Posted March 21, 200619 yr After achieving superstardom throughout Latin America, Colombian-born Shakira became Latin pop's biggest female crossover artist since Jennifer Lopez broke down the doors to English-language success. Noted for her aggressive, rock-influenced approach, Shakira maintained an extraordinary degree of creative control over her music, especially for a female artist; she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists. When she released her first English material in late 2001, she became an instant pop sensation, thanks to her quirky poetic sense and a sexy video image built on her hip-shaking belly-dance moves. Shakira Mebarak (full name: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll) was born February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, into a poor family. Her mother was a native Colombian and her father was of Lebanese descent, and so as a child Shakira soaked up music from both cultures; she also listened heavily to English-language rock & roll, listing her favorite bands in later interviews as Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Police, the Cure, and Nirvana. Shakira wrote her first song at age eight, began entering (and winning) talent competitions at age ten, and started learning the guitar at age 11; one story runs that around this age, she was kicked out of her school choir for singing too forcefully. In 1990, at age 13, Shakira moved to Bogotá in hopes of pursuing a modeling career, but wound up signing a record deal with Sony's Colombian division instead. Her 1991 debut album, Magia (Magic), was comprised of songs she'd written over the past five or six years, including some of her earliest efforts. Although it didn't break internationally, the record started to make a name for her in her home country. Dissatisfied with the pop inclinations of the follow-up, 1993's Peligro (Danger), Shakira changed direction for a time, joining the cast of the Colombian soap opera El Oasis in 1994. When Shakira returned to recording in 1995, she asserted more control over the direction of her music, and worked more rock & roll rhythms -- as well as occasional Arabic tinges -- into her Latin pop material. The first results were Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet), which was initially released in 1995; a slow seller at first, the album gradually caught on thanks to the rock-tinged single "Estoy Aqui," which became a hit all over Latin America, as well as Spain. After that breakthrough, Pies Descalzos just kept spinning off singles: "Dónde Estás Corazón?," "AntologÃÂa," "Pienso en Ti," "Un Poco de Amor," "Se Quiere, Se Mata." The album hit number one in eight different countries and eventually went platinum in the U.S. as well; Shakira toured for nearly two years promoting it (she finally left El Oasis in 1997). Seeking to build on her success, Shakira signed Emilio Estefan -- Gloria's husband and a highly successful music-biz insider -- as her manager and producer. The move paid off when her follow-up album, 1998's Dónde Están los Ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?), became an even bigger worldwide hit than its predecessor. What was more, it cracked the lucrative U.S. market wide open, spending 11 weeks at number one on Billboard's Latin album chart and producing two U.S. number ones (on the Latin chart) with "Ciega, Sordomuda" and "Tu." The album's signature track, however, was the worldwide hit "Ojos AsÃÂ," her most explicit nod yet to the Arabic music she'd picked up from her father (not to mention its latent belly-dancing connotations). Dónde Están los Ladrones? was also the most effective presentation yet of Shakira's strong-willed persona; her self-analysis made her even more popular among female fans, while her anger over love gone wrong drew comparisons to Alanis Morissette. When Gloria Estefan offered to translate "Ojos AsÃÂ" into English, the prospect of a crossover suddenly seemed tangible, and Shakira decided that the most effective way to maintain control over her material was to learn English well enough to write in it herself. In the meantime, she set the stage for her crossover bid with a performance on MTV Unplugged; the channel's first Spanish-language broadcast. MTV Unplugged was released as an album in early 2000, and topped the Latin charts for two weeks on its way to becoming her third straight platinum album; it also won a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album. At the inaugural Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in 2000, Shakira delivered a much-discussed, show-stopping performance of "Ojos AsÃÂ," and took home Unplugged-related trophies for Best Female Pop Vocal ("Ojos AsÃÂ") and Best Female Rock Vocal ("Octavo Dia"). Mainstream pop stardom beckoned. Shakira dyed her long brown hair blonde, romanced Antonio de la Rua (son of the former president of Argentina), and went to work on her first (mostly) English-language album, Laundry Service. The single/video "Whenever, Wherever" was released in advance of the album in late 2001, and made her a star in the English-speaking world almost overnight. Laundry Service entered the American pop charts at number three, and "Whenever, Wherever" climbed into the Top Ten of the singles chart, peaking at number six. The follow-up "Underneath Your Clothes" also hit the Top Ten, halting at number nine; less than a year after its release, Laundry Service had gone triple platinum. Reviews of Laundry Service were divided as to the effectiveness of Shakira's English lyrics, but nearly all agreed on her unique poetic imagery. Extensive touring to support Laundry Service lead to a long break for the singer, so a remix collection (2002's Laundry Service: Washed and Dried) and a live album (2004's Live & Off the Record) appeared in lieu of a new album. Revitalized, Shakira began the writing process for her next release and soon had 60 songs ready to go, some in English, some in Spanish. Twenty of the songs were selected and divided up by language to make two different albums. Both appeared in 2005 with the Spanish-language album, Fijacion Oral, Vol. 1. The albums first song, La Tortura, broke records around the world and became the biggest song of her 16 year career. The Latter album went on to become the fastest selling latin album of all time, selling 2 million copies in less than 2 months. The album Oral Fixation Vol. 2 has been described as the English Donde Estan Los Ladrones, and Contains the soon to be mega-hit Hips Don't Lie, and the addictive Don't Bother. Shakira will also be embarking on her 4th world tour later on in the year. From rags to riches, Shakira's story truly is the stuff dreams are made of. From her humble beginnings in Barranquilla to worldwide megastardom, Shakira has revolutionised music and given Latin America it's biggest ever female. Not bad for somebody 4ft 11!
