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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977), known simply as Shakira, is a two-time Grammy Award-winning and eight-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Colombian singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer, dancer and occasional actress who has been a major figure in the pop music scene of Latin America since the mid-1990s. In 2001, she broke through into the English-speaking market with the release of her first album in that language, Laundry Service, which has sold over fifteen million copies worldwide. Shakira is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time, having sold around fifty million albums worldwide. She is also the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart and the UK Singles Chart. Shakira is also known for her intelligence, having an IQ of 140; and her ability to speak five languages.

Biography

Childhood and youth

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado, a Colombian of Catalan-Italian descent, and William Mebarak Chadid, an American-born Lebanese-Catholic. Her father also had eight children with his former wife. One of her siblings is also her road manager.

Shakira, which means "grateful" or "thankful" (شاكِرة) in Arabic, is named after her paternal grandmother. She spent much of her youth in Barranquilla. She has stated to have grown among Lebanese, Jewish and Italian communities.

Shakira wrote her first poem, entitled "La Rosa De Cristal", when she was only four years old. After receiving a typewriter as a gift, she began to write poems constantly. Her poems eventually evolved into songs. At the age of eight, after an older brother was killed in a motorcycle accident, Shakira became inspired to write her first song, which is entitled "Tus Gafas Oscuras" and documents her father's grief.

At a young age, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional Arabic drum used in Arabic music and which typically accompanied belly dancing. Before she knew it, Shakira was dancing on the table as restaurant patrons responded by clapping enthusiastically. It was then that Shakira said she knew she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers (and even the nuns) at her Catholic school but in the second grade was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded "like a goat". At school, she says she had been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate a number she learned every Friday at school. "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance," she says.

Between the ages of ten and thirteen Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at about this time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a motel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Vargas, not daunted, was still convinced that Shakira had talent, and set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.

Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded with Sony Music in 1991, when she was only fifteen years old. The album did not fare well commercially, selling less than one thousand copies. After the poor acclaim of Magia, Shakira's label urged her back into the studio to release a follow up with more hit songs, to give the album potential. The album Peligro was released in 1993, but Shakira was not pleased with the final result. The album was better received than Magia, though it was also considered a commercial failure, due to Shakira's refusal to advertise it. Although little know outside of her native Colombia, Shakira was invited to perform at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February 1993. The festival gave aspiring Latin American singers a chance to perform their songs, and the winner was then chosen by a panel of judges. Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" (You Are) and won the trophy for third place. One of the judges who voted for her to win was then 20-year-old Ricky Martin, who was left impressed with Shakira's voice and presence. Shakira then decided to take a hiatus from recording so that she could graduate from high school.

1995-2000: Success in Latin America and Spain

Shakira returned to recording in 1995, using musical influences from a number of countries and an Alanis Morissette-oriented persona which affected some of her next albums, and made her third studio one, Pies Descalzos, which brought her great fame in Latin America. The singles "Estoy Aquí", "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos", and "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" became pop culture icons. Pies Descalzos sold over five million copies, prompting the release of a remix album, titled simply The Remixes, which sold more than a million copies. The Remixes also included Portuguese versions of some of her best-known songs, which were recorded as a result of her success in the Brazilian market, where Pies Descalzos sold nearly one million copies.

Her fourth album, ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones?, was released in 1998. It was produced by Emilio Estefan, reportedly cost US$3 million, and had more of a polished sound than Pies Descalzos. It was even more successful and solidified her as one of the major Latin artists of the 1990s. She began to gain more fans in non-Spanish-speaking countries like France, Switzerland, Canada, and especially the United States. Eight of the album's eleven tracks became singles, including "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Moscas En La Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Octavo Día", and the world-famous "Ojos Así". Shakira's first live album, MTV Unplugged, was composed of "Estoy Aquí" and the songs from ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones?.

In March 2000 Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States. In August 2000 she won an MTV Video Music Award in the now-defunct category of People's Choice - Favorite International Artist.

