Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, known as Shakira in the popular music culture, is a Colombian singer and songwriter who has earned numerous music awards throughout her creative career. Shakira achieved popularity in the United States in early 2000's with the release of her album "Laundry Service" sung in the English language. s she evidently admits, Shakira named her first English-speaking album "Laundry Service" because when she is in love she feels "clean and fresh". The radio DJ repeatedly mentioned that Shakira was going to be the "next big singer" comparing her to success of Jennifer Lopez.Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on Wednesday, February 2, 1977 in the coastal city of Barranquilla, Colombia. he had considered Karime and Katiuska but finally chose Shakira, an arabic name derived from the word "Shukram" which means "Grace". [source: www.shakiraisabel.com]. The literal translation of the Arabic word Shakira is "woman full of Grace", even though Shakira has said she identifies more with its second meaning, "Grateful" or "Thankful".
Shakira has eight half-siblings; five brothers and three sisters, from her father and his former wife. Tonino, one of her younger half brothers is also Shakira's road manager. Shakira is fluent in 5 languages: Portuguese, Italian, English, Spanish and Arabic.
Shakira expressed interest in writing from early age. She was only 4 years old when she wrote her first poem "La Rosa De Cristal". About a question about her career, Shakira modestly replies: "You can laugh, but since I was a child I knew that I was going to be a well-known singer/songwriter; that was something I had no doubts about. It was almost like a prophecy." When Shakira was 8, she wrote her first song "Tus Gafas Oscuras", unfortunatelly inspired by her older brother's death in a motorcycle accident. She started winning local and national talent contests at age 10.
Shakira attended La Ensenanza School in Barranquilla, Colombia. Academically, Shakira was sensible and disciplined, but also inattentive; she did not pay attention in class as she would immerse herself in writing lyrics on the back of her notebooks. When she was 19, Shakira has shown interest in acting. In 1996 she appeared in the Colombian telenovela "El Oasis", as the character of Luisa Maria, a a rich girl destined for ill-fated romance.