Shakira facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shakira
Shakira at the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards
Born	Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (1977-02-02) 2 February 1977 (age 48) Barranquilla, Colombia
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1990–present
Organization	Barefoot Foundation
Works	Discography songs recorded videography concerts live performances
Partner(s)	Antonio de la Rúa (1999–2010) Gerard Piqué (2011–2022)
Children	2
Awards	Awards records impact
Musical career
Origin	Bogotá, Colombia
Genres	Latin pop pop dance reggaeton rock
Instruments	Vocals guitars harmonica drums
Labels	Sony Colombia Epic RCA Sony Latin
Signature

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( shə-KEER-ə born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 2, 1977), known simply as Shakira, is a famous Colombian singer and songwriter. Many people call her the "Queen of Latin Music." She has sold over 95 million records, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Shakira's Early Life and Music Beginnings

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. She also has eight older half-siblings from her father's first marriage. Shakira grew up in Barranquilla, a city on Colombia's Caribbean coast.

Discovering a Love for Performing

Shakira wrote her first poem, "The Crystal Rose," when she was just four years old. She loved watching her father write stories on a typewriter. When she was seven, she got her own typewriter for Christmas and kept writing poems. These poems later turned into songs.

At age four, Shakira's father took her to a Middle Eastern restaurant. There, she heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music. She saw belly dancing and started dancing on the table. This moment made her realize she wanted to be a performer.

School Choir Rejection and Early Recognition

Shakira enjoyed singing for her classmates and teachers at her Catholic school. However, in second grade, she was not allowed to join the school choir. Her music teacher said her vibrato (a wavering effect in her voice) was too strong. The teacher even told her she sounded "like a goat."

Between the ages of ten and thirteen, Shakira was invited to perform at different events in Barranquilla. She started to become known in her area. Around this time, she met Monica Ariza, a local theater producer. Monica was very impressed with Shakira's talent and wanted to help her career.

Getting a Record Deal

Monica Ariza convinced Ciro Vargas, an executive from Sony Colombia, to give Shakira an audition. Shakira performed three songs for Sony executives and impressed them a lot. Because of this, she signed a deal to record three albums.

Shakira's Music Career Highlights

Shakira released her first album with Sony Music Colombia when she was 13. Her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), were not very successful. But she became famous in Spanish-speaking countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998).

Breaking into the English Music Market

Shakira started singing in English with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001). This album sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Songs like "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes" became huge international hits. This made her a leading "crossover artist," meaning she successfully sang in both Spanish and English for a global audience. Many people say Shakira helped other Latin singers become famous around the world.

Her success continued with Spanish albums like Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017). These albums were very popular and reached the top of the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. Her English albums, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009), and Shakira (2014), also did very well in many countries.

Shakira performing at the Rock in Rio festival in 2006

Popular Songs and TV Appearances

Many of Shakira's songs have reached number one in different countries. Some of her most famous hits include "Whenever, Wherever", "Hips Don't Lie", "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", and "Chantaje". More recently, songs like "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" and "TQG" have also been very popular.

Shakira performing at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009

From 2013 to 2014, Shakira was a coach on the American singing competition show The Voice.

Shakira at a press conference for the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony

Recent Music and Future Plans

On January 11, 2023, Shakira released "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" with Argentine DJ Bizarrap. This song became a huge hit on Spotify and YouTube.

Her twelfth studio album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, came out on March 22, 2024. It was well-received by music critics. This album made Shakira the first woman to have number-one albums on the Billboard Latin album charts across four different decades. In April 2024, Shakira announced her first tour in six years, the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, which will start in February 2025.

Shakira has received many awards for her music. These include three Grammy Awards, twelve Latin Grammy Awards, and multiple MTV Video Music Awards. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Billboard magazine named her the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade twice (for the 2000s and 2010s).

Shakira's Personal Life

Shakira was in a relationship with Argentine lawyer Antonio de la Rúa for ten years, from 2000 to 2010. They decided to separate in August 2010.