2001-2004: Worldwide Success

In 2001, upon the success of ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones?, Shakira began working on a crossover album to English. Collaborating with Gloria Estefan, she wrote and recorded English versions of the tracks from ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones?. However, she later decided against using translations of older songs for the album and worked for over a year on new material for the album. The result was Laundry Service. Although it was created with the intent of selling to an English language market, the rock and Spanish dance-influenced album also featured four Spanish songs, including "Que Me Quedes Tú" (As Long as You Stay with Me). Some critics claimed that Shakira's English skills were too weak for her to write in it, but Laundry Service was a success, with more than 15 million sales worldwide, yielding the worldwide hit "Whenever, Wherever" and singles "Underneath Your Clothes" (a Canadian number-one), "Te Dejo Madrid" (I Leave You Madrid), "Objection (Tango)", and "The One". The album and its singles helped to establish Shakira's musical presence in the mainstream North American market.

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In 2002, Shakira also released her Spanish greatest hits volume Grandes éxitos. A DVD and ten-track compilation album, called Live & Off the Record, was also released in 2004, reaching sales of 3 million CDs worldwide, and commemorating Shakira's world tour, the Tour of the Mongoose.

In September 2002, Shakira won the now-defunct International Viewer's Choice Award at the MTV Video Music Awards with "Suerte". In October of that year, she won 5 MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist—North (Region), Video of the Year (for Suerte), and Artist of the Year. At Aerosmith's MTV Icon in 2002, Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)". Also in 2002, Shakira joined the likes of Celine Dion, Anastacia, Cher and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas.

2005-present: Oral Fixation Era

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Fijación Oral

Shakira stayed out of the spotlight for over two years. She announced the Oral Fixation project in early 2005. Fijación Oral Vol. 1, the first album of the project, was released on June 3, 2005 in ireland on June 6, 2005 in Europe and on June 7, 2005 in North and Latin Americas and Australia. The lead single from the album, "La Tortura", which features Alejandro Sanz, was released as a single in April and and achieved large-scale success on different radio and chart formats. It spent a record of twenty-five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart.

Fijación Oral Vol. 1 was very well-received by the public. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart on the week of June 15. According to that publication, the album sold 157,000 copies in its first week of release in thes U.S., becoming the highest debut ever for a Spanish language album. In Latin America, on the day of its official release in Venezuela, it went Platinum; in Colombia, triple Platinum and in Mexico, it was sold-out. The album sold over one million copies in three days.

The second single from the album, "No", was released in September 2005, and peaked at number one in Colombia, for fourteen non-consecutive weeks. The third single from the album, "Día De Enero", is dedicated to Shakira's fiancé, Antonio de la Rúa. This single was number one in several countries in Latin America, but it did not had the same success of the previous two singles in the United States.

On February 8, 2006, Shakira won her second Grammy Award. She was awarded in the category of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.

On April 27, 2006, Shakira received six Billboard Latin Music Awards for Fijacion Oral Vol. 1. She was also honored with the Spirit of Hope Award for the Fundación Pies Descalzos.

In late 2006, Shakira released "La Pared" as the fourth single from Fijación Oral Vol. 1. The song reached number one on Spain.

Later in 2006, "Las de la Intuición" was released as single in Spain. It became an instantaneous success, topping the radio chart Los 40 Principales for four consecutive weeks. In mid April, Shakira filmed a video for the song in Miami, which was then premiered via the internet on May 7th. The video features Shakira with a bright purple wig, alternating between wearing a tight black corset and a striped shirt with a tie. According to Mexican media, "Las de la Intuición" is to be the fifth and final single from Fijación Oral Vol. 1.

So far, Fijación Oral Vol. 1 has sold over 7 million copies worldwide.

Oral Fixation

Before the release of Oral Fixation Vol. 2, the second and last album of the Oral Fixation project, Shakira appeared at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal were she performed "Don't Bother", the lead single from the album, just minutes before winning an award in the category of Best Female Artist.

Oral Fixation Vol. 2 was released on November 29, 2005 in North America and Australia, and in continental Europe. Two tracks of the album, "How Do You Do" and "Timor", sparked some controversy at the time of its release. The cover of the album was also considered controversial, and it had to be altered in several countries.

While "Don't Bother" was warmly received by music critics as the lead single from the album, it failed to peak within the top 40 in the United States. "Hips Don't Lie", the second single released from the album, became Shakira's first (and, to date, only) number one single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart. On March 28, 2006, the album was re-released and featured "Hips Don't Lie". Shakira got the most number nominations for the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards with "Hips Don't Lie", but she won only the award for Best Choreography.

