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Shakira

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Wikipedia-Article "Shakira"

Shakira

Shakira performing at the Versailles Castle in Paris, France.
Origin Barranquilla, Colombia
Country {{{country}}}
Years active 1990–present
Genre(s) Latin pop, rock
Label(s)
Members {{{current_members}}}
Past members {{{past_members}}}

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia; better known as Shakira) is a Latin pop and rock and roll singer and songwriter.

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Biography

On February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira was born to a father of Lebanese descent (who already had seven children by his previous wife) and a Colombian mother of Italian and Spanish descent. She moved to Bogotá with her family at the age of thirteen, and released her first album, Magia (Magic) a year later on the Sony label. The album failed to achieve success in her native country.

When her next release Peligro (Danger) also failed to achieve success, Shakira decided to turn to acting and played a role in a Colombian telenovela ("El Oasis"), but failed as an actress. She was approached by her record company to write a song for a Rock en Español compilation album, and, during her cab ride to the meeting with the music executives, she wrote "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" to present to them. She returned to the music business in 1995 with the album Pies Descalzos (Bare feet), which established her commercial success. The hit Estoy Aquí became known internationally. The Remixes was created and featured remixes from the songs on Pies Descalzos, with some songs redone in Portuguese.

Following this, Shakira met Emilio Estefan, Jr., who would become the executive producer of her next album. ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (Where are the thieves?) was an expensive production on which over US$3 million were spent. It was a huge success which gained wide critical acclaim and which many consider to be her best album ever. The most notable singles from the album were "Inevitable" and the worldwide mega-hit, "Ojos Así" which was sung in both Spanish and Arabic. The album's successful blend of rock and Latin soundscapes made it an immense success. Shakira also produced Shakira MTV Unplugged, a live album based on ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones?.

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English Crossover

Upon the success of ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones?, Shakira began working on a crossover album to the English-speaking market. Working with Gloria Estefan, Shakira wrote and recorded English versions of the ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? album. It was decided however, that new songs should be written rather than translated songs. Shakira improved her English enough to begin writing Laundry Service. With a more rock-edged feel, the album was aimed at the international English-speaking market, although it contained some Spanish songs. Some people claimed that Shakira's English skills were too weak for her to write in English (even being satirized in a MAD TV sketch), but Laundry Service was nevertheless a big success. It is best known for the infectious single "Whenever, Wherever" (English version of Suerte, English lyrics written by Gloria Estefan) and for being one of the top albums of 2002. Some of the originally recorded "translated" versions by Gloria Estefan still remain, namely Eyes Like Yours (English version of Ojos Asi). The single "Whenever, Wherever" for example, includes the now-famous lyric, "Lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains."

Shakira is well known for passionate, athletic live performances involving belly dancing, Arabic rhythms, and other sensual movements, most of which she performs in her bare feet.

In 2002, Shakira also released the greatest hits volume Grandes éxitos. Shakira: Live & Off the Record, a DVD and a 10-song CD from her 2002-03 world tour (the "Tour of the Mongoose"), was released March 30 2004. The name of the tour was derived from the fact that mongoose can defeat a cobra without being killed by its poison. The concerts were interspersed with visuals of a mongoose fighting a cobra.

Shakira's latest project has been split into two volumes. The first album, the Spanish-language Fijación Oral 1 was released in June 2005. The follow-up, the English-language Oral Fixation 2, was released on November 29 2005.

She co-writes and co-produces her songs with longtime partners Luis Fernando Ochoa and Lester Méndez. Vocal co-compilation, as well as direction of background vocal sessions by Rita Quintero. Also, Gustavo Cerati wrote 2 songs and played guitar on both albums.

Today, Shakira is considered by many to be a great talent. As Gabriel García Márquez once wrote of her, "Shakira's music has a personal stamp that doesn't look like anyone else's and no one can sing or dance like her, at whatever age, with such an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of her own invention."

Since 2000, she has been engaged to Antonio de la Rúa, the son of former Argentinian president Fernando de la Rúa. In light of the humanitarian and social crisis in Argentina, many members of the press lampooned the relationship as frivolous and arrogant. In response, Shakira gave a nonprofit concert in Buenos Aires and further promoted her humanitarian children's foundation "Pies Descalzos" (Bare feet), named after her third album. Many saw this as simple celebrity public relations move, even though such foundation was started by the singer shortly after the success of the Pies Descalzos album (1995-1996). Shakira has since built three elementary schools in Colombia to aid children that were displaced due to the guerrilla wars in her country. In October 2003 UNICEF named Shakira a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the organization. She was 26 at the time, making her the youngest UNICEF Ambassador in its history. She also has an protest song (that she wrote alone) on her current album Oral Fixation 2, entitled "Timor"

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2005–2006: Release of two albums

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Fijación Oral Vol. 1

Shakira on the cover of her sixth album Fijacion Oral Vol. 1.
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Shakira on the cover of her sixth album Fijacion Oral Vol. 1.

