Shakira Biography

Shakira
Birth Name : Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
Nickname : Shaki
Birthday : 2, Feb 1977 (Wednesday)
Height : 5'2" (1.57 m)
Weight : 106lb
Zodiac Sign : Aquarius

Fan Mail :
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2190 NW 89 Place
Miami FL 33172
USA

Family
Shakira was born on February 9, 1977, in the Colombian city of Barranquilla to William Mebarak and Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado. Her mother, Nidia Ripoll, is half Colombian and half Italian while her father, William Mebarak (jewler, clock salesman), is American with Lebanese ancestry. She is the youngest of eight siblings.

As her mother was a Colombian and her father was of Lebanese descent, so as a child Shakira soaked up music from both cultures; she also listened heavily to English-language rock roll. Shakira's love and talent for music was apparent at early age when she started winning local and national talent contests at age 10. She wrote her first song at the age of 8. She started learning the guitar at age 11; one story runs that around this age, she was kicked out of her school choir for singing too forcefully. In 1990, Shakira moved to Bogota to become a model, but instead emerged with a recording contract for Sony.

Debut Album : "Magia" (Magic)
When she was just 14, her debut album "Magia" was released, consisted entirely of self-written songs. Although it didn't break internationally, the record started to make a name for her in her home country. The CD didn't do very well and neither did her follow-up album, Peligro (Danger). After that Shakira decided to make the jump into acting. Shakira appeared on the Colombian soap opera El Oasis beginning in 1994, but returned to music the following year. At that point, at age 15 Shakira took a break from music, graduated from high school.

Breakthrough Performance : "Pies Descalzos" (Barefeet)
In 1995 with the album "Pies Descalzos" (Barefeet), which established her commercial success. The hit 'Estoy Aquí' became her known internationally. "The Remixes" was created and featured remixes from the songs on Pies Descalzos. The album has sold close to four million copies worldwide and over one million copies in Brazil alone. The album hit number one in eight different countries and eventually went platinum in the U.S. as well; Shakira toured for nearly two years promoting it. She finally left El Oasis in 1997.

Shakira mets Emilio Estefan and signed him as her manager and producer. The move paid off when her follow-up album, 1998's "Dónde Están los Ladrones?" (Where Are the Thieves?), became an even bigger worldwide hit than its predecessor. Which many consider being her best album ever? The most notable singles from the album were "Inevitable" and the worldwide mega-hit, "Ojos Así". The album's successful blend of rock and Latin soundscapes made it an immense success. Shakira also produced "Shakira MTV Unplugged", a live album based on "Dónde Están Los Ladrones?".

"Laundry Service"
Shakira next turned her sights towards the English-speaking market, improved her English enough to begin writing "Laundry Service". Laundry Service was aimed at the international English market although it contained some Spanish songs. Some people said that Shakira's English skills were too weak for her to write in English, but Laundry Service was nevertheless a big hit, best known for the infectious single "Whenever, Wherever" (English version of "Suerte"), and for being one of the top albums of 2002. Shakira is well known for intense, athletic performances involving belly dancing and Arabic rhythms.

In 2002 Shakira's "Grandes éxitos" was released, it was hit. Shakira: Live & Off the Record, a DVD and a 10-song CD from her 2002-03 world tour (the "Tour of the Mongoose"), was released March 30 2004. "The Tour of the Mongoose" was so-called because a mongoose can defeat a cobra without being killed by its poison. The concerts were interspersed with visuals of a mongoose fighting a cobra.

Upcoming : "Oral Fixation 2" (November 2005)
Her next project, which will release in 2005. This body of work will be released in two parts. The first album, scheduled to come out in June 2005, will be "Fijación Oral 1" followed by "Oral Fixation 2", in November 2005. She co-writes and co-produces her songs with Luis Fernando Ochoa and Lester Méndez. Vocal co-compilation, as well as direction of background vocal sessions by Rita Quintero. While "Fijación Oral 1" was released in June 7, 2005 and the other one is going to be release in November 2005.

Shakira is considered to be having great talent. As "Gabriel García Márquez" once wrote of her, "Shakira's music has a personal stamp that doesn't look like anyone else's and no one can sing or dance like her, at whatever age, with such an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of her own invention."

Shakira's Personal Life
Since 2000, she has been engaged to Antonio de la Rúa, the son of the former President of Argentina. Before that she was engaged with Osvaldo Rios (actor), but they were no longer together.

Shakira's Biography in short

Birth Name	Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
Birth date	February 2, 1977
Birthplace	Barranquilla, Colombia
Height	5'2" (1.57 m)
Weight	106lb
Horoscope	Aquarius
Education	Graduated from high school at age 15.
Occupation	Singer, Songwriter
Boyfriend	Antonio de la Rua (son of the President of Argentina) Osvaldo Rios (actor, no longer together)
Family	Father:William Mebarak (jewler, clock salesman) Mother:Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado Sisters:Lucy (neurosurgeon), Robin and Patricia Brothers:Tonino (road manager), Alberto (lawyer), Moises and Edward
Claim to Fame	Multi-platinum, Latin pop sensation crossed over with the hit album "Laundry Service" (2001)
Awards	2002: MTV Video Music Awards (Latin America), Artist of the year ; Video of the year; Female artist of the year; Pop artist of the year 2002: Latin Grammy Award , Best Music Video 2000: Grammy Best Latin Pop Performance, Shakira: MTV Unplugged