shakira shakira biography

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• Hollywood Walk of Fame - Biography of Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
• Official Site of Shakira
• AllMusic - Shakira
• Shakira - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Who is Shakira?

Shakira is a Colombian musician who achieved success in both Spanish- and English-speaking markets. By the early 2000s she had become one of the most successful Latin American recording artists in the world. Her full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll.

Who is Shakira married to?

In 2011 Shakira and Gerard Piqué made their relationship public. Piqué is a Spanish professional footballer (soccer player) who plays center-back for FC Barcelona . They have two children: Sasha Piqué Mebarak and Milan Piqué Mebarak. They are not married.

Does Shakira have an illness?

In 2017 Shakira suffered a hemorrhage of her right vocal cord , rendering her unable to sing. Despite being told by doctors that surgery was required, she refused and returned to the stage in 2018.

How did Shakira get her start?

Shakira started belly dancing as a child, and by age 10 she had begun writing songs and taking part in talent competitions. Her first largely successful album was Pies descalzos (1995), and in 2000 she won her first Grammy Award , for best Latin pop album ( MTV Unplugged ).

What awards has Shakira won?

Shakira boasts a large list of awards and nominations. She has received more than 700 nominations and has won more than 300 awards, including three Grammy Awards . In addition, Shakira has performed at many high-profile events, such as the 2020 Super Bowl halftime show along with Jennifer Lopez .

Shakira (born February 2, 1977, Barranquilla , Colombia) is a Colombian singer, songwriter, musician, and dancer who built a successful career in both Spanish - and English -speaking markets to become one of the most popular Latin American recording artists of the early 21st century.

Shakira, the daughter of a Lebanese father and a Colombian mother, started belly dancing at an early age. By age 10 she had begun writing songs and participating in talent competitions. A local theater producer helped her land an audition with a Sony Corp. executive in 1990, and Shakira was subsequently signed to a record deal. Her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), were only moderately successful, however. After taking a break from recording to act in the Colombian telenovela El oasis , Shakira resumed her music career in impressive fashion with Pies descalzos (1995). The album produced several hits, including “Estoy aquí,” “Pienso en ti,” and “Un poco de amor.”

For her next English-language album, She Wolf (2009), Shakira adopted an electro-pop sound. The following year she scored another international hit with “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” a collaboration with South African band Freshlyground, after the song was chosen as the official anthem of the 2010 World Cup . The track also appears on her breezily eclectic Sale el sol (2010), which earned a Latin Grammy for best female pop vocal album.

In 2013–14 Shakira was a coach on the American televised singing competition The Voice . She returned to recording albums with Shakira (2014), which features duets with Rihanna and country singer Blake Shelton , one of her fellow coaches on The Voice . That same year Shakira performed the closing ceremony for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil . Her next album, El Dorado (2017), won the Grammy Award for best Latin pop album and the Latin Grammy for best contemporary pop vocal album. El Dorado ’s standout track was the single “La bicicleta,” a duet with Carlos Vives that won Latin Grammys for best record of the year and best song of the year. In 2020 Shakira and Jennifer Lopez performed in the Super Bowl halftime show. Their sensational performance showcased several Latin American music styles, including salsa , rumba , mambo, and samba . Shakira in particular was commended for bringing the mapalé and champeta , two Afro-Colombian dances that she performed, to a world stage.

Shakira had several hit singles in the next few years, including “Don’t Wait Up” (2021) and “Don’t You Worry” (2022), the latter of which paired her with the Black Eyed Peas . In 2024 she released her first album in seven years, Las mujeres ya no lloran , which features several songs that had proved themselves as hits in 2022 and 2023. These included “Te felicito” with Rauw Alejandro and a searing diss track aimed at her ex-boyfriend Gerard Piqué following their breakup called “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” with Bizarrap; the latter song was a global chart-topper and a top 10 hit in the United States.

Shakira lent her voice to the character of the Gazelle in the animated film Zootopia (2016) and appeared as a judge on the reality show Dancing with Myself (2022). She has also devoted considerable time and energy to social causes. In 2003 she became a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, traveling internationally to raise awareness of the struggles of children in less-developed countries. She also created the Pies Descalzos Foundation, which focuses on helping children displaced by violence in Colombia .

• Born February 2 , 1977 · Barranquilla, Colombia
• Birth name Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
• Height 5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
• Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia to Nidia del Carmen Mebarak (née Ripoll Torrado) & William Alberto Mebarak Chadid. She is of Lebanese, Spanish & Italian descent. Shakira began her musical career at the age of 12 and quickly captured fans around the world. She won the 2001 Best Latin pop Grammy for her MTV Unplugged album. - IMDb Mini Biography By: [email protected]
• Children Milan Piqué Sasha Piqué
• Parents William Mebarak Chadid Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado
• Relatives Tonino Mebarak (Sibling) Patricia Mebarak (Sibling) Ana Mebarak (Sibling) Valerie Domínguez (Cousin) Adriana Tarud Durán (Cousin)
• Performs barefoot in most of her concerts
• Belly dancing
• Sexy dance moves
• Frequently wears tight clothes.
• Blonde dyed hair
• Fluent in English and Portuguese, in addition to her native Spanish. She also speaks some Italian and French. Portuguese was the first language she learned after Spanish.
• Her Lebanese grandmother taught her the art of Arabian belly dancing so she can stay true to her Middle Eastern roots.
• Shakira means grateful in Arabic.
• Has perfect pitch: the ability to recognize any note upon hearing it or sing any note without prior to hearing it.
• Is a huge fan of Bollywood movies and music from India. She got in touch with Farah Khan , the most famous choreographer in India, and asked her if she could choreograph a dance for her performance at the 2006 MTV Video Awards. That night, Shakira's performance was the most memorable one as she sang and danced to "Hips Don't Lie" in traditional Indian clothing.
• The worst mistake of a woman is to go to the kitchen, because then she never gets out of there.
• I admire a person who, for the love of art, is able to take off their clothes in front of a camera. But I'm not capable, I'm too cowardly for that.
• It's not easy to work with me, I recognize that. It's not easy if those people aren't perfectionistic as as I am.
• The worst frustration for a singer is choosing a career in making music and then not being able to make music because you're always giving interviews.
• My brain, I believe, is the most beautiful part of my body.

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Run The World: How Shakira Became One Of The Most Influential Female Artists Of The 21st Century

In celebration of Women's History Month — and Shakira's new album, 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran' — take a journey through the Colombian superstar's monumental career, from making global smashes to empowering women worldwide.

Over the course of nearly four decades, Shakira — born Shakira Isabel Mebarak in Barranquilla, Colombia — has become the best-selling Latin female artist of all-time, and in turn one of the most influential female artists of her time.

In honor of Women's History Month, revisit a few of the massive moments in her career that paved the way for the international market of other Latin artists.

She famously invited Latin flow to the Western music industry with her global breakthrough album, 2001's Laundry Service . Five years later, she broke the record for the most-played pop song in a week with "Hips Don't Lie."

Since the beginning, Shakira has used her powerful performances to uplift other women. Her lyrics often emphasize themes of self-reliance, independence, and female strength, most notably in her 2009 hit, "She Wolf."

More than three decades into her career, Shakira is still empowering women with more history-making feats. In 2020, she co-headlined the Super Bowl LIV halftime show alongside Jennifer Lopez , celebrating Latin culture in front of more than 100 million viewers; it's now the most-watched halftime show on YouTube, with more than 308 million views as of press time.

Now, at 47, Shakira continues to use her voice to encourage women to shape their own path, as a mother of two balancing her colossal career. Her forthcoming twelfth studio album — Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran , which translates to "Women No Longer Cry" — is a testament to that.

In celebration of Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran 's March 22 arrival and Women's History Month, press play on the video above to learn more about Shakira's achievements. Check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Run The World.

