She is a Colombian songwriter and singer who currently has a net worth of $220 million. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born in Barranquilla (Colombia) on February 2nd, 1977. She has been on the stage since a very young age, and she has gained many recognitions and awards throughout her career.
Early years.
She is the only daughter of William Mebarak Chadid, a New York native from Lebanese origin emigrated to Colombia at the age of five, and his second wife Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado, a Colombian with Catalan background. Some media also affirm that her mother has Italian ancestry although it is not known surnames originating from this country. She has 8 half-brothers older than her father’s previous marriage.
Shakira (شاكرة šākira) means “grateful” in Arabic, which is the feminine name of Shakir (شاكر šākir). Her second name, Isabel, comes from her maternal grandmother and it has Spanish origin. Her first surname, Mebarak (مبارك məbārak), is Arabic, and her second surname, Ripoll, is Catalan.
Her first songs.
Shakira wrote her first poem, entitled “The Crystal Rose,” when she was only four. During her childhood she was fascinated to see her father write stories on a typewriter, and asked for one as a Christmas present. At the age of seven, she fulfilled her desire and continued to write poetry, poems that finally ended in songs.
At age of eight, she wrote her first song titled “Your Dark Glasses” inspired by her father who for years wore dark glasses to hide the pain of one of her sons’ deaths when Shakira was two.
Success.
In 1995, the record label decided to launch an album of hits by Colombian artists. This is how they thought about Shakira and they comment that they would include a song from one of her previous recordings, to which Shakira refused, and offered to compose a song especially for said compilation disc. This is how “Dónde estás Corazón?” (Where are you Heart?) is born, becoming a requested success in radio stations. The song also began to be listened outside her homeland, Colombia.
In 1996, Shakira released her first official studio album entitled Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Feet) That thanks to the collaboration of Luis Fernando Ochoa in the work production, would turn it into a figure of the Hispanic-American musical scope. Getting to know with the single Dónde Estás Corazón? Song that appeared in the compilation “Our rock” and that led to find the listeners the single Estoy Aquí (I am here).
Crossover.
In November 2001, the singer released her third studio album and the first “bilingual”, entitled Laundry Service, which merged pop and rock with elements of Latin music (for example, tango and Andean music) or Arabic elements.
South Africa 2010.
During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Shakira becomes the interpreter of the official song of the event. The song, called “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa),” uses fragments of an African military song, used this time with the goal of uniting people through music and football. Shakira interprets it with the collaboration of the South African group Freshlyground.
Personal life.
Since early 2011, she has maintained a relationship with the Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué, confirmed by the singer, on March 29, 2011 via Twitter. The singer and the footballer turn years on the same day (February 2), although 10 years apart. The couple have two children, Milan (born in 2013), and Sasha (born 2015).
