Biography

The artist simply known as Shakira was born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll in 1977. A native of Columbia, Shakira emerged as a dancer, producer, choreographer, model, and singer-songwriter in the 1990’s. With her trademark dance performances, which include her own take on traditional belly dancing, Shakira has become iconic for the sex appeal associated with South American culture.

Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993) were released while Shakira was still in high school. They received little attention, but it was Pies Descalzos which launched her career, selling five million copies and leading to plans for an English-language debut under the guidance of her friend and legendary musician, Gloria Estefan. The result was Shakira’s Laundry Service, which catapulted the artist to international stardom, selling thirteen million copies worldwide. Oral Fixation came next, and then Oral Fixation Vol. 2 launched the chart-topping single “Hips Don’t Lie.”

By 2007, Shakira had already earned Grammies for her talents, and that year she added a Golden Globe nomination to her achievements, for “Despedidia,” from the soundtrack for Love in the Time of Cholera. Additional albums followed—She Wolf (2009), Sale el Sol (2010), and Shakira (2014.)

Thus far in her career, Shakira has sold over 125 million records worldwide, earning two Grammies, thirteen Latin Grammies, thirty-three Billboard Latin Music Awards, and five MTV Video Music Awards. She is the highest-selling Columbian artist so far, and the second most successful female Latin singer. Shakira most recently released the album El Dorado in 2017, featuring the single “Me Enamore.” The album is accompanied by an extensive world tour lasting through the spring of 2018.