due to her strained relationship with label Epic Records. Her official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. With over 950 million views, it's one of the most-watched music videos on YouTube. Since 2013, Shakira has served as a coach on the American version of The Voice, having appeared in two of its seven seasons—fourth and sixth. Her tenth album, Shakira (2014), is preceded by its lead single, "Can't Remember to Forget You". Shakira has won many awards, including five MTV Video Music Awards, two Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, 28 Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been Golden Globe-nominated. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and sold between 70 and 125 million records worldwide (depending to the source), making her one of the best selling Latin artist of all time. She carries out well-known philanthropic activities through charity work and benefit concerts, notably her Pies Descalzos Foundation, her performance at the "Clinton Global Initiative" created by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and her invitation to the Oval Office by President Barack Obama in February 2010 to discuss early childhood development. In 2014, she was listed as the 58th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. In July 2014, Shakira became the first person to reach 100 million followers on Facebook.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1990
Number of Albums 42
Record Label Sony Music
Website shakira.com
Wikipedia Shakira on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

How many records has she sold across the world?

125 million

...ns of all time according to trade experts, Shakira has sold more than 125 million records across the world. Shakira wrote her first poem when she was ...
How old was Shakira when she wrote her first poem?

four

...records across the world. Shakira wrote her first poem when she was only four and her first song, Tus gafas oscuras, at the age of eight. Career and M...
What was the name of her first song?

Tus gafas oscuras

...ra wrote her first poem when she was only four and her first song, Tus gafas oscuras , at the age of eight. Career and Musical Achievements: Shakira st...
At what age did she start her professional music career?

thirteen

...cal Achievements: Shakira started her professional music career at age thirteen . Her third studio album, Pies Descalzos, brought Shakira great popular...
What was Shakira's third album called?

Pies Descalzos

... professional music career at age thirteen. Her third studio album, Pies Descalzos , brought Shakira great popularity in Latin America and spawned char...
What year was the third album released?

1998

...bic and rock influences, sold more than three million copies worldwide. ( 1998 ), was an even bigger global success and garnered Shakira two Latin Gramm...
Who was the manager and producer of the hit singles?

Emilio Estefan

...he way for her explosion on the American music market. After hiring Emilio Estefan as her manager and producer, Shakira dyed her hair blond to enhance...
What was the name of the Arabic flavor of the song?

Ojos Así

...rammy Awards. Hits such as Ciega, Sordomuda, Tú and the Arabicflavored Ojos Así paved the way for her explosion on the American music market. After hi...
What color did Shakiria dye her hair to enhance her sex appeal?

blond

...hiring Emilio Estefan as her manager and producer, Shakira dyed her hair blond to enhance her sex appeal. She relocated to Miami and recorded her firs...
In what city did Shakaria record her first Englishlanguage album?

Miami

... Shakira dyed her hair blond to enhance her sex appeal. She relocated to Miami and recorded her first Englishlanguage album, Laundry Service, in 2001....
At what age did she make her debut recording with Sony Music Colombia?

13

...lity. She made her recording debut with Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13 . Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) a...
What was the name of her first two albums?

Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993),

... Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next...
In what language did she enter the market?

English

...ms, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? She entered the English language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sol...
What was the name of her fifth album?

Laundry Service

...rones? She entered the Englishlanguage market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Buoyed by the...
Who described Shakira as a pioneer who extended the global reach of Latino singers?

Broadcast Music, Inc.,

...e album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc., the largest music rights organization in the United States, des...
What year did Fijación Oral debut?

2005

...ss was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 ( 2005 ), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Bill...
What year was Sale el Sol released?

2010

...ified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol ( 2010 ), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albu...
How many albums has Shakira sold worldwide?

over 70 million

...ly dance moves in the video of the song Hips Dont Lie. She has sold over 70 million albums worldwide. Having a keen interest in music from childhood, ...
When did she write her first poem?

when she was just four

... interest in music from childhood, Shakira wrote her first poem when she was just four . At a young age, she would also dance impromptu at restaurants ...
When did she release her first album Magia?

when she was just 14

...aurants playing groovy music. She released her first album Magia when she was just 14 . Though the album did not do well commercially, it gave her the ...
What was the name of the first album she released when she was 14?

Magia

...romptu at restaurants playing groovy music. She released her first album Magia when she was just 14. Though the album did not do well commercially, it...
How many countries did Pies Descalzos reach number one in?

eight

...the form of her third album Pies Descalzos which peaked at number one in eight different countries. She also earned several awards and nominations for...
What country was she raised in?