Listen: GRAMMY.com's Women's History Month 2024 Playlist: Female Empowerment Anthems From Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Jennie & More

Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Run The World: Why Beyoncé Is One Of The Most Influential Women In Music History

Relive a few of the moments that made Beyoncé the global icon she is today, from her debut with Destiny's Child in 1997 to becoming the most awarded musician in GRAMMY history in 2023.

Since her debut with Destiny's Child in 1997, Beyoncé has become one of the most decorated, record-breaking artists of all time.

In 2023, Queen Bey became the artist with the most GRAMMYs in history with 32 wins, after her seventh album, RENAISSANCE , won Best Dance/Electronic Music Album. That same LP also helped Beyoncé become the first female musician to have their first seven studio albums debut at No. 1 in the United States.

Earlier this year, she became the first Black woman to top Billboard 's Hot Country Songs chart with "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," the lead single from her forthcoming album, COWBOY CARTER .

Beyond her chart achievements, Beyoncé has dedicated much of her work to uplifting women and exploring the Black experience, from Destiny's Child's "Independent Women, Part 1" to 2011's "Run the World (Girls)" and her 2016 album, Lemonade .

To add to her extensive resume, Beyoncé is also an active philanthropist and businesswoman. Through her BeyGOOD charity, she has championed countless causes, including education for young girls. Earlier this year, Beyoncé launched her hair care brand, Cécred, alongside an annual student scholarship and salon grant.

Among the many ways Bey has uplifted women around the world, her message to 2020 graduates perfectly summed up her influence: "Make those power moves, be excellent."

Press play on the video above to learn more about Beyoncé's colossal career. Check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Run the World, as well as for more news on Beyoncé's highly anticipated COWBOY CARTER .

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Shakira's Road To 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran': How Overcoming A Breakup Opened A New Chapter In Her Artistry

Shakira's first album in seven years is out March 22, and very much of the moment with glossy Latin pop, reggaeton, bachata and corrido. The GRAMMY winner's path to this new chapter was long, filled with professional changes and heartbreak.

When Shakira’s "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" was released in January of 2023; its success seemed like a freak incident, explainable as a perfect but isolated storm. 

Their virulently catchy track — which happens to spill scalding tea on her breakup with retired Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué —  set streaming records and took home a Latin GRAMMY for Song Of The Year . Today, the song's success looks more like the first crashing wave of a massive comeback for Shakira . 

The three-time GRAMMY winner followed her Bzrp Session with another hit single, "TQG," collaborating with Karol G . That song went to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, and the duo cleaned up at the Latin GRAMMYs. 

In hindsight, all of this was a mere preamble to the announcement of Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women Don't Cry Anymore), due March 22. The album will be her first in seven years, but the sound is very much of the moment, leaning into a high-gloss urban Latin pop sound that delves in reggaeton, bachata and corrido. 

The album is no comeback. With a star as big as Shakira — one who performed at the Super Bowl in 2020 and had her own exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum — it's hard to make the case that she ever left the public eye. Yet the Colombian superstar has put out only a trickle of singles since 2017, when she released her GRAMMY-winning album El Dorado . Prior to the BZRP session, her last major hits were in 2016 with "La Bicicleta," a collaboration with Carlos Vives , and "Chantaje," featuring Maluma , which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs. 

It’s impossible to talk about this period of retreat, or her new album, without talking about the personal upheavals Shakira has gone through in recent years. In June of 2022, Shakira and Gerard Piqué, with whom she has two sons, publicly announced the end of their 11 year relationship. Starting with 2022’s "Monotonía," featuring Ozuna, nearly every song she has released  since then deals directly with the split and the emotional turmoil she has felt because of it. 

The singer and songwriter herself is not shying away from the fact that her music has been a therapeutic outlet. "I feel like in this moment of my life, which is probably one of the most difficult, darkest hours of my life, music has brought light," she told Elle in 2022. 

Case in point: her Bizarrap session. "Someone should have taken my photo the day I worked on the 'Bizarrap Session 53,' a before and after. Because I went into the studio one way and left in a completely different way," Shakira told Mexican television channel Televisa. "He gave me this space, this opportunity to let it out and it really was a huge release, necessary for my own healing, for my own recovery process."

That feeling of catharsis continued in her work on Las Mujeres . "Making this body of work has been an alchemical process. While writing each song I was rebuilding myself. While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength," the artist said in a statement on Instagram .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shakira (@shakira)

Shakira is styling the album as a testament to resilience in the face of adversity, tapping into an understanding that her experiences have a broad resonance. While accepting Billboard’s 2023 Woman Of The Year award, Shakira discussed her "year of seismic change."

"I've felt more than ever — and very personally — what it is to be a woman," she said. "It's been a year where I've realized we women are stronger than we think, braver than we believed, more independent than we were taught to be." 

Indeed, with strength and bravery, Shakira proceeded to channel her individual hurt into a message of universal empowerment. Ahead of her album release, she’s even more explicit about the details of her separation and the impact the relationship had on her career. "For a long time I put my career on hold, to be next to Gerard, so he could play football. There was a lot of sacrifice for love," recently told The Sunday Times .

As she told Billboard for her 2023 cover story , settling down in Barcelona with Piqué and their two children, far from music industry centers, made it difficult for her to work. "It was complicated logistically to get a collaborator there. I had to wait for agendas to coincide or for someone to deign to come," she explained. 

Shakira has since relocated to Miami, a location that played a major role in making her new album possible.

One of the hallmarks of a true pop star is the ability to evolve with the culture without losing their identity. Over decades, and with each release, Shakira has broken a barrier or risen above an obstacle to succeed beyond expectations – whether it’s leading the first Spanish-language broadcast on MTV with her 2000 "Unplugged" concert, or learning English to write her own crossover pop debut. Each move has felt authentic.

It is not an easy task, but Shakira accomplishes this alchemy beautifully every few album cycles, starting with her debut as an alt-leaning, brunette singer/songwriter in the mid '90s. At the turn of the millennium, she made the jump to international fame with a cascade of golden curls and Laundry Service , the English-language album that capitalized on the first wave of crossover Latin pop. She closed out the decade in a whirl of high-gloss dance pop with the Pharell produced She Wolf . Along the way, there was one platinum selling album after another and the No. 1 hit "Hips Don’t Lie," among several Top 10 singles, setting the stage for her to blaze through much of the 2010s. 

Shakira is well-aware of how hard she has had to work even after crossover success. 

In 2019, she told Billboard , "This whole new world had opened up to me, and with it came so many great opportunities, but I continued to pursue impossible goals such as making a song like 'Hips Don’t Lie,' for example—that had a Colombian cumbia and a mention of Barranquilla in the middle of it—play on American radio. I remember I said to [then Sony Music Chairman] Donny Ienner, ‘You have to trust me on this one. This is going to happen, this song is going to blow up.’" 

With El Dorado , she caught the second wave of Latin pop crossover, the one tipped off by Luis Fonsi’s now-infamous 2017 earworm "Despacito." El Dorado , is one of Shakira’s more Latin leaning albums in the long history of her bicultural and bilingual music career. The songs are sung largely in Spanish and her choice of features on the album are almost entirely Latin pop and reggaeton artists: Maluma, Nicky Jam, Prince Royce and Carlos Vives. The album's May 2017 release coincided with a rising global interest in reggaeton.

Shakira wasn’t following a trend; she was just in touch with the moment as usual. She released "Chantaje" months before "Despacito," and "Bicicleta," her song with Carlos Vives, which combines elements of reggaeton and vallenato, came out in 2016. 

With the continued mainstream global success of Latin artists, Shakira may no longer see a need to release an English-language album for every album in her mother tongue. Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran breaks with tradition in that it is her second Spanish-language album in a row. It's also loaded with features from the world of Latin music, including Ozuna, Rauw Alejandro, Manuel Turizo, and Karol G. The moment could not be better for an album that explores forward looking pop reggaeton, assisted by some of the brightest young stars in the genre.

