• Faith: Christian - Catholic
• Career: Musician
• Birthday:  February 02, 1977

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, known simply as Shakira, is a songwriter and singer. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, she’s been referred to as the “Queen of Latin Music” and has been praised for her musical versatility. She made her recording debut with Sony Music Colombia at 13 years old. After her first two albums failed commercially, she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her following albums, “Pies Descalzos” and “Donde Estan los Ladrones?” She entered the English-language market with her fifth album, “Laundry Service,” which sold over 13 million copies worldwide.

Buoyed by the international success of her singles “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes,” the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc. described Shakira as a “pioneer” who extended the global reach of Latino singers. In 2022, MTV included her in the list of “The Most Influential Women in the History of Music,” being the only Latina on the list. Her success was further solidified with the Spanish albums “Fijacion Oral, Vol.1,” “Sale el Sol,” and “El Dorado,” all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and were certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Meanwhile, her English albums “Oral Fixation, Vol 2.,” “She Wolf,” and “Shakira” were all certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in various countries worldwide. Some of her songs have charted at number one in multiple countries, including “Ciega,” “Sordomuda,” “La Tortura,” “Whenever, Wherever,” “Hips Don’t Lie,” “She Wolf,” “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” “Loca,” “Can’t Remember to Forget You,” and “TGQ.” She served as a coach on two seasons of “The Voice.” As one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century, Shakira is credited with opening the doors of the international market for other Latin artists. With a catalog of 145 songs, Shakira has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the best-selling female Latin artists of all time.

Noted as a “global phenom” whose impact has “reached every corner of the world,” Shakira has been described as an “artistic link between the West and East for popularizing Middle Eastern sounds in the West and Western sounds in the East, primarily the Middle East. Due to her heritage as a Colombian of Lebanese descent, she’s perceived as particularly influential for Latino and Middle Eastern musicians and has been noted for introducing musical genres, instruments, and techniques from across Latin America, the Middle East, and other regions to a broader audience. She’s also credited for popularizing music in the Spanish language on a global level.

What religion is Shakira?

Shakira was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates, teachers, and the nuns at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected from the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded “like a goat.” In her song “How Do You Do,” Shakira quoted the Lord’s Prayer.