March 21, 200619 yr Author Album Discography Magia Released: 1991 Tracks: "Suenos" - "Esta Noche Voy Contigo" - "Lejos De Tu Amore" - "Magia" - "Cuentas Conmigo" - "Cazador De Amor" - "Necesito De Ti" - "Gafas Oscuras" Peligro Released: 1993 Tracks: "Tu Sera La Historia De Mi Vida" - "Peligro" - "Eres" - "Ultimo Momento" - "Quince Anos" - "Brujeria" - "Eterno Amor" - "Este Amor Es Lo Mas Bello Del Mundo" - "Controlas Mi Destino" Pies Descalzos Released: April, 1996 US: Platinum Tracks: "Estoy Aqui" - "Antologia" - "Un Poco De Amor" - "Quiero" - "Te Necesito" - "Vuelve" - "Te Espero Sentada" - "Pies Descalzos Suenos Blancos" - "Pienso En Ti" - "Se Quiere Se Mata" - "Donde Estas Corazon" The Remixes Released: October, 1997 Tracks: "Shakira DJ Megamix" - "Estoy Aqui" - "Estou Aqui" - "Donde Estas Corazon" - "Un Poco De Amor" - "Um Pouco De Amor" - "Pies Descalzos" - "Pes Delcalcos" - "Estoy Aqui" - "Donde Estas Corazon" - "Un Poco De Amor" - "Pies Descalzos, Suenos Blancos" Donde Estan Los Ladrones? Released: September, 1998 US: Platinum Billboard peak: # 131 Tracks: "Ciega Sordomuda" - "Si Te Vas" - "Moscas En La Casa" - "No Creo" - "Inevitable" - "Octava Dia" - "Que Vuelvas" - "Tu" - "Donde Estan Los Landrones" - "Sombra De Ti" - "Oios Asi" MTV Unplugged Released: February, 2000 US: 2x Platinum Billboard peak: # 124 Live Tracks: "Octavo Dia" - "Si Te Vas" - "Donde Estan Los Ladrones" - "Moscas En La Casa" - "Ciega, Sordomuda" - "Inevitable" - "Estoy Aqui" - "Tu" - "Sombra De Ti" - "No Creo" - "Ojous Asi" Laundry Service Released: November, 2001 US: 3x Platinum Billboard peak: # 3 Rolling Stone: - Entertainment Weekly: C- Tracks: "Objection (Tango)" - "Underneath Your Clothes" - "Whenever, Wherever" - "Rules" - "The One" - "Ready For The Good Times" - "Fool" - "Te Dejo Madrid" - "Poem To A Horse" - "Que Me Quedes Tu" - "Eyes Like Yours (Ojos Asi)" - "Suerte (Whenever, Wherever)" - "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" Coleccion De Oro Released: January, 2002 Tracks: "Estoy Aqui" - "Antologia" - "Poco De Amor" - "Quiero" - "Te Necesito" - "Vuelve" - "Te Espero Sentada" - "Pies Descalzos, Suenos Blancos" - "Pienso En Ti" - "Donde Estas Corazon" - "Se Quiere, Se Mata" Grandes Exitos Released: November, 2002 Tracks: "Estoy Aqui" -"Antologia" -"Un Poco De Amor" -"Donde Estas Corazon" -"Ciego, Sordomuda" -"Si Te Vas" -"No Creo" -"Inevitable" -"Ojos Asi" -"Suerte (Whenever, Wherever)" -"Te Aviso, Te Anuccio (Tango)" -"Tu" -"Donde Estan Los Ladrones" -"Moscas En La Casa" Live & Off The Record (CD/DVD) Released: March, 2004 Tracks: "Ojos Asi" - "Si Te Vas" - "Underneath Your Clothes" - "Ciega, Sordomuda" - "The One" - "Back In Black" - "Tu" - "Poem To A Horse" - "Objection (Tango)" - "Whenever, Wherever" Fijacion Oral Released: June, 2005 US: Gold Billboard peak: # 4 Rolling Stone: - Entertainment Weekly: B+ Tracks: "En Tus Pupilas" - "La Pared" - "La Tortura" - "Obtener un Si" - "Dia Especial" - "Escondite Ingles" - "No" - "Las de la Intuicion" - "Dia de Enero" - "Lo Imprescindible" - "La Pared" (Version Aszstica) - "La Tortura" (Shaketon Remix) Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 Released: November, 2005 US: Platinum Rolling Stone: - Entertainment Weekly: B- Tracks: "How Do You Do" - "Don't Bother" - "Illegal" (featuring Carlos Santana) - "The Day And The Time" - "Animal City" - "Dreams For Plans" - "Hey You" - "Your Embrace" - "Costume Makes The Clown" - "Something" - "Timor" Edited July 29, 200618 yr by Screwed
November 26, 200915 yr does it's real that Shakira's IQ is 140? :D lol I read it somewhere :D Edited November 27, 200915 yr by Mr.Michael
December 1, 200915 yr does it's real that Shakira's IQ is 140? :D lol I read it somewhere :D I think so, I've read it quoted as that a few times. I guess there's not many people that actually know the truth.
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