Shakira might be making headlines today for her Super Bowl halftime shows and her trademark hip swivel. But there’s plenty that fans don’t know about Shakira. From her career’s early days to her background and musical inspiration, so many twists and turns led the artist to where she stands today – as a musical icon with a resume longer than just about any other professional in the industry.
Here are 10 little-known facts we just learned – and every fan should know – about Shakira’s rise to fame and her legacy as an artist.
10 Shakira Started Recording Songs At Age 13
While audiences in the United States, for one, didn’t hear from Shakira until she was much older (and far more mature, as evidenced by “Hips Don’t Lie”), she actually began recording songs at age 13.
Even before she began recording music, though, Shakira was penning poetry. In an interview, she told The Guardian that her father bought her a typewriter before she even turned five. An artist from a young age, Shakira later began recording with Sony Colombia in 1990. Who knew that the young star would go on to tour the world, perform at the Super Bowl with J. Lo, and rock the charts after nearly dropping off Sony’s radar?
9 She Has Eight Siblings
Shakira, whose name means “grateful” in Arabic, has spoken about her childhood in interviews, but one thing she doesn’t always mention is her big family. While Shakira’s mom only had one child, the star’s dad had nine kids with his first wife before Shakira came along, explains Hola.
But as Shakira rose to fame, her siblings have stayed in the singer’s limelight. Her brother Toni Mebarack has served as her road manager. But her other siblings span every industry other than music: lawyer, neurosurgeon, businessman, and teacher are just a few of their titles. Of course, most of them are busy living their own lives (though one sibling passed away when Shakira was two).
8 Shakira Sang For Ricky Martin
The two are more like colleagues these days, but back when Shakira was first starting out, Ricky Martin had already made it somewhat big with the group Menudo. Big enough that he served as a judge for a music festival in Chile, at least.
Shakira performed at the festival, earned third place, and the rest is history, according to Shakira Bio. Arguably, meeting Ricky Martin was only a hint of what was to come for the now-international star.
7 Shakira’s Arabian Heritage Influences Her Music
Shakira has a varied heritage, and she’s often described herself as a crossover – which explains why her music employs such variety. But her dad is Lebanese, and Shakira credits much of her musical inspiration to her Arabian roots.
Everything from her musical style to her hip-shaking, belly dancing performances stems from her heritage. The belly dancing, specifically, is a Lebanese tradition that Shakira learned when she was a teenager. She’s also created dance challenges – like the Champeta Challenge – based on cultural dances.
6 But So Does The Rock She Grew Up Listening To
Listening to any of Shakira’s songs, you can hear all kinds of influences –especially her World Cup anthems. And though her music’s taken on a more worldly view these days, her influences as a young artist were far more traditional.
Shakira names global rock stars as her primary influences: Nirvana, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, U2, and The Cure were among her favorites as a kid. But she did find inspiration in her own life, too, noted Hola: Shakira penned her first song about the passing of her older half-brother – she was only nine when she wrote it.
5 Gloria Estefan Taught Her English
When Shakira first began her meteoric rise to fame, she didn’t speak English. But fans who have heard (and loved) “Whenever, Wherever” know that Shakira does speak the language – now, at least.
Prior to recording “Whenever, Wherever,” Shakira didn’t know English – but she learned it with the help of fellow artist Gloria Estefan. While fans loved the new song (and songs that followed in English after), critics weren’t impressed. The wordplay they loved in Shakira’s Spanish songs literally didn’t translate – but that didn’t stop her, and today she even speaks four languages.
4 But She Performed The First-Ever Spanish Song For MTV
While Shakira is whip-smart and has learned multiple languages, Spanish remains her one true love. Most of her songs are in Spanish, so it wasn’t that surprising when she performed in the language on MTV.
But what was surprising was that Shakira was the first-ever artist to sing a Spanish-language song at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The iconic moment was just the first of many revolutionary industry acts by the singer, though. Since then, Shakira’s become a trailblazer for women and artists all over the globe.
3 Her Records Are So Prolific, She’s Outsold J. Lo And Ricky Martin
Jennifer Lopez might have dance moves that almost rival Shakira’s, but the Colombian artist has J. Lo beat in nearly every other area. In fact, she’s outsold both Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin. Fortunately, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez have maintained a friendship that’s lasted through both of their trajectories in the public eye.
Shakira has released 11 studio albums, but she’s also created two compilations, five live albums, and 68 singles. She’s prolific, to say the least, and her sales are just as impressive.
2 There’s A Statue Of Her In Colombia
By 2006, Shakira had already been on world tours and graced stages across the globe. But she never forgot her roots – and neither did her fans. There’s a huge statue of Shakira in her hometown of Barranquilla – it’s 16 feet high and was created by a German artist.
In her interview with The Guardian, Shakira talked about going to the park in her hometown and seeing orphans there living in poverty. That’s where her inspiration for changing the world – and making her parents proud – came from, the singer noted. These days, the steel statue reminds children in Barranquilla that they can achieve their dreams, too, notes Colombia Travel.
1 Shakira Holds Countless Titles For Her Crossover Talents
While Shakira may have been the first artist to sing a Spanish-language song on MTV’s awards stage, she also became an icon for crossing nearly every musical genre. To this day, her career timeline is peppered with notable collabs and international influences.
From her philanthropy to her ability to influence world leaders, it seems like there's nothing Shakira can't do.