Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is a Colombian singer and songwriter.
126 Facts About Shakira
2.
Shakira made her recording debut with Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13.
3.
Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service, which sold over 13 million copies worldwide.
4.
Shakira's success was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijacion Oral, Vol.
5.
Shakira served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice.
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Shakira is credited with opening the doors of the international market for other Latin artists.
7.
Shakira has received numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, twelve Latin Grammy Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, thirty-nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, twenty-one Guinness World Records, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
8.
Shakira was named the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade by Billboard twice.
9.
Shakira was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the US in 2011, and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2012.
10.
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia.
11.
Shakira is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado.
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Shakira's father William was born in New York City to a family from Lebanon.
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Shakira has claimed to have distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname "Pisciotti".
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Shakira has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage.
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Shakira spent much of her youth in Barranquilla, a city located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia.
16.
Shakira wrote her first poem, titled "La rosa de cristal", when she was only four years old.
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Shakira got that typewriter at age seven, and has continued writing poetry since then.
18.
When Shakira was two years old, an older half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident; six years later, at age eight, Shakira wrote her first song, titled "Tus gafas oscuras", which was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses to hide his grief.
19.
When Shakira was four, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music and which typically accompanied belly dancing.
20.
Shakira started dancing on the table, and the experience made her realize that she wanted to be a performer.
21.
Shakira enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong.
22.
Shakira says she had been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate every Friday at school a number she had learned.
23.
Between ages ten and thirteen, Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area.
24.
However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause".
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Undaunted and still convinced that Shakira had talent, Vargas set up an audition in Bogota.
26.
Shakira arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance.
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Shakira performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.
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Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" and won the trophy for third place.
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Shakira then decided to take a hiatus from recording so that she could graduate from high school.
30.
Shakira returned to recording music under Sony Music along with Columbia Records in 1995 with Luis F Ochoa, using musical influences from a number of countries and an Alanis Morissette-oriented persona which affected two of her next albums.
31.
In March 1996, Shakira went on to her first international tour, named simply the Tour Pies Descalzos.
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Also in that year, Shakira received three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year for Pies Descalzos, Video of the Year for "Estoy Aqui", and Best New Artist.
33.
Shakira received her first Grammy Award nomination in 1999 for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.
34.
In March 2000, Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States.
35.
Shakira worked for over a year on new material for the album.
36.
Shakira joined Cher, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J Blige, Anastacia, and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas.
37.
Shakira won the Latin Grammy Award for the category of Best Short Form Music Video for the Spanish version of the video.
38.
Shakira received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006, winning the awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year for "La Tortura", Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Fijacion Oral, Vol.
39.
Shakira later released the third and final single from the album, "Illegal", which featured Carlos Santana, in November 2006.
40.
Shakira then embarked on the Oral Fixation Tour, which began in June 2006.
41.
In February 2007, Shakira performed for the first time at the 49th Grammy Awards and earned the nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean.
42.
Shakira collaborated with Miguel Bose on the duet "Si Tu No Vuelves", which was released in Bose's album Papito.
43.
Shakira was featured on Annie Lennox's song "Sing", from the album Songs of Mass Destruction, which features other 23 other female singers.
44.
Shakira wrote the lyrics, and jointly composed the music, for two new songs that are featured in the movie Love in the Time of Cholera, based on the acclaimed novel written by Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
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In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
46.
Shakira Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland.
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Shakira Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom.
48.
In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
49.
In October 2010, Shakira released her ninth studio album, titled Sale el Sol.
50.
On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and performed a cover of Joe Arroyo's song "En Barranquilla Me Quedo" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as a tribute to the singer, who had died earlier that year.
51.
In 2010 Shakira collaborated with rapper Pitbull for the song "Get It Started", which was slated to be the lead single from Pitbull's 2012 album, Global Warming.
52.
Shakira was signed to Roc Nation under management purposes for her upcoming studio album.
53.
Shakira did not participate in the fifth season in September 2013 announcing that she would focus on her new album in the fall and would eventually return for the show's sixth season in February 2014.
54.