If the past is any indicator, this era is going to be another step up for the artist. Beyond the album release, Shakira is teasing another tour. As she told Billboard , "I think this will be the tour of my life. I’m very excited. Just think, I had my foot on the brakes. Now I’m pressing on the accelerator­ — hard."

Every Year Is The Year Of Shakira: 10 Songs That Prove She's Always Been A Superstar

Photos: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; RICHARD THIGPEN ; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for WIRED; Owen Schatz; Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; KELLY CHRISTINE SUTTON;  Jason Squires/FilmMagic; JASON ARMOND / LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGES ; KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE RECORDING ACADEMY ; Araya Doheny/FilmMagic

15 Must-Hear Albums In March 2024: Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Shakira & More

From the debuts of Tyla and rapper Tierra Whack, to a new salvo from Kim Gordon, women dominate the list of releases for March. While it may be Women's History Month, there are a few major releases from male artists, including Justin Timberlake.

March is Women’s History Month, and women in music are more powerful than ever. 

The month begins with the comeback of several queens, starting with Kim Gordon’s The Collective and Ariana Grande ’s Eternal Sunshine . Later, country darling Kacey Musgraves will unveil Deeper Well , and Shakira will drop the empowering Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran . Long-awaited debuts by GRAMMY-winning singer Tyla and singer/bassist Blu DeTiger will also join the lineup, with their respective Tyla and All I Ever Want Is Everything . Wrapping up March on a high note, Beyoncé will drop her highly-anticipated Act II on the 29th.

Men will release music in March as well: Expect new releases by Justin Timberlake , Bleachers, the last record from pop-punk band Sum 41 , and (allegedly) Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign ’s Vultures 2 .

To make the most of this prolific time, GRAMMY.com compiled all the must-hear albums dropping March 2024.

Schoolboy Q - Blue Lips

Release date: March 1

On Feb. 1, Schoolboy Q’s website was updated with a mysterious countdown and a 37-second video. In it, the rapper finally unveiled the setlist and title of his much-awaited sixth studio album, Blue Lips , as well as its release date — March 1.

Blue Lips is Q’s first full record since 2019’s Crash Talk , although he had been teasing the album since 2020. Hopefully, it was worth the wait: Blue Lips holds 18 tracks and participations by Rico Nasty, Freddie Gibbs , and more. Q has also started a new vlog series on social media called "wHy not?," where he takes the viewers behind the scenes of making the album and previews snippets of the songs.

So far, the rapper shared tracks "Blueslides," "Back n Love" with Devin Malik, "Cooties" and "Love Birds" with Devin Malik and Lance Skiiwalker, as well as lead single "Yeern 101."

Bleachers - Bleachers

Release date: March 8

Fronted by 10-time GRAMMY winner and 2024 Producer Of The Year Jack Antonoff , rock band Bleachers will release its eponymous fourth studio album on March 8.

In a press release, Bleachers is described as Antonoff’s "distinctly New Jersey take on the bizarre sensory contradictions of modern life." The self-titled record will blend sadness and joy into "music for driving on the highway to, for crying to and for dancing to at weddings."

The band shared four singles so far: lead track "Modern Girl," "Alma Mater" featuring Lana del Rey , "Tiny Moves" and "Me Before You." Through serendipitous melodies and soulful writing, Bleachers commit to "exist in crazy times but remember what counts." 

Bleachers will tour the U.K. in March and the U.S. in May and June.

Kim Gordon - The Collective

Former Sonic Youth vocalist Kim Gordon will release her sophomore LP, The Collective , on March 8. The album is a follow-up to her 2019 debut No Home Record , and furthers her collaboration with producer Justin Raisen, as well as additional producing from Anthony Paul Lopez.

"On this record, I wanted to express the absolute craziness I feel around me right now," said Gordon in a press statement. "This is a moment when nobody really knows what truth is, when facts don’t necessarily sway people, when everyone has their own side, creating a general sense of paranoia. To soothe, to dream, escape with drugs, TV shows, shopping, the internet, everything is easy, smooth, convenient, branded. It made me want to disrupt, to follow something unknown, maybe even to fail."

Back in January, the singer unveiled the album’s moody first single, "Bye Bye," and a music video starring her daughter, Coco Gordon Moore. The second single, "I’m A Man," came out in February. Gordon will play six concerts in support of The Collective , starting March 21 in Burlington, Vermont.

Ariana Grande - Eternal Sunshine

It’s been almost four years since Ariana Grande’s last studio album, 2020’s Positions . The starlet spent the past few years filming Wicked , an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, and declared that she wouldn’t be releasing any new records until it was done.

The wait is finally over, as Grande announced her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine . The album’s first and only single, "Yes, And?," dropped in January, followed by an Instagram video of the soprano singer explaining the concept of the album to her Republic Records team. 

"It’s kind of a concept album ’cause it’s all different heightened pieces of the same story, of the same experience," she said. "Some of [the songs] are really vulnerable, some of them are like playing the part of what people kind of expect me to be sometimes and having fun with it."

"I think this one may be your favorite," Grande wrote of Eternal Sunshine on her Instagram Story. "It is mine." The 13-song collection will reportedly explore house and R&B, and will have only one feature: Grande’s grandmother, who appears on the last track, "Ordinary Things."

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign - Vultures 2

After a series of delays, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign ’s first collaborative album, Vultures 1 , ultimately dropped on Feb. 10, 2024. Set to be the first installment of a trilogy, the album was released independently through West’s YZY label, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with all of its 16 tracks also charting on Billboard ’s Hot 100.

Billed as ¥$, the duo plans to release Vultures 2 on March 8, and follow up with Vultures 3 on April 5. Although any other info about the upcoming volumes is still unclear, Timbaland recently shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Vultures 2 is "OTW." (Timbaland produced Vultures 1 ’s "Keys to My Life" and "Fuk Sumn" with Playboi Carti and Travis Scott .)

In the past month, West and $ign held a few listening parties for the album in the U.S. and Europe, but additional schedules are yet to be revealed.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Glasgow Eyes

To celebrate their 40th anniversary, alt-rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain will release their eighth studio album, Glasgow Eyes , on March 8.

As it can be seen on lead single "Jamcod," the Scottish group still runs strong on the distorted synths and electrifying guitars that shaped their sound. "People should expect a Jesus and Mary Chain record, and that’s certainly what Glasgow Eyes is," vocalist Jim Reid said in a statement. "Our creative approach is remarkably the same as it was in 1984, just hit the studio and see what happens. We went in with a bunch of songs and let it take its course. There are no rules, you just do whatever it takes."

Glasgow Eyes also mends a six-year gap since the Jesus and Mary Chain’s latest album, 2017’s Damage and Joy . To further commemorate, the band will also release an autobiography and embark on a European tour throughout March and April.

Justin Timberlake - Everything I Thought It Was

Release date: March 15

Justin Timberlake is back with his first studio album since 2018’s Man of the Woods . The new record, Everything I Thought It Was ,  is spearheaded by singles "Selfish" and "Drown."

"I worked for a long time on this album, and I ended up with 100 songs. So, narrowing them down to 18 was a thing," said Timberlake in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. "I’m really excited about this album. I think every artist probably says this, but it is my best work." The Memphis singer also shared that there are "incredibly honest" moments in the album, but also "a lot of f—ng fun."

To celebrate his return, Timberlake announced his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. Set to kick off on April 29 in Vancouver, the tour will cross through North America and Europe until its final date on Dec. 16 in Indianapolis.

Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well

Fresh off winning Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 2024 GRAMMYs for the Zach Bryan duet "I Remember Everything," Kacey Musgraves announced her fifth studio album, Deeper Well ..

"My Saturn has returned/ When I turned 27/ Everything started to change," she sings in the contemplative title track, exploring how she changed over the last few years. The single sets the tone for the rest of the record, which was co-produced by longtime collaborators Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian . 

Featuring 14 tracks, Deeper Well was mostly recorded at the legendary Electric Lady studios in New York City. "I was seeking some different environmental energy, and Electric Lady has the best mojo. Great ghosts," the country star noted in a press release.