In 2011, Shakira started a relationship with Spanish football player Gerard Piqué. They met in 2010 when he appeared in her music video for "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)". Shakira and Gerard have two sons: Milan, born in January 2013, and Sasha, born in January 2015. The family lived in Barcelona. In June 2022, Shakira and Gerard Piqué announced they were separating after 11 years together.

Shakira's Philanthropy and Helping Others

Shakira, Alejandro Sanz and Juan Carlos I, The King of Spain, during the Ibero-American Summit of El Salvador

When Shakira was a child, her father took her to a park to see orphans who lived there. This experience deeply affected her. She promised herself that one day she would help children in need when she became famous.

The Pies Descalzos Foundation

In 1997, Shakira started the Pies Descalzos Foundation (which means "Barefoot Foundation"). This Colombian charity builds special schools for poor children across Colombia. Shakira and other international groups and people help fund it. The foundation's name comes from Shakira's third album, Pies Descalzos. The main goal of the foundation is to help children through education. It has five schools in Colombia that provide education and meals for 4,000 children.

In 2014, Shakira received the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her work with the Pies Descalzos Foundation.

Global Efforts for Education

Shakira is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, which means she helps promote children's rights and well-being around the world. In 2005, she helped create Latin America in Solidarity Action, a group of artists and leaders working to improve early childhood education. She has also worked with the World Bank to create programs that help children in Latin America learn and grow.

Other Things Shakira Does

Besides music, Shakira has been involved in other businesses and projects.

Acting and Beauty Line

In 1994, she acted in a Colombian TV show called El Oasis, playing the character Luisa Maria.

In 2010, Shakira launched her own beauty line called "S by Shakira". In December 2021, she became an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, a dance competition TV series on NBC.

Interesting Facts About Shakira

• Shakira has Spanish and Lebanese family roots.
• She grew up Catholic and went to Catholic schools.
• At school, she was often sent out of class because she was very energetic.
• As a child, Shakira loved rock music. She listened to bands like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and U2.
• She often performs barefoot. She learned this dance style as a teenager to help her overcome shyness.
• Shakira has a unique and powerful singing voice, known for its "trademark" yodeling.
• Billboard reported that she is the best-selling female Latin artist of all time.
• In 2014, Shakira became the first music artist to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup.
• In 2020, she completed an ancient philosophy course from the University of Pennsylvania just for fun!
• She has won four Grammy Awards and fifteen Latin Grammy Awards.
• Shakira has sold over 125 million records worldwide.

Shakira's Inspiring Quotes

• "You can't achieve anything in life without a small amount of sacrifice."
• "I know what it's like to feel that fear and the need of affirmation and appreciation. To build confidence in yourself is the toughest thing."
• "I am a person who has many dreams. But as soon as I accomplish one, I move on to the next."

Monuments Honoring Shakira

• In 2006, a 6-tonne (13,000 lb), 16-foot-tall (4.9 m) statue of Shakira was placed in a park in her hometown of Barranquilla.
• In July 2018, Shakira visited Tannourine in Lebanon, the village where her paternal grandmother was from. A square in the forest there was named "Shakira Isabelle Mebarak" in her honor.

Shakira's Achievements and Recognition

Shakira has received many awards and honors for her work and her efforts to help others.

• In 2008, she was named the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week.
• In 2011, Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. She was also recognized by the Harvard Foundation as Cultural Rhythms Artist of the Year.
• In 2011, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• Time magazine recognized Shakira in 2015 as one of the most influential people on social media.

Shakira's Discography

Shakira's Concert Tours

• Pies Descalzos International Tour (1996–1997)
• Tour Anfibio (2000)
• Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003)
• Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007)
• The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011)
• El Dorado World Tour (2018)
• Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour (2025)

Shakira's Filmography

Television Shows

Movies

Images for kids

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  Shakira at the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards

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  Shakira's signature

See also

In Spanish: Shakira para niños

• List of Colombians