Biography: Shakira.
Shakira (“Woman of grace” in Arabic) Mebarak was born to an American father of Lebanese descent and a Colombian mother of Spanish and Italian descent in Barranquilla, Colombia's fourth largest city. The name Shakira means “graceful” in Arabic. She wrote her first poem at the age of four and her first song at the age of eight. As a child, she was influenced by music from her parents' cultures and English-language rock music. She has named bands like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles and Nirvana as important influences. Shakira recorded her first album at the age of 13 when she turned away from a modeling career.
Shakira
Shakira's first album, titled Magia, was released in 1991 and it was composed of songs she had written in recent years. It didn't sell well internationally, but gained attention in Colombia at home via radio airplay. After her next album, Peligro, Shakira briefly tried an acting career. Although disappointed with the production of her first two albums, Shakira returned to music in 1995 and exercised more control over her own recordings, incorporating more rock and Arabic influences. The fruit of her efforts was the album Pies Descalzos, her first major label release. Shakira's music sales remained slow until Pies Descalzos single “Estoy Aqui” began to rise and climb the charts in Spanish-speaking countries around the world. It was followed by a number of more singles from the album. Pies Descalzos award-winning album charts in eight different countries and reached #5 on the US Latin albums chart. Shakira earned three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year, Video of the Year and Best New Artist. With the release of the follow-up album Donde Estan los Ladrones? in 1998, Shakira became an even bigger star and started cracking the American music market. She produced the entire album herself and enlisted Emilio Estefan, the husband of Gloria Estefan, as executive producer. Donde Estan los Ladrones? spent 11 weeks at the top of the billboard's album bolography and has sold more than seven million copies worldwide. The album brought her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Rock/ Alternative Album.
