Some surprising facts about Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll:
- Shakira is fluent in four languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Arabic. She has recorded songs in all of these languages.
- She is a skilled belly dancer and incorporates this dance style into many of her performances. In fact, her distinctive hip-shaking dance moves have become a signature part of her stage presence.
- Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has worked on a number of charitable projects. In 2011, she was appointed to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics by then-President Barack Obama.
- She has won three Grammy Awards, 12 Latin Grammy Awards, and numerous other awards throughout her career. She is the only artist from South America to have a number one song in the United States.
- Shakira is known for her humanitarian efforts, particularly in her home country of Colombia. She has donated millions of dollars to charities and has established her own foundation, the Pies Descalzos Foundation, which helps children in impoverished areas of Colombia.
- In 2013, Shakira was named a coach on the hit singing competition show, “The Voice.” She appeared on the show for four seasons and was the first female coach to win.
- Shakira is also an actress and has appeared in a number of films and television shows. Her most notable role was in the Disney animated film “Zootopia,” in which she voiced the character of Gazelle and also wrote and performed the film’s theme song, “Try Everything.”
- She is a talented songwriter and has written or co-written most of her songs. She has also written songs for other artists, including Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé.
- Shakira has sold over 70 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
- She is married to Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué and the couple has two sons together.