On social media, Musgraves wrote: "it’s a collection of songs I hold very dear to my heart. I hope it makes a home in all of your hearts, too." Deeper Well follows 2021’s star-crossed . 

Tierra Whack - World Wide Whack

When rapper Tierra Whack released her first album, 2018’s Whack World , she quickly garnered the admiration of both critics and fans. Comprising 15 one-minute tracks and music videos for each, the release was a refreshing introduction to a groundbreaking artist.

In 2024, the Philadelphia-born star is preparing to release World Wide Whack , labeled her official debut album in a press release. The cover artwork, created by Alex Da Corte, was inspired by theater character Pierrot, fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli and Donna Summer , and represents "the first reveal of the World Wide Whack character, an alter ego both untouchable and vulnerable, superhuman and painfully human, whose surprising story will unfold in images and video over the course of the album’s visual rollout."

The album follows Whack’s 2021 EP trilogy — Rap? , Pop? and R&B? — and is foreshadowed by the poignant "27 Club" and the eccentric "Shower Song."

Tyla - Tyla

Release date: March 22

After a glowing 2023 with viral hit "Water," South African newcomer Tyla started 2024 with a blast. Last month, she became the first person to win a GRAMMY for Best African Music Performance , and the youngest-ever African singer to win a GRAMMY Award at 22 years old.

Next month is poised to be even better: Tyla’s eponymous debut LP drops on March 22, featuring "Water" and other hits like  "Truth or Dare," "Butterflies" and " On and On," as well as a guest appearance by labelmate Travis Scott.

"African music is going global and I’m so blessed to be one of the artists pushing the culture," Tyla shared on Instagram . Her unique blend of amapiano, pop and R&B is making waves around the world, and the star will rightfully celebrate by touring Europe and North America throughout this spring.

Shakira - Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran

The title of Shakira’s new album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran , is a nod to her 2023 hit "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" with Argentine DJ Bizarrap. In the lyrics, she states that "las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan" — "women don’t cry anymore, they make money."

The single is a diss to Shakira’s ex-partner, footballer Gerard Piqué, and, like the rest of the record, served as a healing experience after their separation. "Making this body of work has been an alchemical process," the Colombian star said in a statement. "While writing each song I was rebuilding myself. While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength."

Las Mujeres will feature 16 songs, including her Bizarrap collaboration and singles "Te Felicito" with Rauw Alejandro , "Copa Vacía" with Manuel Turizo, "Acróstico," "Monotonía" with Ozuna, "El Jefe" with Mexican band Fuerza Regida, and "TQG" with fellow Colombian Karol G .

Sheryl Crow - Evolution

Release date: March 29

Back in 2018, Sheryl Crow said that the LP Threads would be her last — fortunately, she changed her mind. "I said I’d never make another record, though there was no point to it," the singer shared in a statement about her upcoming album, Evolution . "This music comes from my soul. And I hope whoever hears this record can feel that."

According to the same statement, " Evolution is Sheryl Crow at her most authentically human self," and its music and lyrics "came from sitting in the quiet and writing from a deep soul place." 

The entire album was written in a month, starting with the title track, which expresses Crow’s anxieties about artificial intelligence and the future of humans. From then on, Crow and producer Mike Elizondo found bliss. "The songs just kept flowing out of me, four songs turned into nine and it was pretty obvious this was an album," she said.

In addition to the album's title track, Crow also shared singles "Do It Again" and "Alarm Clock."

Sum 41 - Heaven :x: Hell

After nearly three decades together, punk-metal mavericks Sum 41 are parting ways. Their final release will be a double album. Heaven :x: Hell , set to drop on March 29.

Heaven is composed of 10 pop-punk tracks reminiscent of the band’s early years, while Hell is 10 tracks of pure heavy metal, reflecting the direction they took more recently. "Once I heard the music, I was confident enough to say, ‘This is the record I’d like to go out on,'" frontman Deryck Whibley said in a statement. "We’ve made a double album of pop punk and metal, and it makes sense. It took a long time for us to pave this lane for ourselves, but we did, and it’s unique to us."

The band shared singles "Landmines," "Rise Up" and "Waiting on a Twist of Fate," and proved that they’re leaving on top of their game. "I love Sum 41, what we’ve achieved, endured, and stuck together through, which is why I want to call it quits," Whibley added. "It’s the right time to walk away from it. I’m putting all of my energy into what’s ahead."

But before embarking on new ventures, Sum 41 will spend the rest of the year touring throughout Asia, North America, and Europe.

Blu DeTiger - All I Ever Want Is Everything

At only 26 years old, Blu DeTiger has already toured with Caroline Polachek , played bass for Jack Antonoff’s band Bleachers, partnered with Fender, and appeared on the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30’s music list.

Now, she prepares to release her debut studio album, All I Ever Want Is Everything . "This album is about growing and becoming, settling into yourself and learning to love where you’re at through it all. It’s about learning how to be your own best friend," the bassist and singer wrote on Instagram .

"Dangerous Game," the lead single off the album, showcases DeTiger’s effervescent energy and potential for pop stardom. Starting April, she will also headline a U.S. tour across Boston, Washington D.C., New York, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Beyoncé - Act II

What better event to announce a new album than the most-watched TV program ever ? That’s what Beyoncé did during Super Bowl LVIII, on Feb. 11. At the end of a Verizon commercial , the singer declared "Okay, they ready. Drop the new music," while simultaneously releasing Act II ’s lead singles, "16 Carriages" and "Texas Hold 'Em," on social media and streaming platforms.

Coming out March 29, Act II is the second part of Beyoncé’s ongoing trilogy, which was written and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The album is preceded by 2022’s acclaimed Act I: Renaissance , but instead of house and disco, the singer will reportedly take a deep dive into country music.

This isn’t Queen Bey’s first foray into the genre — in 2016, she released Lemonade ’s "Daddy Lessons," and her 2021 IVY PARK Rodeo collection was inspired by "the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy," as she told Harper’s Bazaar . It was just a question of time for Beyoncé to enter her country era, and it is finally upon us.

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Photo: Courtesy the artist

Everything We Know About Shakira's New Album, 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran'

Mark your calendars for March 22. Shakira's long-awaited return — and first album in seven years — is poised to be a soundtrack of strength for listeners around the world. Here's everything we already know, including the 17-song tracklist.

The "She Wolf" is back. Shakira is setting the stage for her much-anticipated return with her latest album full of songs that empower women, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry) , set to drop on March 22. 

Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran will be her first album release in seven years, following the success of El Dorado in 2017, and a pivotal year defined by press speculation following her highly publicized separation and financial case. 

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Shakira shared, "My new album, coming out March 22, is one I created together with all of you, my pack of shewolves who were there for me every step of the way."

The album promises to be a testament to the collective spirit and shared journey with a circle of women who have been her support system. It's a theme present throughout her discography, and highlighted by songs such as "She Wolf" (2009), which first garnered her the nickname "La Loba" (which means "She Wolf" in Spanish.) 

Las Mujeres follows a banner 12 months for the Baraquilla-born Colombian singer/songwriter, which included a Latin GRAMMY for Song Of The Year and an exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum .

With a career that has consistently topped charts and broken records beginning with her international debut in 2001, the three-time GRAMMY winner and "Queen of Latin Music" remains a formidable force. Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran is not just another album; it's a chapter in an ongoing saga of artistic evolution and personal growth.

Here's what GRAMMY.com gathered about Shakira's upcoming bit of alchemy.

It Will Be Released On March 22

Mark your calendars for March 22. Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran makes its global debut via Sony Music Entertainment during Women's History Month.

We Already Know Some Of The Songs

Of the 17 tracks featured on the album's pre-save sneak peak , seven have already made their mark as singles, including "Copa Vacía" and "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53." The latter track won her the Latin GRAMMY for Song Of The Year at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs. 

