THE COLOMBIAN ARTIST WHO BECAME A GLOBAL LATIN POP ICON
Shakira
b. 1977 · Musician
Early Life
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, to a father of Lebanese descent and a Colombian mother, and began writing songs as a young child, reportedly composing her first song at age eight.
She signed her first recording contract as a teenager and released her first two albums in the early 1990s, though they did not achieve major commercial success, prompting her to take more creative control of her subsequent work.
Rise to Fame
Shakira achieved her first major breakthrough with the 1995 album Pies Descalzos, which became a commercial success across Latin America, followed by Dónde Están los Ladrones? in 1998, which further established her as a major Latin pop star.
She crossed over into the English-language market with the 2001 album Laundry Service, which included international hits and introduced her distinctive style, blending pop, rock, and Latin and Middle Eastern musical influences, to a global audience.
Career Highlights
Shakira became one of the best-selling Latin music artists in history, with hits including 'Hips Don't Lie' and 'Whenever, Wherever,' and performed the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),' which became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
She has won multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards throughout her career and performed at the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020 alongside Jennifer Lopez, further cementing her status as one of music's most globally recognized performers.
Personal Life
Shakira was in a long-term relationship with former professional soccer player Gerard Piqué from 2011 to 2022, with whom she has two sons; the couple's separation received significant public attention, which she later addressed candidly through her music.
She has been active in philanthropy for much of her career, founding the Pies Descalzos Foundation to support education for disadvantaged children in Colombia, reflecting her longstanding commitment to charitable causes.
Net Worth & Legacy
Shakira's net worth is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, built through record sales, touring, endorsements, and business ventures across more than three decades in the music industry.
From a young songwriter in Barranquilla to a global Latin pop icon, Shakira has built a legacy as one of the most commercially successful and culturally influential artists in Latin music history.