Shakira is born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia with the name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll. She is a Colombian singer who started in Latin America and Colombia. She was the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll.

Shakira’s debut album was entitled “Magia” under the Sony Music Columbia in 1990. It was released on June 1991; however, it did not become a hit since it only sold 1,200 copies worldwide. Her second studio album was entitled “Peligro” which was released in March. The album did better than the previous album. However, it was also considered a failure because Shakira refused to advertise the album. This led to Shakira’s decision leaving her music career and return to her studies. Her albums Magia and Peligro were not considered as an official album, instead only promotional albums.

Shakira’s first official album is entitled “Pies Descalzos” which was released in October 1995 in South America while it was released worldwide in February 1996. It only ranked 180th in the U.S. Billboard 200 but it became number five in the U.S. Billboard Top latin Albums chart. Shakira’s first international tour was entitled “Tour Pies Descalzos” in March 1996. She received Billboard Latin Music Awards under the category “Album of the Year” for Tour Pies Descalzos, “Video of the Year” for Estoy Aqui, and “Best New Artist”. Shakira’s first official album sold five million copies.

The second album was entitled “Donde Estan Los Ladrones?” which was released in September 1998. It was produced by Shakira and Emilio Estefan Jr. This album did well rather than the first album. It sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States which made it as one of the best selling Spanish albumin the U.S. While it sold a total of seven million copies worldwide. She also earned her first Grammy Award nomination under the category “Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album”. Shakira recorded her very first live album in New York City on August 12, 1999 which was entitled “MTV Unplugged”. This live album received a nomination for “Best Latin Pop Album” from Grammy Award in the year 2001.

The third studio album as well as her first English album was entitled “Laundry Service” which was released on November 13, 2001. It reached the third spot in the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and sold over 200,000 records during its first week of release. The international hit singles include “Whenever, Wherever”, “Underneath your Clothes”, “Objection (Tango)”, “The One”, “Te Dejo Madrid”, “Que Me Quedes Tu”, as well as “Poem to a Horse”.

The fourth studio album was entitled “Fijacion Oral Vol 1” which was released in June 2005. It reached the fourth spot in the Billboard 200 chart and sold 157,000 copies during its first week. It was certified 2x platinum album by the RIAA. On February 8, 2006, Shakira got her second Grammy Award under the category “Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album” for Fijacion Oral Vol.1. She also received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006 under the categories Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, as well as the Best Pop Vocal Album.

Shakira had a romantic relationship with Antonio de la Rua in the year 2000. On January 10, 2011, she revealed that their eleven-year relationship had ended in August 2010. On March 29, 2011 Shakira confirmed in her Twitter and Facebook account that she is romantically related to Gerard Pique.

Shakira Photo Gallery

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored Columbian pop star Shakira Tuesday (November 8, 2011) with her very own star in the Hollywood walk of fame.  She was placed in the category of Recording with her being the 2,354th star on the Walk of Fame, located at the world famous corner of Hollywood and Vine Boulevard.  Only a few hours after getting her star, Shakira was honored at the 12th annual Tribute Gala in Las Vegas for her artistic and philanthropic contributions.  Shakira is the youngest person to ever receive the Latin Grammy Person of the Year Award.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon.  With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction.  The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles.  The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction.

Within a contemporary transnational context, the internationally known singer/songwriter Shakira emerges as a prime example of a public persona who at times occupies the interstices between the Latin American and the US Latino.   As one of the most visible performers of the most recent so-called Latin music ‘boom’,  Shakira’s music and public persona shape both western and non western notions of what it means to be not only Latina, but as beautiful.

However, this latest award may be considered a more celebrity-orientated affair, and many will disregard it quicker than Shakira can shake her hips.  It is interesting to view this situation in a more cultural context, away from the glitter and fakery.  As a representation of the female gender, Shakira may regard herself an advocate for feminism, but feminist may argue her raunchy self image is all the more for males and her audience to support her because of her image, as opposed to her views.

Her mixed ethnicity also brings into light to the masses another culture and where one has been successful, though not necessarily western.  Shakira has used her ethnicity for the most part of her career, but also fallen short of molding a different identity to gain acclaim from a western audience.  The impoverished background that she grew up in has however caused her to use her fame not just for her own financial advancement, but also to benefit others with the production of her own charity.

Shakira has ushered her audience into the brave new world of her music; a sound often described as a refreshing blast of off-centre rock that is fused together with her native Arabic and Latin beats. She is an example of the postmodern, post colonial globalised self.  According to her, she is a fusion  and that is her persona.  She noted that she is a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures such that between hew Lebanese father and her mother’s Spanish blood, the Columbian and Arab dance she love and American music.