Shakira originally planned to release her new album in 2012, but due to her pregnancy, plans to release the single and video were postponed.
55.
Shakira's self-titled tenth studio album was later released on 25 March 2014.
56.
On 13 July 2014, Shakira performed "La La La " with Carlinhos Brown at the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Maracana Stadium.
57.
Shakira began work on her eleventh studio album in the beginning of 2016.
58.
On 28 October 2016, Shakira released the single "Chantaje" with Colombian singer Maluma; though the song was a track from the upcoming eleventh studio album, it was not intended to be the lead single.
59.
On 7 April 2017, Shakira released the song "Me Enamore" as the second official single taken from her eleventh studio album El Dorado, which was released on 26 May 2017.
60.
Shakira released the song "Perro Fiel" featuring Nicky Jam as a promotional single for the album on 25 May 2017.
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In January 2018, Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado, making her the only female Latin artist to do so.
62.
Shakira then released "Trap", the fourth single off the album and her second collaboration with Maluma.
63.
On 14 November, Shakira made an announcement, through her social networks, in which she revealed that she had suffered a haemorrhage on her right vocal cord in late October, at her last series of rehearsals, and that she thus needed to rest her voice for some time to recover; this forced the postponement of the tour's entire European itinerary to 2018.
64.
Shakira appeared in two television specials performing her songs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Global Goal: Unite for Our Future and The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II.
65.
In January 2021, Shakira sold her catalog of 145 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund.
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Shakira did not disclose the financial details of the sale.
67.
On 16 July 2021, Shakira released a single titled "Don't Wait Up".
68.
Shakira confirmed in May 2022 that work on the album was finished and it would be an electronic infused album with hints of urban and rock music.
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Shakira was honored by the Ivors Academy in the United Kingdom with the Ivor Novello Awards' Special Award for Songwriting celebrating her songwriting in both English and Spanish and paving the way for Latin artists.
70.
Shakira has been influenced by her Arab heritage, which was a major inspiration for her breakthrough world hit "Ojos Asi".
71.
Shakira is strongly influenced by Andean music and South American folk music, using her native instrumentation for her Latin dance-pop songs.
72.
The uptempo track features a guitar solo and a bridge in which Shakira delivers rap-like vocals.
73.
Shakira Wolf is primarily an electropop album that combines influences from the musical styles of various countries and regions, like Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East.
74.
Shakira is well known for her dancing in her music videos and concerts.
75.
Shakira is noted for usually employing minimal production, usually taking the stage with minimal makeup and natural hair, and without background dancers in her performances, preferring to focus on her vocals, dance moves, and stage presence.
76.
Shakira mentioned in an MTV interview that she learned how to belly dance by trying to flip a coin with her belly.
77.
Shakira is a contralto and is known for her "unique and mesmerizing" singing voice which includes her "trademark" yodeling.
78.
Shakira noted Shakira's use of "Arabic scales", then stating that she uses "harmonic minor scales instead of pentatonic scales".
79.
Shakira is the first artist of the rock en espanol generation to become a star in the US So for her, crossing over meant a linguistic, but not stylistic, switch.
80.
Shakira is a prominent figure in Latin music, commonly hailed as the 'Queen of Latin Music' for her successful crossover to the global market.
81.
The New York Times called her the "Titan of Latin Pop" for her unique and leading position in Latin music, saying: "Even as a new generation of Spanish-speaking artists are crossing over into American music's mainstream, Shakira's output stands alone".
82.
Similarly, Spin credits Shakira to have paved the way for other Latin artists to crossover, naming names like Maluma and J Balvin.
83.
Shakira was marked as "one of the most influential artists of the 21st century" by ET.
84.
The Middle Eastern newspaper El Correo del Golfo credits Shakira with "having opened the way" for several Hispanic singers today.
85.
The authors of Reggaeton, published by Duke University Press, credited Shakira for popularizing the genre in North America, Europe, and Asia, while the Public Broadcasting Service called her one of the three "most successful artists of the so-called Golden Age of Latin Music which reshaped America's cultural landscape for the twenty-first century".
86.
Alongside her impact on Latin and mainstream pop culture, Shakira has impacted popular culture in the Arab World due to her popularity in the region.
