Shakira

Colombian singer and dancer Shakira shook her hips to worldwide crossover success, becoming the second-most successful female Latin singer of all time (after Gloria Estefan). Born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll in 1977 to a Colombian mother and a Lebanese father, she started writing songs as a child and performed in local talent shows. Her debut album, titled ‘Magia,’ dropped in 1991 and started her successful Spanish-language career. A decade later, she released her first English album, ‘Laundry Service.’ It peaked on the U.S. charts at No. 3 and featured the smash single ‘Whenever, Wherever.’ Shakira’s other big hits include the infectious ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ and the 2010 World Cup theme ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).’ She raised her stateside profile even further with a pair of coaching stints on ‘The Voice.’

Selected discography: ‘Laundry Service’ (2001), ‘Oral Fixation, Vol. 2′ (2005), ‘She Wolf’ (2009)

Related artists: Rihanna, Usher, Wyclef Jean

Further reading: Shakira’s Best Red Carpet Looks, Shakira Shakes It In GIFs, Shakira’s Activia Commercial

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