Biography of the life of Shakira

In Arabic, her name means "woman full of grace," and she is definaetly that. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 9,

1977 in Barranquilla, Columbia. Her mother was Columbian and her father was Lebanese. Because her father was a hundred percent Lebanese

she was greatly influenced in the Arabic culture. "I was so in love with that rock sound but at the same time because my father is of

l00% Lebanese descent, I am devoted to Arabic tastes and sounds. Somehow I'm a fusion of all of those passions and my music is a fusion

of all of them," Shakira said. Shakira grew up listening to many different american bands,"I was born and raised in Colombia, but I

listened to bands like Led Zeppelin, the Cure, the Police, the Beatles and Nirvanar." Because of that it is beleived that is why Shakira

is so popuilar all over the world, she can be heard and enjoyed by all different groups.

Shakira wrote her first song at the age of eight and at the age of ten she was winning local and national talent contests, she can

also speak three languages (spanish, english, and lebanese). At the tender and innocent age of 13, Shakira left home to pursue a career

in modeling. While pursueing her modeling career in Bogata she ended up signing a recording contract with Sony Music Columbia. In 1991,

at the age of fourteen she released her debut album "Magia," which means magic in english, every song was self written. This album and

her follow up "Peligro" (Danger) were not as successful as her later albums. Before recording "Peligro" she returned to secondary school

(high school) to finish her schooling. In 1994 Shakira appeared on a Columbian soap opera El Oasis, shortly after that she returned to

writing and recording her music once again. Shakira broke into the Latin American Music charts in 1995 with her breakthrough album "Pies

Descalzos." (Barefeet) The album hit the top of the charts with the singles, "Estoy Aqui" and "Donde Estas Corazon?" Pies Descalzos went

to