87.
In 1999 Shakira's MTV Unplugged became the program's first episode to be broadcast entirely in Spanish.
88.
In 2005, Sanz and Shakira performed "La Tortura" at the MTV Video Music Awards.
89.
In 2010, Google revealed that Shakira was the most searched female entertainer of the year.
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In 2020, Shakira was the most Googled musician of the year.
91.
In December 2021 Shakira was named by Kiss FM as one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century highlighting her achievements in the international market.
92.
Shakira has even received the admiration of intellectuals and writers such as Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez who has said "No one of any age can sing or dance with the innocent sensuality Shakira seems to have invented".
93.
The newspaper El Correo del Golfo wrote that Shakira was the greatest exponent of Middle Eastern music in the West, citing her interest in Arabic music and dance.
94.
Shakira's influence has transcended the boundaries of pop culture, that she has become a socio-political influencer, and was named as one of the "World's Greatest Leaders" of 2017 by Fortune.
95.
Shakira has received numerous awards and recognition for her work.
96.
Shakira has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of world's best-selling music artists.
97.
Shakira is the female artist with most top-ten hits on the Billboards Hot Latin Songs chart.
98.
Shakira is the act with most number-one songs on the Latin Digital Song Sales chart and the female artist with most number-one hits on the Latin Airplay chart.
99.
In 2011, Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, and by the Harvard Foundation as Cultural Rhythms Artist of the Year.
100.
Shakira received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6270 Hollywood Blvd.
101.
In 2014, Shakira became the first musical act to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup.
102.
In 2008, Shakira was named as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week.
103.
In 2020, Shakira became the first female artist to have 4 songs from different decades to have over 100 million streams on Spotify, marking her as the only artist with Spanish songs, the only Latin artist, and third overall after Michael Jackson and Eminem to achieve this milestone.
104.
Shakira acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
105.
Shakira began her own beauty line, "S by Shakira", with parent company Puig, in 2010.
106.
On 15 October 2015, Love Rocks starring Shakira was the first video game that featured the pop star.
107.
Shakira contributed an original song to the film, titled "Try Everything", which was written and composed by Sia and Stargate.
108.
In December 2021, it was announced that Shakira would be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series.
109.
In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia.
110.
On 27 April 2014 Shakira was honored with the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her Fundacion Pies Descalzos work.
111.
In 2005, Shakira became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies.
112.
Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is one of their global representatives.
113.
On 3 April 2006, Shakira was honored at a UN ceremony for creating the Pies Descalzos Foundation.
114.
Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on 9 November 2011, for her philanthropy and contributions to Latin Music.
115.
On 2 November 2018, during a visit to her birthplace, Barranquilla, for the construction of a school through her Barefoot Foundation, Shakira spoke about the educational policies of the government under Ivan Duque.
116.
In 2020, Shakira was appointed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as a voters' council member for the Earthshot prize which provides 50 environmental pioneers with the funds needed to further their work in tackling major problems impacting the environment.
117.
In May 2020, Shakira donated more than 50,000 face masks and ten respirators to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in her hometown of Barranquilla.
118.
Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Pique in 2011.
119.
Pique, who is exactly ten years her junior, and Shakira met in spring 2010 after he appeared in the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka ", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
120.
In 2020, Shakira announced her completion of an ancient philosophy course through the University of Pennsylvania, describing it as an impractical hobby of hers.
121.
In November 2017, Shakira was named in the Paradise Papers.
122.
Shakira's attorneys insisted that her use of the company was entirely legal.
123.
Prosecutors argued that she did not pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, during which time she was living in Spain with Pique and their family, while Shakira argued that she maintained her primary residence in the Bahamas during that period and otherwise was touring internationally.
124.
In July 2021, a Spanish judge ruled that there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient for Shakira to be brought to trial on charges of tax fraud.
125.
In 2021, the Pandora Papers showed that Shakira submitted applications for three offshore companies in 2019.
126.
Shakira's representatives told LaSexta that this paperwork was not filed for purposes of establishing new companies but as part of the process of dissolving existing companies.