In June, Shakira started her biggest world tour, called the Oral Fixation Tour, which will last until the spring of 2007. The Oral Fixation tour has 111 dates and counting, visiting many European, American, African and Asian countries.

Shakira also released "Illegal", which features Carlos Santana as a single. "Illegal" was released to pop radio in the United States, but it was not picked for regular rotation outside the Rhythmic/Dance format stations. "Illegal" has become another major hit for the singer on both the Hot Dance Music/Club Play and Hot Dance Airplay charts. The song became a top ten hit in much of Europe, and Shakira added the song to the tracklist of her tour.

As of 2007, Oral Fixation Vol. 2 has sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

Collaborations

In late 2006, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz worked together again in the duet "Te lo Agradezco, Pero No", which is featured on Sanz' album El Tren de los Momentos. The song was a top ten hit in Latin America, and topped Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart.

Shakira worked with Miguel Bosé in the duet "Si Tu No Vuelves", which was released in Bosé's album Papito, which celebrates his 30-year career.

In early 2007, Shakira worked with American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles in the track "Beautiful Liar", which was released as the second single from the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's B'Day. In the week of April 7, 2007, the song jumped 91 positions, from 94 to 3, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the largest upward movement in the history of the chart. It was also No. 1 on the official UK Singles Chart.

Future projects

According to an article published on December 10, 2006 on The Boston Globe, Shakira is to provide three songs for the soundtrack of the film adaptation of the Gabriel García Márquez novel Love in the Time of Cholera, which is due out around late 2007.

Acting

Shakira appeared in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1996, playing the character of Luisa Maria. Since then, the singer has shown no desire to ever act again. She is, however, purportedly attached to co-star in Dare to Love Me, a movie about the famous tango singer Carlos Gardel, along with Rodrigo Santoro, Paz Vega, and Jordi Mollà. The production release is scheduled for 2007. To this date, the rumor persists although Shakira's management has long since denied it.

Personal life

In 2000, Shakira started dating Antonio de la Rúa, the son of then president of Argentina Fernando de la Rúa, a romance that made headline news throughout Latin America. In March of 2001, he proposed to her. De la Rúa and Shakira remain engaged, with future plans to marry. She currently lives in The Bahamas. According to Shakira's future mother-in-law Inés Pertiné, the wedding will be taking place next September in the mansion which Shakira owns in Dominican Republic. She also said that Shakira has already ordered Argentine designer María Pryor to design her wedding dress.

Dancing

‎Shakira is well-known for her dancing in various music videos and in concert. Her moves are based on the art of belly dancing, a part of her Lebanese heritage. Shakira says she learned this form of dance as a young teen to overcome her shyness. The intense training has afforded her a fluidity in her body movement most seen in the video to her hits "Ojos Así", "La Tortura", "Hips Don't Lie" and "Beautiful Liar". She has had several belly dance choreographers, including award-winning Bellydance Superstar Bozenka As the MTV Making the Video for "La Tortura" reveals, she worked with Jamie King for the choreography, but ended up creating most of it herself.

Philanthropy

In 2001, Shakira founded the Fundación Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet Foundation). It is a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children in Quibdó (a city on the Pacific coast of Colombia) and Barranquilla. It is funded by Shakira and many other international groups and individuals.

On July 2, 2005, Shakira performed her hits "Whenever, Wherever" and "La Tortura" on the Live 8 benefit concert on the Palace of Versailles, near Paris.

Shakira is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNICEF and is one of their global representatives. "Shakira, like all our Goodwill Ambassadors, was chosen based on her compassion, her involvement in global issues, her deep commitment to helping children, and her appeal to young people around the world. We're very pleased to have Shakira join the UNICEF family. I know she'll help bring UNICEF's mission to the audience who will have the most impact on our future – young people themselves", said UNICEF's Executive Director Carol Bellamy.

On April 3 2006, Shakira was honored at an United Nations ceremony for creating the Fundación Pies Descalzos. At the event she said: "Let's not forget that at the end of this day when we all go home, 960 children will have died in Latin America."