The Tracklist is Huge

The following tracklist was released on Feb. 29, featuring new collaborations with Cardi B , Rauw Alejandro , Bizarrap , Grupo Frontera, Tiësto and more.

1. Puntería x Cardi B

2. La Fuerte x Bizarrap

3. Tiempo Sin Verte

4. Cohete x Rauw Alejandro

5. (Entre Paréntesis) x Grupo Frontera

6. Cómo Dónde y Cuándo

9. Te Felicito x Rauw Alejandro

10. Monotonía x Ozuna

11. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53

12. TQG x Karol G

13. Acróstico x Milan + Sasha

14. Copa Vacía x Manuel Turizo

15. El Jefe x Fuerza Regida

16. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 (Remix Tiësto)17. Punteria (Vinyl Version)

New Work Is A Nod to Empowerment

The album's title is a direct reference to the empowering lyrics from her hit "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53," which symbolize independence and strength. It's a message that resonates deeply in today's zeitgeist and with her own struggles, emphasizing women's resilience and an ability to turn adversity into triumph.

Shakira's Tapping Into Some Magic

Shakira describes the album's creation as "an alchemical process," where each song served as a step towards self-reconstruction. 

"While writing each song I was rebuilding myself. While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength," she elaborates in her Instagram announcement. 

There Are Four Editions

Shakira is taking the concept of alchemy — best known for its aim to turn base metals into valuable materials (such as transforming lead into gold) — even further. 

Fans will have the opportunity to buy the album in four distinct editions, each following the theme of precious materials: diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald. Each version will showcase unique cover art and the vinyl version will come pressed in corresponding colors. 

Two Great Reasons We Had To Wait

As a single mother to two boys, Shakira embodies the archetype of a strong independent woman "doing it all." 

In an intimate conversation with Billboard in her September 2023 cover feature, she shared insights into the challenges and triumphs of creating music while fully immersed in the rhythms of family life.

"Now I can release music at a faster clip, although sometimes I think being a single mom and the rhythm of a pop star aren’t compatible," she explained. "I have to put my kids to bed, go to the recording studio; everything is uphill."

• 1 Run The World: How Shakira Became One Of The Most Influential Female Artists Of The 21st Century
• 2 Run The World: Why Beyoncé Is One Of The Most Influential Women In Music History
• 3 Shakira's Road To 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran': How Overcoming A Breakup Opened A New Chapter In Her Artistry
• 4 15 Must-Hear Albums In March 2024: Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Shakira & More
• 5 Everything We Know About Shakira's New Album, 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran'

Shakira | Biography, Songs & Lyrics

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known simply as Shakira, stands as an iconic figure hailing from Colombia, renowned for her roles as a singer, songwriter, dancer, and record producer. Emerging from the vibrant city of Barranquilla, she has been lauded as the “Queen of Latin Music,” applauded for her remarkable musical versatility. Her journey into the spotlight began with her signing under Sony Music Colombia at a mere 13 years of age. Although her initial endeavors, the albums “Magia” (1991) and “Peligro” (1993), didn’t achieve commercial success, her breakthrough came with subsequent releases – “Pies Descalzos” (1995) and “Dónde Están los Ladrones?” (1998) – which firmly established her in Hispanic countries.

Shakira’s achievements are far-reaching, evident in her albums receiving accolades from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), encompassing Diamond, Multi-Platinum, Platinum, and Gold certifications. Her impressive collection of awards includes three Grammy Awards, eleven Latin Grammy Awards, and a World Music Award. With over 80 million records sold globally, she ranks among the elite as one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Her distinct vocal style seamlessly melds elements of Latin and Middle Eastern music, while her prowess as a dancer infuses her stage performances with boundless energy and acrobatic feats. Beyond her artistic endeavors, Shakira has dedicated herself to philanthropy, exemplified by her founding of the Pies Descalzos Foundation. This noble institution works tirelessly to extend education and healthcare to disadvantaged children in Colombia.

Since 2011, Shakira has shared her life with Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué, and together they have two sons, Milan and Sasha. Among the melodies that have etched her name into the annals of music history are hits like “Whenever, Wherever,” “Hips Don’t Lie,” “La Tortura,” “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” “Can’t Remember to Forget You,” and “Me Enamoré.”

Shakira’s cultural resonance is undeniable; her harmonies have touched millions worldwide. Her multifaceted talents span singing, songwriting, dance, and philanthropy, inspiring and captivating audiences across the globe.

Additional aspects of her remarkable journey include her fluency in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and French, as well as her role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame proudly bears her name, and her stature as the highest-paid Latin American artist underscores her exceptional impact. Notably, she graced the judging panel of the singing competition show “The Voice.”

A true polymath, Shakira consistently redefines the boundaries of achievement. Her unparalleled career journey continues to shatter records and explore new horizons. A universal source of inspiration, her melodies will resonate for generations to come, a testament to the enduring legacy of her artistry. Below you can check out the lyrics to some of Shakira’s popular songs.

Listen to the complete discography of Shakira on Amazon Music

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Shakira Biography

Birthday: February 2 , 1977 ( Aquarius )

Born In: Barranquilla, Colombia

Shakira is a highly successful Columbian pop artist, best known for her scintillating belly dance moves in the video of the song ‘Hips Don’t Lie.’ Having a keen interest in music from childhood, Shakira wrote her first poem when she was just 4. At a young age, she would also dance impromptu at restaurants playing groovy music. She often used to sing and dance for her classmates and teachers at school, and earned the nickname ‘the belly dancer girl.’ As a teen, she began performing around her town and caught the attention of the local theater producer Monica Ariza who introduced her to ‘Sony Colombia’ executive Ciro Vargas. She released her first album ‘Magia’ when she was just fourteen. Though the album did not do well commercially, it gave her the much-needed exposure. Her big breakthrough came in the form of her third album ‘Pies Descalzos’ which peaked at number one in eight different countries. She also earned several awards and nominations for the album, and became popular overnight. Her success in Latin music encouraged her to try her hand at English language albums. Her first attempt at English language album ‘Laundry Service’ went multi-platinum, and is considered the most successful album of her career. She has sold over 95 million records worldwide. She is the top-selling female Latin artists of all time as of 2023, as reported by Billboard.

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Also Known As: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll

Age: 47 Years , 47 Year Old Females

Spouse/Ex-: Gerard Piqué

father: William Mebarak Chadid

mother: Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado

children: Milan Piqué Mebarak

Partner: Antonio de la Rúa (2000–2010), Gerard Piqué (2011)

Born Country: Colombia

Pop Singers Colombian Women

Height: 5'2" (157 cm ), 5'2" Females

Founder/Co-Founder: Pies Descalzos Foundation, ALAS Foundation

You wanted to know

How did shakira start her music career, what is shakira's most popular song, where is shakira from, what languages does shakira speak, has shakira acted in any movies.

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Shakira was born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, to Nidia Ripoll and William Mebarak Chadid. She has several half-siblings from her father’s previous marriage.

Inclined towards arts from her childhood, she started writing poetry at the age of 4 and also loved dancing.

Her debut album ‘Magia’ released in 1991. It included songs she had written since she was 8. The album did not do well commercially.

Shakira's tenth studio album released on March 25, 2014. In the same year, she also performed the song ‘Dare (La La La)’ at the closing ceremony of the 2014 ‘FIFA World Cup.’

In 2011, she started dating Spanish football player Gerard Pique . Shakira and Gerard were blessed with a son named Milan Pique on January 22, 2013. On January 29, 2015, Shakira gave birth to their second son named Sasha Pique. In 2022, the couple announced their separation.

Follow Shakira On:

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See the events in life of Shakira in Chronological Order

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On this week's Alt.Latino , an assessment of Shakira's current career after Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran . Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images hide caption

What do we really want from Shakira?

March 30, 2024 • Shakira just released her first album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran , and most listeners and critics have high praise. But this episode of Alt.Latino puts the record to the test.

