Shakira is a legendary Colombian singer and one of the most successful Latinas in the global pop scene. Shakira's music features a distinct, unique style – a blend of pop-rock, Latin, and folk, and her performances are always an entire show of oriental dances and memorable stagings.
Shakira
Childhood
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (the singer's full name) was born on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of Nidia Ripoll and William Mebarak, but she also has eight half-siblings from her father's side. Her father was of Lebanese descent, with ancestors who moved to New York, and her mother had Spanish and Italian roots.
Shakira in childhood
The future celebrity grew up amidst books, musical rhythms, and precious stones - her father owned a large jewelry store. From an early age, Shakira began to show interest in literature and music, influenced by her parents - her father William even wrote books. At just 18 months, she knew the alphabet, by age 3 she could read and write, and by 4 she was ready for school.
Little Shakira was a gifted child
Later, experts tested Shakira and unanimously declared her a prodigy. The future singer's mother believed her daughter would grow up to be an artist or writer, given her frequent drawing and, at age 4, she started writing poetry. By the age of 8, Shakira had written her first song - "Your Dark Glasses," dedicated to the death of one of her siblings.
Young Shakira
At school, the active and beautiful girl was predicted to have a career as a ballerina or dancer, as she loved to perform Eastern dances and often took the stage. Then, the rising star won the contest "Viva los niños!".
1989: Shakira at the contest 'Viva los niños!'
A few years later, a journalist named Monica Arias introduced Shakira to an executive from Sony Music, Ciro Vargas. The man was impressed by the singing talent of the young prodigy and after brief contemplation, he signed a contract with her. The girl began to balance her studies with recording her first album "Magia" (1991).
By the way, Shakira initially sang in the school choir, but she was soon kicked out because one of the teachers said her voice sounded like a goat's bleat.
Career Start
At just fourteen years old, with the release of her first album, the charming and talented Colombian gained fame – first in her hometown and then all over the country. In 1993, Shakira represented Colombia at the Chilean music festival and took third place with her own song "Eres" ("You Are").
Shakira released her first album at age 14
The following year, the young singer released her second album "Peligro" ("Danger"). From a commercial perspective, the album was unsuccessful, and Shakira had to make concessions with management during its recording, which led to the album losing its uniqueness. Despite unfulfilled expectations, after finishing school, she focused on creating her third album.
Shakira - Eres - Competencia Internacional - Festival de Viña del Mar 1993
During this time, she moved to the Colombian capital, Bogota, with her mother, where she received an offer to play the lead role in the TV series "El Oasis".
Shakira El Oasis Novela
In 1994, Sony representatives wanted to terminate the contract with the singer, but at that precise moment, she presented her song titled "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" ("Where are you, heart?"), which instantly became a hit.
Shakira - ¿Dónde Estás Corazón
The Rise of a Musical Career
In the fall of 1996, Shakira, with a fairly modest budget, presented her third studio album "Pies Descalzos" ("Bare Feet"). Finally, she was met with huge success, thousands of albums sold, a legion of fans, and her first world tour.
Shakira - Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos
In 1996, Shakira was named "Woman of the Year" and "Person of the Year" - she became the first Colombian to conquer overseas countries, for example, she was warmly welcomed in Japan. She also received awards from the Billboard Music Awards.
In 1996 the singer became the Woman of the Year
Meanwhile, the audience was anticipating the singer's fourth album. When the materials for the album were ready, a suitcase with the song lyrics was stolen by an unknown person. Nevertheless, the album "Dónde Están los Ladrones?" ("Where are the Thieves?") was soon released. This album went platinum five times, and on the first day of sales, fans bought 300,000 copies. For 11 weeks, it was the best Latin American album in the charts.
Shakira - ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones?
In 1999, the singer received her first Grammy nomination for "Best Latin Rock / Alternative Album", and in 2001 she released a concert version of the songs "MTV Unplugged". This album made her popular in the USA, and the success was consolidated by a Grammy award that same year.
Shakira - MTV Unplugged 1999
It was time for an international album - the mostly English-speaking disc "Laundry Service" conquered the American charts, and the first single "Whenever, Wherever" turned Shakira into a global star. The album, which went triple platinum in the US, also had other memorable songs that many still love most in the singer's repertoire. These are "Underneath Your Clothes", "The One", and "Objection (Tango)".
Shakira - Whenever, Wherever
Shakira managed to demonstrate the amazing capabilities of her voice, but many - both critics and Latin American fans - were unhappy that the singer preferred American pop music to authentic folk motifs. Nevertheless, from a commercial point of view, it was undoubtedly a breakthrough. The young star moved in this direction, soon recording several songs for Pepsi commercials.
