Fun Facts About Shakira
- Shakira was rejected from her school choir in second grade because her music teacher said her vibrato was too strong; classmates told her she sounded like a goat.[1]
- At age four, Shakira heard an Arabic drum in a Middle Eastern restaurant and climbed onto a table to dance; later she belly danced at school every Friday morning.[1]
- Shakira's first song, "Gafas Oscuras" (Dark Glasses), was inspired by her father, who wore dark glasses for years to hide his grief.[1]
- At 10, Shakira won the top prize in a local TV talent contest: a bicycle.[1]
- At 19, Shakira was named a national cultural ambassador of Colombia, a distinction she shared with writer Gabriel García Márquez.[1][3][4]
- Shakira voiced a character named Gazelle in the 2016 animated movie Zootopia and sang its song "Try Everything."[1]
- Shakira was alive at the same time as Simone de Beauvoir — their lives overlapped for 9 years (1977–1986).[1][2][5][6]
- Shakira shares a birthday with James Joyce: both were born on February 2.[1][2][7][8]
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, known mononymously as Shakira, is a Colombian singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. Referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music", she has had a significant impact on the musical landscape of Latin America and has been credited with popularizing Hispanophone music globally, contributing to increased learning and use of the Spanish language worldwide. She is also credited with opening the doors of the international market in popular music for other Latin artists. Her accolades include four Grammy Awards and fifteen Latin Grammy Awards.[1]
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Questions About Shakira
When was Shakira born?
Shakira was born on February 2, 1977, and is alive today.
How old is Shakira?
Shakira was born on February 2, 1977, and turned 49 on February 2, 2026.
What is Shakira known for?
Shakira is known for: Colombian singer of Hips Don't Lie. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, known mononymously as Shakira, is a Colombian singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. Referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music", she has had a significant impact on the musical landscape of Latin America and has been credited with popularizing Hispanophone music globally, contributing to increased learning and use of the Spanish language worldwide. She is also credited with opening the doors of the international market in popular music for other Latin artists. Her accolades include four Grammy Awards and fifteen Latin Grammy Awards.
Who was alive at the same time as Shakira?
Shakira's closest contemporary was Noam Chomsky. Their lives overlapped for 49 years.
Sources
- Shakira — Wikipedia. Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shakira (Q34424) — Wikidata
- Gabriel García Márquez — Wikipedia
- Gabriel García Márquez (Q5878) — Wikidata
- Simone de Beauvoir — Wikipedia
- Simone de Beauvoir (Q7197) — Wikidata
- James Joyce — Wikipedia
- James Joyce (Q6882) — Wikidata
- Portrait: 2023-11-16 Gala de los Latin Grammy, 03 (cropped)01.jpg — Wikimedia Commons. Junta de Andalucía, CC BY-SA 2.0