Colombian performer Shakira leaves court in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday. The global pop star struck a deal with prosecutors as her trial on tax fraud charges was scheduled to begin. Joan Mateu Parra/AP hide caption

Shakira reaches a deal with Spanish prosecutors on the first day of tax fraud trial

November 20, 2023 • After maintaining innocence for nearly five years, the pop star acknowledged failing to pay about $15.8 million in taxes. She will receive a suspended three-year sentence and a fine of $7.6 million.

Totó la Momposina Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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October 12, 2021 • In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Latino artists like Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira ruled the pop charts. But who was that so-called "Latin Explosion" actually for, and what were the business considerations behind it? In the third part of our series exploring crossover in pop music, we examine how this supposed boom turned out to be more of a marketing creation, which evaporated when digital streaming entered the picture.

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New Music: Shakira And Rita Indiana

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Shakira Quick Links

Shakira (born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll; 2.2.1977) Shakira is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer and musician.

Childhood:  Shakira was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, to Nidya del Carmen Ripoll Torrado and William Mebarak Chadid. Shakira has eight half-brothers and sisters from her father's previous marriage.

As a child, Shakira wrote her first poem at the age of four. It was called 'La Rosa De Cristal' ('The Crystal Rose'). At the age of seven, she was given a typewriter as a Christmas gift and her poems soon evolved into songs. When one of her half-brothers was killed in a motorcycle accident, Shakira's father wore shades to hide his emotions and Shakira's first song was entitled 'Tus Gafas Oscuras' ('Your Dark Glasses').

Shakira's love of dancing and performing started when her father took her to a Middle Eastern restaurant and she joined in with the belly dancing. She was four at the time and decided then that she wanted to be a performer. When auditioning for the school choir, though, she was told that she sounded like a goat, as her vibrato was too strong.

Shakira would perform at local events in Barranquilla and it was here that she met Monica Ariz, a theatre producer. Ariz organised an audition with Sony Columbia executive Ciro Vargas. Eventually, she was signed for a three album deal.

Music Career:  Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded in 1990. She was 13 years old at the time. The album was a collection of songs that she had written since the age of 8. Magia was released in 1991 and did well on Colombian radio, though only 1200 copies were sold.

In 1993, a 20-year old Ricky Martin voted for Shakira in Chile's Vina del Mar International Song Festival.

Peligro was Shakira's second studio album, released in 1993. She was unhappy with the production of the album and refused to promote it. That same year, Shakira appeared in the Colombian TV series 'The Oasis'. She then took a break from her music career in order to graduate from high school.

In 1995, Shakira returned to recording, after her recording of '¿Dónde Estás Corazón?' was the only hit on a Colombian compilation album, Nuestro Rock. Her third album was entitled Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet). She was given $100,000 to record the album, as they were not expecting sales of the album to exceed 100,000 units. Shakira began producing her own music and developed her singing technique. At the time, she was influenced by American and British bands such as Pretenders. Upon its release in 1996, the album reached number one in eight countries, though it only hit number 180 in the main US album chart. When she toured the album, a number of fans died in her home town of Baranquilla, because of a lack of control in the 50,000-strong crowd. The album sold over 5 million copies.

Shakira's fourth studio album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?), was released in 1998, to huge success. Eleven of the tracks were released as singles, including 'Ciega, Sordomuda' and 'Moscas En La Casa'. It earned her a Grammy Awards nomination for Best Latin Rock / Alternative Album. The following year, she also recorded a session for MTV Unplugged in New York City, hailed by many as her finest live performance.

Following in the footsteps of Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin, who had both had success as English Language pop artists, Shakira began working on a crossover album. The debut single from the new album was 'Whenever, Wherever', which became a huge success. The album, Laundry Service, was released in 2001, debuting at number three in the US charts. Among the seven tracks released as a single, 'Underneath Your Clothes' was probably the most popular.

In 2002, Shakira joined forces with Whitney Houston, Mary J Blige and Cher, among others, for the VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas series.

For her next album, Shakira worked with producer Rick Rubin, who has also worked with Johnny Cash and Beastie Boys. The album was called Fijacion Oral Vol. 1 (Oral Fixation Vol. 1) and was released in 2005. The lead single from the album, 'La Tortura', featured the Spanish singer Alajandro Sanz.

February 2006 saw Shakira win her second Grammy Award and five more Latin Grammy Awards. Shakira performed 'Don't Bother' at the 2005 Europe Music Awards, shortly before releasing Fijacion Oral Vol.2. the tracks 'How Do You Do?' and 'Timor' were controversial at the time, in Muslim countries, as was the cover art for the album, which depicted her as Eve.

In 2006, Shakira recorded 'Hips Don't Lie' with Wyclef Jean. The tracks became her first number one in the US. The final single from the album was 'Illegal', featuring Carlos Santana.

In 2009, it was announced that Shakira's next album, entitled She Wolf would be released in October 2009 and features a song co-written by Sam Endicott of The Bravery.

In 2010, she featured on the official FIFA World Cup anthem 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)' with South African band Freshlyground. It broke the record for best-selling World Cup song ever. That year she released ninth album 'Sale el Sol' which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and featured the number one single 'Loca'. She followed the album release with her The Sun Comes Out World Tour.

2012 saw her replace Christina Aguilera on the fourth season of televised singing competition 'The Voice'.

She signed with Roc Nation for the release of her self-titled album, which came out in 2014. The album featured several top producers including Benny Blanco, Tïesto, LMFAO, Akon, Sia and Skrillex.

Personal Life:  Shakira dated Antonia de la Rúa, the son of the ex-Argentinian president, from 2000 to 2010. Although initially amicable, trouble soon arose when de la Rua filed a lawsuit for $100 million after Shakira allegedly made a sudden move to end their business partnership.

In 2010, she began dating Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué. The pair have a son together named Milan Piqué Mebarak.

Shakira is multi-lingual with her mother-tongue being Spanish. She is a Roman Catholic and enjoys studying world history; something which she pursued with a class at UCLA Extensions.

2020's Most Searched For Artists On Google

Kanye West Shakira Cardi B EDDIE VAN HALEN Grimes Van Halen

As we approach the end of a very unusual year we take a look at the artists you've Googled the most in 2020.

After a crazy year of CoVID19 enforced lockdowns this year's most searched for things on Google were likely to have been skewed somewhat by the abnormality of the circumstances. Joe Wicks certainly got people interested in his fitness routines whilst banana bread and sourdough recipes were de rigueur. Among Us rose to the top of the gaming pile whilst the how to's list included, how to cut men's hair and how to make hand sanitizer. People we'd previously never heard of became household names, including Joe Exotic and Carol Baskin, and sadly, others like Caroline Flack were searched for altogether different reasons.   

Politics played a huge part in driving our searches with Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Kanye West leading the way and the Black Lives Matter movement came to the fore, prompting many searches including Juneteenth. 

Of course our main focus was on Coronavirus which, as was to be expected, topped the overall most searched for topic on Google in the UK. In entertainment there were a few obvious chart toppers but also a few wild cards. Let's take a look at who you searched for in 2020. 

Continue reading: 2020's Most Searched For Artists On Google

Halloween Pop Party: The Spooky Pop Tunes You Need For Your Playlist

Billie Eilish Taylor Swift Rihanna Childish Gambino Kesha Shakira

Costume? Check. Pumpkins? Check. Amazing pop playlist? Look no further...

Most people seem to think that rock and gothic tunes are the best suited to Halloween playlists, but the truth is you can have just as much of a spooky blast with upbeat, danceable pop songs if guitars just aren't your thing. We've put together a playlist of the most fun horror-inspired contemporary pop numbers perfect for your socially-distanced Halloween gatherings.

Bury A Friend - Billie Eilish

Continue reading: Halloween Pop Party: The Spooky Pop Tunes You Need For Your Playlist

Shakira Charged With Alleged Tax Evasion In Spain

It comes 11 months after an investigation was launched by Spanish tax authorities.