In 2005, Shakira released the Spanish album "Fijación Oral Vol. 1", the singles of which were mainly rotated in Spanish-speaking countries. That same year, the translated English album "Oral Fixation Vol. 2" was released with the singles "Hips Don’t Lie" and "Illegal", which became mega-popular. The singer went on a world tour and gave 150 concerts in 37 countries.
Shakira - Hips Don't Lie ft. Wyclef Jean
In 2007, the singer went even further, receiving an MTV VMA award and a Grammy nomination for the duet "Beautiful Liar" together with Beyoncé. From this moment, her constant collaborations with other pop stars began - she sang with Annie Lennox, Stevie Wonder, and Usher.
Shakira and Beyoncé
After a long break in her career in 2009, Shakira released the album "She Wolf", which was unlike anything previous in her discography - more electronic. This did not prevent it from becoming popular, and the eponymous single won the hearts of many listeners.
Shakira - She Wolf
In 2010, the singer was honored to record the official song for the World Cup, which was held in South Africa. The catchy track "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" turned out to be a real anthem for summer, positivity, and joy.
Shakira recorded the official song for the World Cup
In the fall of 2010, the singer's next album "Sale el sol" followed. It featured songs in both Spanish and English, the most popular of which was "Loca". The album was quite successful and received 13 Billboard de la Musica Latina nominations.
Shakira - Loca (Spanish Version) ft. El Cata
In 2012, Shakira replaced Christina Aguilera as a coach on the popular vocal show "The Voice". In 2014, she released her tenth album, simply titled "Shakira". The track and clip recorded with Rihanna - "Can't Remember to Forget You" - were particularly popular.
In 2016, the singer presented the first single from her next album - "Me Enamoré", and in 2017, she released the album titled "El Dorado". The album was warmly received by listeners and sold well.
Shakira Reveals Inspiration for New Album El Dorado
In 2020, Shakira once again delighted fans with her creativity - in January, she presented the composition "Me Gusta", recorded together with rapper Anuel AA. A few months later, the singer shared a clip recorded for it. At the same time, Shakira performed at the final of the National Football League of America together with Jennifer Lopez.
Shakira – Me Gusta
Shakira continues to amaze with her youthful appearance - the singer is well over 40, but her stunning beach photos frequently appear on social media, showcasing her perfect figure.
Shakira and Jennifer Lopez at the National Football League
Shakira's Personal Life
In 1997, news about singer Shakira's affair with the fashionable actor Osvaldo Ríos came out. The lovers hid their feelings in public, but everyone knew about their relationship. However, this affair did not last long - the couple broke up after 8 months.
In 2000, Shakira began a relationship with the son of Argentine President Fernando de la Rúa, Antonio. A year later, the young man proposed to the singer. The lovers planned to get married, but the artist denied these rumors.
Shakira and Antonio de la Rúa
Nevertheless, the affair lasted quite a long time. Only in January 2011 did Shakira officially announce her breakup with Antonio.
For almost 11 years we passionately loved each other... These were the most beautiful years of our lives... Meanwhile, since August 2010 our romantic relationship was temporarily interrupted by mutual agreement, although we continued to work together, keeping what happened a secret.
Shakira on her breakup with Antonio
Shakira with Gerard Piqué
While filming the music video for "Waka Waka", the girl met Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué. The couple has been together since the fall of 2010, but they only announced their relationship in March 2011, shortly after Shakira's official breakup with Antonio. Soon they moved to Barcelona, and in 2013 their first child, Milan Piqué Mebarak, was born. In January 2015, Shakira’s family welcomed another son - Sasha.
Gerard Piqué with his sons
In June 2022, Spanish media reported about the breakup of Shakira and Gerard. And, according to rumors, the reason was Gerard's infidelity to his beautiful wife. The journalist from El Periodico, citing his own sources, reported that Piqué moved out of their shared house to an apartment and lives alone after a scandal that the singer caused after finding him in bed with another woman.
Shakira Now
Simultaneously with her scandalous divorce from Pique, Shakira faced problems due to tax evasion. The Spanish court ruled that between 2012 and 2014, the singer had avoided paying taxes six times. According to the investigation, during this period, Shakira lived in Barcelona for at least 183 days, which means she was a tax resident. Shakira insisted that she lived in the Bahamas. In November 2023, the court gave her a 3-year suspended sentence and a fine of 7.3 million euros, but she managed to avoid even this punishment – the singer paid 432,000 euros for this.
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Robert Yates
2021-05-15 21:55:53
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Carmen Sullivan
2021-04-17 18:50:27
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Zachary Hayden Jackson
2021-04-07 20:41:54
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Glenda Horton
2021-01-29 15:24:52
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Ryan Jose Hill
2021-01-06 09:44:50
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