Colombia

... and musician. Childhood: Shakira was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia , to Nidya del Carmen Ripoll Torrado and William Mebarak Chadid. As a c...
What did Shakira's father wear to hide his emotions?

shades

...halfbrothers was killed in a motorcycle accident, Shakira's father wore shades to hide his emotions and Shakira's first song was entitled 'Tus Gafas O...
What was Shakir's first song called?

Tus Gafas Oscuras

...shades to hide his emotions and Shakira's first song was entitled ' Tus Gafas Oscuras ' ('Your Dark Glasses'). She was four at the time and decided then...
What year was Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll born?

1977

...Shakira, in full Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, (born February 2, 1977 , Barranquilla, Colombia), Colombian musician who achieved success in both Spani...
What was the name of the soap opera Shakiri performed in?

El oasis

...ns. After taking a break from recording to act in the Latin soap opera El oasis , Shakira resumed her music career in impressive fashion with Pies desc...
When did she begin writing songs and taking part in talent competitions?

10

...native Colombian mother, started belly dancing at an early age and by age 10 had begun writing songs and taking part in talent competitions. After tak...
When was Pies descalzos released?

1995

...kira resumed her music career in impressive fashion with Pies descalzos ( 1995 ). The album produced several hits, including Estoy aquí, Pienso en ti, a...
Which album won the Grammy Award for best Latin pop album in 2000?

MTV Unplugged

...ts on establishing herself in the American market. In 2001 her album MTV Unplugged (2000) won the Grammy Award for best Latin pop album, and she relea...
How many copies of Shakira's Laundry Service were sold worldwide?

13 million

...me (Shakira wrote all her own lyrics), Laundry Service sold more than 13 million copies worldwide. Shakira continued her crossover success in 2005 wit...
Who are the parents of the pop singer?

William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado

... of LebaneseColombian blood from her parents, William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado . At her early age, she listened to the music ...
In what year was the same response given to the previous one?

1993

...en on her own between the age of 8 and 13. The second album, Peligro (Danger), came to public in 1993 and had the same response with the previous one....
Shakira has served as a judge on what popular singing competition show?

The Voice

...ally, she has served as a judge on the popular singingcompetition show The Voice . With a Lebanese father and Colombian mother, Shakira honors both her...
At what age did she write her first song?

8

...o 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' Af...
In what year was Pies Descalzos released?

1996

... album, becoming involved in every aspect of its production. Released in 1996 , Pies Descalzos, meaning bare feet, sold more than 3 million copies. The...
What did the title of the 1996 album mean?

bare feet

...ry aspect of its production. Released in 1996, Pies Descalzos, meaning bare feet , sold more than 3 million copies. The album featured her trademark so...
Shakira became a music superstar in what language markets?

Spanish

...With the success of her albums, Shakira became a music superstar in the Spanish language markets, known for her strong vocals and incredible hipshaking...
What kind of belly dance moves did she have?

hipshaking

... her albums, Shakira became a music superstar in the Spanishlanguage markets, known for her strong vocals and incredible hipshaking belly dance moves....
What country did Shakira come from?

Colombian

...After achieving superstardom throughout Latin America, Colombian born singer and songwriter Shakira became one of Latin pop's biggest international cro...
How many albums did Shakara sell worldwide?

millions

...me one of Latin pop's biggest international crossover artists, selling millions worldwide and collecting hundreds of awards in the process. Noted for ...
How much of her own material did she write or cowrote?

nearly all

...inary degree of creative control over her music; she wrote or cowrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of...
What genre of lyricist did she gain a reputation as?

poetic

... the process gained a reputation as one of the genre's most ambitiously poetic lyricists. Following the release of '90s breakthrough albums Pies Desca...
What radio hit helped boost Laundy Service?

Whenever, WhereverSuerte

...s charttopping smash Laundry Service. Boosted by the radio hit Whenever, WhereverSuerte , the set became an instant pop sensation. From there, she rema...
What was the name of the album she released in 2005?

Fijacion Oral, Vol

...nd Englishlanguage markets with subsequent efforts such as 2005's Fijacion Oral, Vol . With 2017's El Dorado, Shakira earned her fourth number one Bill...
What Grammy did Shakira win for her Latin pop album?

Best Latin Pop Album

...th number one Billboard Latin album and took home the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album in the process. She has continued to score hits, teaming with Ma...
Who was the co-star of 2022's Te Felicito?<extra_id_51> When did she move to Bogotá?

1990

...uma for 2018's Clandestino and Rauw Alejandro for 2022's Te Felicito. In 1990 , at age 13, Shakira moved to Bogotá in hopes of pursuing a modeling care...
When was Magia released?

1991

...und up signing a record deal with Sony's Colombian division instead. Her 1991 debut album, Magia, comprised songs she'd written over the past five or ...