Shakira Biography | Shakira Latin Singer | Shakira News

Shakira Bio

Shakira

Shakira, the successful Latina pop diva has been heard a thousand times over poetically belting out her hit single Hips Don’t Lie and while maybe they don’t, in the minds of most men, hers can do whatever they like. Her signature dance style based on the choreographic art of belly dancing, along with her vocal talents make Shakira a star in any language.

Born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Columbia, Shakira has successfully made the difficult crossover from Latino pop to American mainstream music. She was born into a large and struggling family. She had a talent for music early in her childhood and she was competing, and winning, talent competitions at the age of eight. At the age of eleven, she taught herself guitar.

In her early teens, Shakira had met producers in the music industry who saw enough talent in her to help her along. By the age of fifteen she had a record deal with Sony Columbia, and released her debut album Magia (Magic) in 1991. Though it suffered minimal success, Shakira’s efforts were not thwarted and she released a second album titled Peligro (Danger) in 1993. Her second album enjoyed a slightly better reception, but Shakira took a break from recording to finish high school.

When she returned to the music industry in 1995, slightly more mature and ready to give it her all, she recorded her third studio album Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet), which contained her first hit single “Estoy Aqui” (“I’m Here”) and she became a huge success in Latin America.

Over the next few years, Shakira recorded a fourth album and appeared on MTV unplugged, from which stemmed a live album. Inspired by Gloria Estefan, Shakira decided to learn to write English lyrics and made the English crossover with the album Laundry Service in 2001. Though some critics argued that her English was not strong enough to create an acclaimed record, the album sold over 13 million copies worldwide and the hit single “Whenever, Wherever” established her successfully in North America. Her subsequent albums Oral Fixation Vol.1 and Vol. 2 have achieved even greater success.

During the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, Shakira enjoyed the honor of being the most nominated artist with a total of six category nominations, though she walked away with only one win. Her success was just beginning and with the release of the single Illegal, featuring Carlos Santana, her musical future looked bright. Her personal life also looked bright, as she became engaged to Antonio de la Rúa, son of former Argentina President Fernando de la Rúa.