The Graceful One

Her name means “Woman full of grace” in Arabic, and, gracefully, she has danced and sung all the way to

the Grammy and MTV Awards. In 2008, her creative talents earned her a nomination for a Golden Glob award for writing the best original song for a film. In short, she has become one of the most popular Latin pop stars-and an international sensation.

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 2, 1977. She is the daughter of a Colombia mother and a Lebanese father. Shakira’s love for music was evident early on, and she wrote her first song at the age of 8. She learned belly-dancing from her Lebanese grandmother, and she used to love to perform-dancing and singing. According to one story, Shakira was kiched out of a choir because her strong voice drowned out the other singers.

When Shakira was 10, she won he first national talent contest, and she went on winning other talent shows singing and playing the guitar. In 1990, she signed a deal with Sony Music in Colombia and recorded her first album Magia (magic) with songs she wrote between the ages of 8 and 13. As a result, she was chosen to represent her country at the International OTI Song Festival in Spain, allowed to participate. So instead, Shakira recorded a second album of original material, Peligro (Dange) back in Colombia. Then she took a break from music and went back to school.

Two years later, in 1995, Shakira recorded Pies Descalzo (Barefeet), a smash hit, which sold four million copies worldwide. She went on a world tour and performed to sold-out audiences. In 1998, she abandoned the light-pop and rock. The result was another hit: D’onde Est’an Los Ladrone? ( Where Are the Thieves?). The idea to do songs in English first came up during Shakira’s partnership with producer Emilio Estefan and his wife, singer Gloria Estefan. Together they produced Laundry Service. The most extraordinary thing about the album is the way Shakira was able to translate her Latin American sensibility into a new language.

Shakira is the most exciting singer/songwriter to come out of Latin America in years. For the millions that buy her albums, she is already the voice of a new generation. In 2003, she became the youngest ever UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) Goodwill Ambassador. Shakira also runs a foundation to help poor children in Colombia called Pies Descalzos (Barefeet).