Shakira
Biography Shakira
Shakira
Denkt man an Shakira, so kommen einem sofort Sonne, Rhythmus, Südamerika, Temperament, Fußball-WM und fortgeschrittene Sexiness in den Sinn. Doch neben ihren unzähligen trademarkhaften Uptempo-Hits wie "Hips Don't Lie", "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)", "Can't Remember To Forget You" und jüngst "Dare (La La La)" überrascht die Kolumbianerin ihre Fans immer wieder mit großartigen Balladen, mit der sie ihre Liebe zur Rockmusik offenbart. So zählen Songs "Underneath Your Clothes" (2002) oder "Illegal" (feat. Carlos Santana, 2007) nicht nur seit Jahren zu unverzichtbaren Höhepunkten in ihren Live-Sets, sondern haben sich längst als Klassiker des gesamten Genres etabliert. Mit "Empire" veröffentlicht sie nun einen Song als Single, der sich nahtlos in diese Reihe anschließt. Geschrieben wurde der Song von Steve Mac (Leona Lewis etc.) und Ina Wroldsen (Pussycat Dolls, Sophie Ellis-Bextor u.a.), für die Produktion zeichnen Skakira und Steve Mac verantwortlich.
"Empire" ist die dritte Single aus ihrem aktuellen Album "Shakira.", das Platz fünf der deutschen Charts erreichte. Die beiden ersten Auskopplungen "Can't Remember To Forget You" (im Duett mit Rihanna) und "Dare (La La La)" wurden in Deutschland jeweils mit Gold ausgezeichnet.
Shakira
She was raised Roman Catholic. As a child, Shakira wrote poems, which eventually became songs. She enjoyed belly dancing, experiencing it when she was four years old. No one taught her how. She said, "It's proof that a collective, genetic memory really exists because as long as I've been aware, as soon as I hear the beat of a Derbeque, my hips begin to move instantly, without any effort at all" (shakiraisabel.com).
At age thirteen, Shakira moved to Bogota to pursue a modeling career, but ending up signing a record deal with Sony's Columbian division instead.
Shakira made her debut album, "Magia," when she was thirteen. Other albums followed, but it wasn't until her album "Laundry Service" that she was able to cross over into the English market. Her song, "Whenever, Wherever" reached number one in most countries and the album went triple platinum in less than a year after its release. She told Time, "I knew I could write songs in English. I just had to get over the fear."
Shakira speaks English and Portuguese with a smattering of Italian, French, Catalan and Arabic and has a contralto vocal range.
Shakira has become the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time, having sold 60 million albums worldwide. She has toured and released two concert albums, 2007's "Live" and 2008's "Oral Fixation Tour."
In 2008, Shakira signed a ten-year contract with Live Nation and Forbes named her the fourth top-earning female musician in history (starpulse.com).
Shakira listed John Lennon as her biggest influence, though many other bands inspired her as well.
Shakira dated Antonio de la Rua for over 11 years, beginning in 2000, but they broke up. She told Teen People, "I looked at him from a distance and said, 'Oh my God, how handsome this guy is.'" She is currently dating Gerald Pique and they are expecting their first child. She tweeted a photo of them, translated as "I present my sun to you."
Aside from singing, Shakira replaced Christina Aguilera as one of the regular coaches on the NBC singing competition show "The Voice." She also began her own beauty line, "S by Shakira" in 2010.
Shakira created her own charity, the Pies Descalzos Foundation that helps poor children in Colombia. (Source: Crave online)