Fijación Oral Vol. 1, Shakira's first Spanish language album since ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones?, was released on June 6, 2005 in Europe and on June 7, 2005 in North America and Australia. The lead single "La Tortura" (English: The Torture, featuring Alejandro Sanz) became one of the only Spanish songs to debut on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100; though it took time, it eventually reached number twenty-three on the chart, the highest position for a Spanish song in the United States. In Canada, "La Tortura" also became the highest-charting Spanish song when it debuted and peaked at number twenty-one. Its success across the rest of the world was widespread and it managed to peak within the top ten of the majority of the charts it entered; it reached number four in Germany nad number two in Switzerland. In the U.S., "La Tortura" spent a still-record twenty-five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, making it the most successful Latin single ever.

The video for "La Tortura" made its debut on MTV's Total Request Live at number nine, and was the second Spanish music video ever to be included in the countdown. It reached a peak position of number four on the countdown, setting a record for highest Spanish position ever on the chart. "La Tortura" also achieved some success on VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown.

Fijación Oral Vol. 1 was simultaneously released in Latin America and charted at number one in almost all of its countries. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and is currently the best-selling Spanish first-week sales album (180,000 copies), breaking Ricky Martin's self-titled album (number twelve, selling 60,000 copies). It was also well-received in non-Spanish speaking countries such as Italy and Germany, where it reached number one, Austria, where it reached number three, and Canada, where it reached number seven.

The second single from Fijación Oral Vol. 1, "No", was released in September 2005. It failed to match the international chart success of "La Tortura", however peaked at number one in Colombia for fourteen non-consecutive weeks. It also reached number one in Spain.

Shakira, who performed at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards in Miami, Florida on August 28, 2005, was nominated for three MTV Video Music Awards: Best Female Video, Best Dance Video, and Viewers Choice for "La Tortura". Her performance at the awards ceremony made history as being the first performance ever that was sung completely in Spanish.

On December 8, 2005, Shakira was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Latin Rock Album for Fijación Oral Vol. 1.

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Oral Fixation Vol. 2

Shakira on the cover of her album Oral Fixation Vol. 2.
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Shakira on the cover of her album Oral Fixation Vol. 2.
Cover of Shakira's Album "Oral Fixation Vol. 2" after been altered and removing her song How Do You Do in the Middle East
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Cover of Shakira's Album "Oral Fixation Vol. 2" after been altered and removing her song How Do You Do in the Middle East

Shakira's second English album, Oral Fixation Vol. 2, was released on November 29, 2005 in North America and Australia. "Don't Bother" was well-received by music-critics as the album's lead single, however failed to peak within the U.S. top forty, reaching number forty-two. Its chart performance was weaker than that of Shakira's previous English singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes" (both reached the U.S. top ten and Canadian top five). It peaked at number seven in Germany, at number eight in Italy, and at number thirty in Australia.

On October 30, 2005 at the Hackney Empire in Hackney, East London, England, Shakira presented her new album Oral Fixation Vol. 2 to more than two hundred and fifty competition winners and selected members of the British press. The concert (at which Shakira performed four tracks from the album as well as previous work) was hosted by MTV and was featured in the MTV 5 Star campaign following her performance. Shakira is one of the first artists to be featured for the campaign.

Oral Fixation Vol. 2 was placed in pre-order status weeks before its release at the iTunes Music Store. Under this status, it gave a pre-order song which would not be available after its release date. The remix of "Don't Bother" was available in the other stores as a purchaseable song, which was the pre-order song in the United States. The album is included with a digital version of the booklet.

The UK division of Sony BMG were reprimanded by Shakira's PR agency for incorrectly promoting the album in time for its worldwide release, resulting in the UK release date being postponed to February 27, 2006. To help promotion in the UK, which has always been a difficult area for Shakira, a DualDisc version of Oral Fixation Vol. 2 will be released worldwide.

Recently the media has reported that Oral Fixation Vol. 2 has been censored in Egypt, the Middle East. Muslim nations have ban the song "How Do You Do" because it might offend people for its content in which Shakira questions God. The song has been taken out form the album, the cover has also been altered. Shakira appears behind a bush, and is covered from her breasts below, whereas her stomach is exposed in the North American and European LP cover editions.

Shakira has confirmed that she will embark on her second worldwide tour in 2006. The tour is expected to begin in April 2006. The Tour and recently released album is expected to be Shakira's last for some time, as she has expressed an interest in starting a family with her long-term boyfriend, Antonio de la Rúa, and taking a more relaxed approach to making music.

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Shakira Quotes

"I am a blend of several cultures. Through my veins runs Spanish, Lebanese and Italian blood. All of this heritage is a strong influence on the character of my music."

"I am a person who has many dreams, but as soon as I accomplish one I move on to the next. That's my fatal, absurd nature. Human beings are slaves to our dreams and I am, too."

"I am trying to make my accent so it won't bother anyone, but I am not going to drive myself crazy trying to pretend I am an American girl when I am from Colombia."

"I love the history of art, and history in general. Sometimes I feel I was born in the wrong era. There was more creativity in the air when people were still discovering new worlds."

"I was born and raised in Colombia, but I listened to bands like Led Zeppelin, The Cure, The Police, The Beatles and Nirvana."

"Writing in English was a major challenge. I didn't want other songwriters to write for me. I wanted to preserve the spirit of my songs in Spanish. I am the same Shakira in English as I am in Spanish."

"If I could, I'd live in the nude, like Eve in paradise"

"I'm slow and I take my time, like fruit takes time to ripen. You can't throw rocks at fruit so they can ripen faster."

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Discography

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Studio albums

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Singles

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See also

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References

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External links

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