Shakira has been officially charged with tax evasion in Spain, almost a year after an investigation regarding her finances was launched.

Spanish tax authorities officially charged the Colombian singer, 41, with tax evasion on Friday (December 14th) according to the Associated Press . Specifically, Shakira has been accused of not paying more than $16 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014.

The basis of the Spanish prosecutors’ case alleges that Shakira listed her official residence as the Bahamas for tax purposes, when actually she was living in Catalonia, Spain with her partner, Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, and their two young children.

Continue reading: Shakira Charged With Alleged Tax Evasion In Spain

Gerard Pique Posts Picture That Quashes Split Rumours

The footballer has been dating singer Shakira for seven years but the pair have been plagued by separation rumours

The world marvelled at the perfection of such a beautiful couple when Colombian singer Shakira and Spanish footballer Gerard Pique got together in 2010. However, the pair have been fighting off rumours of a potential split after eagle-eyed fans noticed the two had not been pictured together on social media since June this year.

Now FC Barcelona star Pique has come out to defend his seven-year relationship and posted a family-orientated snap of Shakira and their two sons, Milan, four, and Sasha, two.

Continue reading: Gerard Pique Posts Picture That Quashes Split Rumours

Shakira Is In Deep Trouble For Alleged Tax Evasion

She is being investigated over questions regarding her change of address.

Shakira has become the latest celebrity embroiled in a tax evasion scandal after investigators unearthed that she failed to pay income tax when she moved to Spain, before she made it her home officially three years ago. She is currently fighting her case, the results of which are expected to come this summer.

The 40-year-old Colombian singer could be facing jail time now that Spanish authorities believe that she wasn't paying taxes between 2012 and 2014 when she moved from the Bahamas to Barcelona, just before she made the city her home officially.

Continue reading: Shakira Is In Deep Trouble For Alleged Tax Evasion

Shakira Reveals The First Time She Met Her Boyfriend In New Song

The Colombian singer met footballer, Gerard Pique in 2010

Colombian singing superstar has recalled the first time she met her boyfriend, and the father of her two children, Gerard Pique in a new track and it seems she considered the ten-year age gap when they initially got together.

The Hips Don’t Lie hitmaker has released a new tune, Me Enamore, and gives her fans an insight into how she and the Barcelona footballer started their relationship.

Continue reading: Shakira Reveals The First Time She Met Her Boyfriend In New Song

Zootopia [aka Zootropolis] Review

The filmmakers behind Tangled and Wreck-it Ralph join forces for this entertaining animated action comedy, which has clearly been planned as a franchise-launcher. Energetic and funny, the movie is packed with wonderfully engaging characters and animated with clever visual inventiveness. But even though it's a lot of fun, it's difficult to escape the feeling that Disney is trying to sell us a whole new range of products.

The setting is a world populated only by animals, where predators and prey have learned to get along. The story centres on feisty rabbit Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), who grew up under pressure to work in the family carrot-farming business. But she wants to be a cop, even though no bunny has ever made the force. Top of her class at police academy, she's assigned to the Zootropolis Police Department, where Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) makes her a meter maid. But she's too ambitious to write parking tickets all day, and teams up with con-artist fox Nick (Jason Bateman) to look into the strange case of a missing otter, which might be linked to a series of unexplained events in which predators suddenly became aggressive and dangerous.

The writers and directors have a great time with the premise, peppering scenes with knowing references mainly to other movies but also to resonant aspects of society, such as the genius casting of sloths as government workers. And there are also much bigger themes rattling around the edges, from how other peoples' expectations constrain us to how politicians use fear to control the public. There's also a cleverly pointed undercurrent about prejudice and diversity. And at the centre, Goodwin and Bateman give solid vocal performances as natural enemies who find a way to trust each other. Of the supporting cast, Elba is the standout as a buffalo who is all bluster.

Continue reading: Zootopia [aka Zootropolis] Review

Shakira , Sasha Piqué Mebarak - Shakira leaving her hotel with her son Sasha - New York City, New York, United States - Thursday 24th September 2015

Shakira's Song Not Copied From Songwriter, Judge Rules

The singer's Latin Billboard chart topper, Loca, was at the centre of the dispute

Columbian born singing sensation Shakira has had a case thrown out in which she was accused of plagiarising her hit Latin chart topping song, Loca . The judge in the case ruled that the claimant had lied and that the cassette tapes on which his claims were based were fake.

Dismissing the copyright infringement, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said: "There was a basic issue of fraud in the trial."

Continue reading: Shakira's Song Not Copied From Songwriter, Judge Rules

Enrique Iglesias Is Second Biggest Victor At 2015 Latin Music Awards

Enrique Iglesias Anthony Romeo Santos Drake Carlos Santana Jenni Rivera Marc Anthony Shakira Roberto Carlos

Romeo Santos beats the popstar with a massive ten awards.

Romeo Santos , commonly known as The King of Bachata, was not unpredictably the top winner at the 2015 Latin Music Awards, scooping ten separate accolades for his work as a musician and producer while Latino heartthrob Enrique Iglesias came in close behind with nine prizes.

The former Aventura frontman was not only Artist, Producer and Songwriter of the Year, but he also stormed the Tropical categories with awards for Tropical Songs Solo Artist of the Year and Albums Solo Artist with his second album 'Formula, Vol. 2' winning Tropical Album of the Year and Top Latin Album of the Year and his single 'Odio' featuring Drake scooping the Tropical Song of the Year. His other two awards were Hot Latin Songs Male Artist and Top Latin Albums Male Artist.

Continue reading: Enrique Iglesias Is Second Biggest Victor At 2015 Latin Music Awards

Shakira Celebrates Arrival Of Second Son By Helping Other Vulnerable Mothers

The high-profile couple are using their fame to promote 'World Baby Shower' along with UNICEF, an initiative that aims to help expectant and vulnerable mothers.

Towards the end of last month Shakira and Gerard Pique welcomed their second child together, a boy they named Sasha, and now the Columbian-born pop star is using her high-profile status to give back to other mothers around the globe.

The celebrity couple, who are also parents to 2-year-old son, Milan, are teaming up with UNICEF to throw a 'World Baby Shower,' which aims to help vulnerable mothers as well as their children - and in some cases save their lives.

Continue reading: Shakira Celebrates Arrival Of Second Son By Helping Other Vulnerable Mothers

Shakira - 2014 Billboard Awards Red Carpet at the MGM Grand Resort Hotel and Casino - Las Vegas, United States - Sunday 18th May 2014

Shakira Monday 19th October 2009 2009 Whitney Museum Gala at The Whitney Museum of American Art New York City, USA

Shakira Thursday 24th September 2009 arrives at the BBC studios to record a seesion for Radio One's Live Lounge London, England

Shakira and MTV - Sunday 13th September 2009 at Radio City Music Hall New York City, USA

Date of birth

2nd February, 1977

Shakira Tweets

Shakira - Chantaje Video Video

Publishers File Motion To Vacate Shakira's Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Dismissal

Shakira Launches Game

Shakira's New Perfume Will Come In A Guitar Bottle

Shakira's baby son is 'reaching new milestones every day'

Shakira Launching Parenting App

Shakira questions her parenting skills every day

Shakira Gives A Speech At The United Nations

Shakira Joins Angry Birds Pop As New Character

Shakira And Gloria Estefan Team Up For We're All Mexican Song

Shakira Stuns Spanish Fans At Mana Gig

Shakira joins Zootropolis cast

Shakira Lands Role In New Disney Animation

Shakira movies.

Zootopia [aka Zootropolis] Movie Review

The filmmakers behind Tangled and Wreck-it Ralph join forces for this entertaining animated action comedy,...

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Shakira - Biography

The pop superstar and mum-of-two has had a successful career spanning over 20 years.

Shakira   was already a pop superstar in Latin America when her first English-language album, Laundry Service , hit the international charts in 2001. The exotic beauty, whose name means "woman full of grace" in Arabic, draws on rock'n'roll, her mum's Colombian roots and her father's Lebanese culture as the inspiration for her award-winning career.