Shakira was recently ranked at number 48 on the list of Top 50 Most Charitable Celebrities by OK! magazine. It was said on the magazine that she donates approximately US$55,000 to charity.

Discography

Albums

Number-one singles

Tours

• 1997: Tour Pies Descalzos
• 2000: Tour Anfibio
• 2002-2003: Tour of the Mongoose
• 2006-2007: Oral Fixation Tour

Grammy and Latin Grammy History

See also: List of Shakira awards

See also

• List of Shakira awards
• Grammy & Latin Grammy Awards and nominations for Shakira
• Oral Fixation Tour
• List of Colombians
• List of Lebanese people
• Pop Latino
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
• List of artists who reached number one in Ireland
• List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
• List of best-selling albums worldwide
• List of best-selling singles (France)
• List of best-selling music artists
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
• Best-selling singles worldwide
• List of best-selling remix albums worldwide

Sources

• Oral Fixation World Tour 2006 (info) Template:Es icon
• VH1 Driven: Shakira (article)
• VH1 Driven: Shakira (video)
• Book: Woman Full Of Grace by Ximena Diego
• Pareles, Jon (Nov. 14, 2005). "Shakira, from lip to hip". New Straits Times, p. L3.
• "Shakira pertahan orang Arab". (Nov. 8, 2005). Berita Harian, p. 13.
• Frank Cogan's review of Laundry Service for The Village Voice
• Chart Performance for "Don't Bother" from Billboard Hot 100
• Chart Performance for Oral Fixation 2
• Oral Fixation 2 Sales

References

1. Baltin, Steve. "Shakira Trots Out 'Mongoose'". Rolling Stone. November 11, 2002. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
2. http://justsamachar.com/entertainment/shakira-will-show-mumbai-the-moves Justsamachar.com
3. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/03/20/bmshakira120.xml Telegraph.co.uk
4. Katz, Gregory. "Shakira it up with Shakira". USA Weekend. December 11, 2005. Retrieved April 27, 2007
5. http://www.babynameworld.com/arabic.asp
6. Katz, Gregory. "Shakira it up with Shakira". USA Weekend. December 11, 2005.
7. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/shakira/articles/story/5937750/shakira
8. ^ Wright, Evan (2002-04-11). "Shakira". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
9. "Shakira: 'I don't hate Britney'". BBC News. March 24, 2002. Retrieved January 22, 2007.
10. Katz, Gregory. "Shakira it up with Shakira". USA Weekend. December 11, 2005.
11. ^ "Shakira". Contemporary Musicians, Volume 33. 2002. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
12. "Driven: Shakira". VH1. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
13. Freedom du Lac, Josh. "In Any Language, a Whole Lotta Shakira Goin' On". The Washington Post. August 31, 2006: page C01. January 22, 2007.
14. A.R. Lakshmanan, Indira. "On location, out on a limb". The Boston Globe. 10 December, 2006. Retrieved 19 April, 2007.
15. "El Oasis". IMDb
16. Dare to Love Me at IMDb
17. VOY Music. "Shakira Prepares Wedding" December 29, 2006
18. Terra Actualidad, "Shakira se casa en septiembre en su residencia de República Dominicana" Template:Es icon (Retrieved on 21 May 2007)
19. http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/shakiras%20belly%20dancing%20discovery_27_01_2006
20. http://www.bozenka.biz/bio.html
21. http://www.unicef.org/media/media_15183.html UNICEF.org
22. Parsley, Aaron. "Shakira Honored at United Nations". Teen People. April 4, 2006
23. "Shakira: Billboard Singles". AllMusic.com. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
24. "UK Top 40 Hit Database". EveryHit.com. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
25. "Australian Singles Chart". AustralianCharts.com. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
26. "United World Chart". MediaTraffic.de. Retrieved 2007-04-30.

External links

• Official website
• Shakira at IMDb
• Shakira Biography on Squidoo
• Pies Descalzos Foundation Official site

Template:Link FA

• 1977 births
• Barranquilla
• Belly dancers
• Colombian musicians
• Colombian singers
• Colombian women
• Dance musicians
• Grammy Award winners
• Lebanese-Colombians
• Living people
• Shakira
• Singer-songwriters
• Spanish-Colombians