31 Stunning Facts About Shakira We Bet You Didn’t Know Before

With over 60 million records sold worldwide, Shakira is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time. But, do you know, had she not chosen the career in music industry, she might have become a psychologist or even astronomer. Fortunately, she got her first record deal at the age of 13, and now we get mesmerized with her songs. Here are some really fascinating facts about the singer-songwriter that will make you love her more:

1. Shakira is a hugely popular Columbian-born female crossover artist noted for aggressive, rock-influenced approach. She wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own materials.
2. She is one of the world’s best-selling music artists, with over 75 million sales worldwide. She is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and twelve Latin Grammy Awards, the most by a female artist.
3. In 2006, a six-tonne,16-foot tall statute of Shakira designed by the German artist Dieter Patt, was installed in her home town Barranquilla. The words ‘when you look at me, think that you can accomplish what you want,’ are written on the monument.
4. She was born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, to Nidia Ripoll Torrado and William Mebarak Chadid. Her father is a son of Lebanon immigrant and her mother is a native Columbian of Spanish and Italian ancestry.
5. Her name Shakira, is Arabic for ‘grateful,’ was raised in Barranquilla, in northern part of Columbia, along with her eight older half-siblings from father’s previous marriage.
6. At the age of four she wrote her first poem, titled ‘La Rosa De Cristal.’. She continued writing poetry since then which later evolved into songs.
7. Shakira wrote her first song ‘Tus gafasoscuras,’ meaning, your dark glasses, inspired by her father, who wore dark glasses to hide his grief, following loss of his son, in a motorcycle accident.
8. She started entering talent competition from the age of ten and by the age of eleven, she learnt to play guitar. That is some talent when you consider she was sent out of her school choir for having a strong vibrato.
9. In 1990, at the age of 13, Shakira moved to Bogota in hopes of pursuing a modeling career, but wound up signing a record deal when the local theatre producer Monica Ariza, arranged a meeting with Sony Columbia division.
10. Shakira recorded her debut album, ‘Magia,’ which comprised songs she had written over the past five to six years. Though she was well received on Colombian radio, her album did not fare well with only 1,200 copies were sold worldwide. Her second album ‘Peligro,’ resulted in dismal sales, due to poor production.
11. In February 1993, she participated at the Chile’s ‘Vina del Mar,’ an international song festival and performed ‘Eres,’ to win the third place. Then 20-year old Ricky Martin was one of the judges who voted for her.
12. She starred in a Colombia TV series ‘The Oasis,’ loosely based on the 1985 Armero tragedy. The album has since been pulled from release and are not considered official Shakira album, rather promotional albums.
13. After the success of her single ‘DondeEstas Corazon,’ in Colombia, Shakira released her third and international debut album ‘Pies Descalzos,’ under Sony Music, in October 1995. With six hit singles, the album sold over 5 million copies and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
14. In March 1996, she performed twenty shows during her first international promotion tour for ‘Pies Descalzos.’ She received three ‘Billboard Latin Music Awards for 1997,’ in three categories, for ‘Album of the Year,’ for Pies Descalzos, ‘Video of the Year,’ for single ‘EstoyAqui,’ and ‘Best New Artist.’
15. In September 1998, she released her fourth album titled ‘DondeEstanlosLadrones,’ which held the top spot on the United States Latin Albums chart for 11 weeks. It became one of the best-selling Spanish albums in the U.S. and recorded over 7 million copies world over.
16. In 1999, she received her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Rock / Alternative Album, and in August 2000, she won an ‘MTV Video Music Award,’ in people’s choice- Favorite International Artist for the single ‘Ojos Asi.’
17. The fifth studio and first English-language debut album of her titled ‘Laundry Service,’ also known by ‘Servicio De Lavanderia,’ in Latin was released on November 13, 2001. The songs heavily influenced by Andean music, helped establish Shakira in the North America market.
18. Despite her album selling more than 13 million copies worldwide, she was criticized by Rolling Stone and Elizabeth Mendez Berry, for her English-language debut. She sounded downright silly and her magic was lost in translation.
19. At the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, Shakira, won ‘International Viewer’s Choice Award,’ with ‘Whenever, Whenever,’ and won the ‘Latin Grammy Award,’ in Best Short Form Music Video, for the Spanish version of the video.
20. In October that year, he won five awards at ‘MTV Video Music Awards Latin America,’ for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist-North, Video of the Year, and Artist of the Year.
21. In November 2006, Shakira won the top three prizes at the ‘Latin Grammy Awards,’ including song of the year, record of the year for her ‘La Tortura,’ duet with AljandroSanz, and album of the year for Fijacion Oral Vol 1.Earlier in the year, she won her second Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock, for the same.
22. Shakira combined with American singer, Beyonce Knowles for the song ‘Beautiful Liar,’ which was released as the second single from Beyonce’s album ‘B’Day.’ In April 2007, the single set the record for the largest upward movement, when it jumped 91 positions from 94 to number 3, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
23. She composed the music and wrote the lyrics for two new songs for the 2007 movie ‘Love in the Time of Cholera.’ The song ‘Despedida,’ was nominated for Best Original Song at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
24. In July 2008, Shakira signed a $300 million contract for ten years with ‘Live Nation,’ prompting Forbes to name her the fourth top-earning female artist in music history. This despite her contract with Epic Records, called for three more albums.
25. In January 2009, she performed at the President Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony held at the Lincoln Memorial ‘We Are One,’ ceremony. She performed ‘Higher Ground,’ with Steve Wonder and Usher.
26. Shakira, wrote, and co-produced in collaboration with the ‘Freshlyground,’ the South African Afro-fusion band to create the official song ‘Waka Waka,’ of 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. She performed at the World Cup kick-off and closing ceremony and the song became the biggest-selling song of all time.
27. She had frequently stated that though she has been influenced by her Arabian heritage, the Andean music and the South American folk music, had some bearing on her music. She also stated that she is inspired by oriental and Indian music.
28. Apart from being known as a ‘the belly dancer girl,’ during her school days, she is also called ‘The Crossover Queen,’ by The Economist, ‘The Queen of World Cup,’ by Billboard, and ‘Latin America’s Pop Queen,’ by Pitchfork.
29. In April 2014, she received ‘Hero Award,’ at the ‘2014 Radio Disney Music Awards,’ acknowledging Shakira’s continued dedication and work to improve the lives of children around the world through her foundation the ‘Pies Descalzos Foundation,’ started in 1997.
30. Shakira was in relationship with Antonio de la Rua, the Argentinian lawyer, for over ten years before entering into relationship with Gerard Pique, the Spanish football player. They have two sons, Milan and Sasha.
31. Shakira Net Worth: $300 Million