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Shakira Profile |
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Birth Date: February 2, 1977
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Birth Place: Barranquilla, Colombia
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Birth Name: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
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Height: 5'2"
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Biography |
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 2, 1977, Shakira
Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is the youngest sibling of her
parents' eight children. Her father William Mebarak, who is
American of Lebanese descent, and Colombian mother, Nidia
Ripoll, both supported their daughter's ambition of becoming
a singer.
Shakira knew early on that she wanted to be a professional
musician and by the time she was 8, she was already writing
her own songs. This undeniable prodigy even began playing
the guitar by 11 years of age.
While in school, Shakira was making her musical talent known
by winning talent shows playing the guitar, and she was even
kicked out of her school choir because her voice drowned out
the other choir singers. Elsewhere, Shakira impressed judges
at local and national competitions, who declared her winner
of these contests.
At the age of 13, Shakira had become Sony Colombia's newest
artist, and her first album, entitled Magia (Magic) was
released. The album was a compilation of songs that she had
written between the ages of 8 and 13.
The album was well received and Colombian listeners were
beginning to realize who this feisty musician was. The
16-year-old Shakira was chosen to represent her native
Colombia at the Festival OTI in Spain, but since she was
under the minimum age, she could not participate.
Shakira's second album, Peligro (Danger) was released, and
was met with considerable success. Not neglecting her
education, she returned to school to receive her high school
diploma.
Shakira knew early on in her career that she wanted to sing
in the rock genre, despite Sony's original attempts to make
her a pop singer, adhering to the commercial standards of
the time. Following her heart, Shakira's third album, Pies
Descalzos went on to become a huge hit, and featured her own
rock, pop and Latin inspired tunes.
Released in 1995, Pies Descalzos's success is largely due to
the Latin American radio airplay it received. It spawned
number one singles such as "Estoy Aqui" and "Donde Estas
Corazon" and many more consecutive hit singles. The album
soared up to number one in eight countries and sold over
four million copies.
Following the worldwide success of her album, Shakira went
on a 2-year international tour, selling out in every venue.
Her popularity pushed her to release Portuguese remixes of
her songs for her fans in Brazil.
Shakira entered the realm of acting with a role on the
Colombian soap opera El Oasis from 1994 to 1997, but her
true passion remained music.
In 1998, Shakira released her fourth album, Donde Estan Los
Ladrones?, which has received much critical acclaim and was
considered Shakira's breakthrough album -- at least in the
Latin genre. The album went multi-platinum in U.S.,
Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Central America, Mexico, and
went platinum in Spain.
Produced by über-producer Emilio Estefan -- who also became
her manager -- the album is the perfect blend of gritty,
thought-provoking lyrics and rock-laden tracks, while still
preserving the Shakira that her original fans knew and
loved.
Often referred to as the Latin equivalent of Alanis
Morissette thanks to her long dark hair (at the time) and
rock-infused style, Shakira, whose name means "woman full of
grace" in Arabic, succeeds to captivate her audience without
the bitterness that Morissette is usually associated with.
Shakira was chosen as the cover girl for Time Magazine's
issue featuring the article "Era of the Rockera," and has
also graced the cover of Cosmopolitan. In addition, Shakira
was named an official goodwill ambassador by the Colombian
government and Latin Female Artist of the Year at the World
Music Awards.
While she released an MTV Unplugged album in 2000 -- which
MTV didn't air at first, but later aired on MTV Latin
America -- she had yet to breakthrough in mainstream English
pop.
But a performance on the CBS-aired Latin Grammys in
September 2000 (and several awards), and a catchy song
"Whenever, Wherever," made American audiences sit up and
take notice. Shakira's English recording debut, Laundry
Service was released in 2001, and with the help of
"Whenever, Wherever," its accompanying video (which features
Shakira walking very seductively amid a desert and wildlife)
and the follow-up single, "Underneath Your Clothes," has
been certified double platinum. The now platinum-haired
beauty is curving her way to superstardom. |
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Other
Information |
Announced engagement to Antonio de la Rua, son of the
present President of Argentina. [March 2001]
Is the youngest of eight siblings.
Shakira is Arabic for "grateful" or "full of grace."
Is of Colombian and Lebanese heritage
Named her album "Laundry Service" because when she is in
love she feels "clean and fresh"
Has an IQ of 140!
Fluent in Portuguese, Italian, and English, in addition to
Spanish and Arabic
Hates to wear jewelry.
Her Lebanese grandmother taught her the art of Arabian Belly
Dancing so she can stay true to her middle eastern roots
Has perfect pitch (the ability to recognize any note upon
hearing it or sing any note without prior to hearing it)
Her manager for Latin America, Patricia Tellez, the woman
who helped her go from being local artist to Grammy-winning
global artist, died of a heart attack in Bogota on 17 August
2004.
Ranked #9 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the
World" (2002).
She likes chocolate balls.
Father's name is William Mebarak Chadid and mother's name is
Nidia del Carmen Ripolli Torrado.
Her mother is half Colombian and half Italian and her father
is American with Lebanese ancestry.
She has 5 half brothers Alberto, Edward, Moises, Tonino and
Robin and 3 half sisters Ana, Lucy and Patricia.
Steven Spielberg offered her the role of Elena Montero in
The Mask of Zorro (1998) back when he was originally in
talks to direct it. But, she turned the offer down because
she felt that not only was she a bad actress, but her
English wasn't good enough.
When she was two years old her oldest half-brother died in
an accident while he was riding a motorcycle and a drunk man
hit him with his car.
Her oldest half-sister Lucy is a surgeon, Alberto, her
half-brother, is a lawyer, Moises is the third child, Tonino
is the fourth child and the closest to Shakira, having
worked many years as her road manager. Then is Patricia who
lives in Spain, she is a special education teacher, and
finally there is Antonio and Edward, the youngest who lives
in Miami.
The first English song she wrote was Objection, from the
album Laundry Service.
She loves to eat corozos, a little Colombian fruit that is
sweet-sour.
Lost her suitcase with all her songs from Donde Estan Los
Ladrones in an airport in Bogota Colombia. This happened a
couple of months before she walked into the recording studio
to begin on that album.
Mattel put out several Barbie dolls inspired by Shakira and
her look.
Her album 'Fijacion Oral Vol.1' is #1 on the Billboard Latin
Albums Chart in September 2005.
Attended La Ensenanza School in Barranquilla.
Her English language album 'Oral Fixation 2' will be
released in November 2005.
Lists John Lennon as her #1 musical influence. |
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You are everything I need!=)