Shakira

Shakira (born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll) is a Colombian singer-songwriter and global pop star known for hits including “Whenever, Wherever,” “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira began writing poetry and songs at a young age and signed her first recording contract with Sony Music Columbia as a teenager. She attended Catholic school in Barranquilla but did not earn a college degree, instead focusing on her music career from an early age.

Shakira released her first albums in the early 1990s before breaking through with Pies Descalzos in 1995 and ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? in 1998. Her crossover success came with 2001’s Laundry Service, which introduced her to English-speaking audiences and spawned the hit “Whenever, Wherever.” She went on to become one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time, earning four Grammy Awards and 15 Latin Grammy Awards.

Her later works include albums like Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009), El Dorado (2017) and Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (2024). Throughout her career, she has collaborated with artists including Wyclef Jean, Pitbull and the Black Eyed Peas. Beyond music, she served as a coach on The Voice from 2013 to 2014 and voiced Gazelle in Zootopia (2016) and its 2025 sequel.

Shakira was in a long-term relationship with Antonio de la Rúa from 2000 to 2010. She later dated soccer star Gerard Piqué, confirming their relationship in 2011. The pair share two sons: Milan (born in 2013) and Sasha (born in 2015). Shakira and Piqué announced their separation in 2022 after more than a decade together. After being linked to Jimmy Butler in 2023, she sparked dating rumors with actor Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in 2026.