Images sourced from Shakira's Official and Shakira Media Facebook pages, British Vogue and Shakira4siempre Youtube Channels
By Tyler Ody
Hey everybody, it’s Tyler here. I am doing a deep dive into the pop career of Shakira.
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 Febuary 1977 in Barranquilla, Columbia and is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado.
Shakira wrote her first poem when she was four years old called ‘The Crystal Rose’ and carried on writing poetry ever since.
In 1991, at the age of 14, Shakira released her debut album Magia (meaning magic in english) and two years later released Peligro which is translated into english as danger. They have since been pulled from release requested by Shakira and not considered as official albums.
During her short hiatus she graduated form high school and starred in the Columbian TV series The Oasis.
In 1995, Shakira went back into the music industry and released her third and international debut album Pies Descalzos (which in english means Bare Feet) which had six single releases.
Pies Descalzos peaked in the US at number three and number one the US latin album charts.
On 21 October 1997, Shakira released her first and only remix album The Remixes which consits of remixed tracks taken from Pies Descalzos.
In 1998, Shakira released her fourth album Dónde Están los Ladrones? (which means Where Are the Thieves in English). This album had six singles to promote it.
Dónde Están los Ladrones? peaked at number one on the US Latin Charts.
Early 2000 saw the release of her MTV Unplugged album which also had a DVD release in 2002.
In November 2001, Shakira decided to break into the English market with her fifth and debut English Laundry Service. This albun generated six single releases including Whenever Wherever and Objection (Tango).
Laundry Service gave Shakira a UK Chart position of Number 2.
Shakira’s career flourished internationally and she gained millions of fans.
2002 saw Shakira release Grandes Éxitos which is a Greatest Hits, with all her Spanish tunes.
Shakira decided to take a three year break to work on her sixth album.
In June 2005, Shakira released Fijacion Oral Vol 1 (Translated into English as Oral Fixation Vol 1) and had five singles released to promote it.
2006 saw the release of Oral FIxation Vol 2 - her seventh album and second English lauguage album.
The album promoted three singles which included the UK number one hit Hips Don’t Lie.
Oral Fixation Vol 2 peaked in the UK at Number 12 and earned her platinum disc. Both volumes would later become released as a boxset.
Shakira released her eighth studio album She Wolf in October 2009 with four singles to promote it.
She Wolf went in the UK Charts at number 4 with a gold disc to celebrate it.
She Wolf saw Shakira experiment with Electropop which differs to her previous releases
2010 was a busy year for Shakira, as she released Waka Waka This is for Africa as the 2010 World Cup anthem.
October of the same year she released Sale El Sol (Translated as The Sun Comes Out) which had five singles released including Loca with Dizzee Rascal.
This album saw Shakira return to her Latin Pop Roots after experimenting with Electropop on She Wolf.
Soon after, Shakira took a break from the music industry to work on other projects. During which time she became a judge on The Voice USA, and went into acting.
In 2012 Shakira announced to the world that she was expecting her first child, and in January 2013 gave birth to her son Milan.
In March 2014, Shakira released her self-titled tenth studio album which generated four singles Can’t Remember to Forget You featuring Rihanna, and Dare (La La La)
Shakira peaked at Number 14 in the UK albums chart and at the end of 2014, she announced she was expecting her second child.
During January of 2015, Shakira gave birth to her second son Sasha and decided to take a year out to be with her family.
On 26 May 2017, Shakira released her eleventh studio album El Dorado which is described as a Spanish album with three English songs. El Dorado peaked in the UK at number 54 and promoted eight singles.
In 2020, Shakira released Me Gusta with Anuel AA, and Girl Like Me featuring The Black Eyed Peas.
July 2021 saw her release Don’t Wait Up and in 2022, she released Te Felicito, Don’t You Worry, with The Black Eyed Peas and Monotonia.
On 11 January 2023 Shakira released Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 which broke Latin YouTube records which i must say is a massive achivement.
I hope Shakira releases a new album in either Spanish or English or better in both languages.
Shakira in a 1995 photoshoot for Pies Descalzos
Shakira posing in a Studio
Shakira on the Red Carpet in 2017 to promote her album El Dorado
Shakira in a 2021 interview with British Vogue
Shakira holding the Spotify Awards celebrating Hips Don't Lie 100,000,00 streams
Shakira in a 2005 interview with GMTV