"Somehow I'm a fusion of all those passions," she says of her multicultural heritage, "and my music is a fusion of elements that I can make coexist in the same place, in one song."

Shakira's childhood and early career

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born February 9, 1977, to jewellers William and Nidia in Barranquilla, a town on Colombia's Caribbean Coast. As a child, she seemed destined for showbiz, learning how to belly dance at four, writing her first song aged eight, and playing the guitar at 11 all without formal lessons. The aspiring star began entering talent and beauty pageants, travelling to Bogota for a modelling shoot when she was just 13. While in the city, however, she was sidetracked from a fashion career when a family friend set up a meeting with a Sony executive. After singing acapella for the record boss in a hotel lobby, she was signed to the label, and released a self-penned debut, Magia (Magic), in 1991. 

A fan of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Police, The Cure and Nirvana, Shakira graduated from high school aged 15, just before she got a part on Colombian soap El Oasis . Her breakthrough disc, 1996's Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet) sold four million copies and put the young star at number one in eight countries. The big-hearted chanteuse used the title for her Pies Descalzos Foundation, a charity to help poor children in her native Colombia and other developing countries.

Shakira's global success breakthrough

Shakira made five Spanish-language albums before her raw energy, wild blonde mane and belly dance moves helped make Whenever, Wherever an MTV staple. The single, inspired by a long-distance relationship with boyfriend Antonio de la Rua, son of a former Argentine president, was the first release from her English-language debut, Laundry Service . The singer came up with the unusual album title because she felt "washed clean of the way I looked at things in the past".

 "I think I am celebrating life more than ever," she said. The language transition, however, was a complicated one for the 5ft singer-songwriter, who used rhyming dictionaries and read poetry to translate her lyrics. "I would feel love in Spanish but I would think about how to express that love in English," she explains. But, she adds, "Afterwards that became such a natural process."

It was a process she pursued on another English release Oral Fixation Vol. 2 in 2005 – the follow up to Fijación Oral Vol. 1 in Spanish. The English language record spawned the immensely popular Wyclef Jean collaboration Hips Don't Lie , which shot to the top of the charts in 45 countries, Don't Bother , and Illegal featuring Carlos Santana.

A duet with Beyoncé – 2007's global hit Beautiful Liar – consolidated her position in the English language market. After her Oral Fixation tour ended that year, she enrolled at university in LA to study the history of western civilization – using her middle and last name Isabel Mebarak – and telling the professor she was visiting from Colombia so she wasn't recognised as a celebrity. 

Shakira's personal life and children

In January 2011, after 11 years together she and Antonio announced that they had separated several months previously. Shakira found love again with star football player Gerard Pique, officially confirming their relationship on March 29, 2011 by posting a picture of them together with the caption: "I present to you my sunshine."

Two years later on January 22, 2013, the singer gave birth to their son Milan. In August 2014, the pop princess confirmed that she was expecting their second child. Their second son, Sasha, was born in January 2015. 

Following an 11-year relationship, Shakira and Gerard announced their split in June 2022 . The singer and her children have since left their family home in Barcelona and moved to Miami, Florida, where she said they were starting "a new chapter in search of their happiness".

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Shakira - Biography

Shakira Biography

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977), known simply as Shakira , is a Colombian pop singer .

Shakira is a Spanish name that came from the Arabic word for 'graceful'. She speaks English , Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese , and Italian , and she can perform Arab belly dancing, which was taught by her Lebanese grandmother.

Shakira was born in Barranquilla to a Lebanese father and a Spanish-Italian mother, and moved to Bogot� at the age of thirteen. She released her first album, Magia (Magic), one year later, on the Sony label. The album was only moderately successful, and Peligro (Danger), her second album, was no better received.

Shakira turned to acting and played a role in a Colombian telenovela ('El Oasis'), but returned to the music business in 1995 with the album Pies Descalzos (Barefeet), which established her commercial success. The hit 'Estoy Aqu�' became known internationally. The Remixes was created and featured remixes from the songs on Pies Descalzos .

Following this, Shakira met Emilio Estefan, Jr. , who would become the executive producer of her next album. �D�nde Est�n los Ladrones? (Where are the Thieves?) was a huge production which cost over $3 million US. It was a huge hit which gained wide critical acclaim and which many consider to be her best album ever.

It produced the singles 'Inevitable' and the worldwide mega-hit, 'Ojos As�'. Its successful blend of rock and Latin soundscapes made it an immense success. Shakira also produced Shakira MTV Unplugged , a live album based on �D�nde Est�n los Ladrones? . She became widely known throughout the entire Spanish speaking world.

Shakira next turned her sights towards the English-speaking market, improving her English enough to begin writing Laundry Service . With a more rock-edged feel, Laundry Service was aimed at the international English market although it contained some Spanish songs. Some people said that Shakira's English skills were too weak for her to write in English, but Laundry Service was nevertheless a big hit, best known for the infectious single 'Whenever, Wherever' (English version of 'Suerte'), and for being one of the top albums of 2002. Shakira is well known for intense, athletic performances involving belly dancing and arabic rhythms.

In 2002, Shakira also released the greatest hits volume Grandes �xitos . Shakira: Live & Off the Record , a DVD and a 10-song CD from her 2002-03 world tour (the 'Tour of the Mongoose'), was released March 30th, 2004. 'The Tour of the Mongoose' was so-called because a mongoose is the only animal that can defeat a cobra without being killed by its poison. The concerts were interspersed with visuals of a mongoose fighting a cobra.

Shakira is currently writing and recording her next album, scheduled to come out in early 2005. This is rumoured to be a Double CD featuring both Spanish and English songs. She co-writes and co-produces her songs with Luis Fernando Ochoa and Lester M�ndez .

Shakira is considered by many to be a great talent. As Gabriel Garc�a M�rquez once wrote of her, 'Shakira's music has a personal stamp that doesn't look like anyone else's and no one can sing or dance like her, at whatever age, with such an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of her own invention.'

Since 2000, she has been engaged to Antonio de la R�a , the son of the former President of Argentina. In light of the humanitarian and social crisis in Argentina, many members of the press lampooned the relationship as frivolous and arrogant. In response, Shakira gave an unprofitable concert in Buenos Aires and further promoted her humanitarian children's foundation 'Pies Descalzos' (Bare feet), named after her third album. This was decried by many as a simple celebrity public relations move.

Discography

• Magia (1991)
• Peligro (1994)
• Pies Descalzos (1995)
• The Remixes (1997)
• �D�nde Est�n los Ladrones? (1998)
• MTV Unplugged ( 2000 )
• Laundry Service (2001)
• Grandes �xitos ( 2002 )
• Live & Off the Record (2004)

DVDs, films

• MTV Unplugged (2000)

External links

• Shakira's official homepage  ( http://www.shakira.com/ )
• Shakiraholics  ( http://www.shakiraholics.com/ )
• Shakira Rules  ( http://www.shakirarules.de/ )
• ShakiraFanz.com  ( http://www.shakirafanz.com/ )
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Colombian singer and songwriter who achieved international crossover stardom with her bilingual pop anthems.

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Shakira Height, Age, Boyfriend, Husband, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Shakira

• Shakira can speak several languages. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese.
• Shakira loves dogs and has three named  Coquito, Chan, and Gordita.
• In 2002, Wherever, Whenever  became the best-selling song. Also, her single  Hips Don’t Lie  is considered to be the best-selling song of this century.
• Shakira has had the honor of singing the  2010 FIFA World Cup  official song  “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”.  The music video crossed over a billion views on YouTube and still is one of the most viewed videos.
• She has won two Grammys, 26 Latin-American Grammy Awards, five MTV Music Awards and has had a Golden Globe nomination too.
• Shakira also has Star  on the  Hollywood Walk of Fame. 
• The first person to reach 100 million followers on Facebook was none other than Shakira.
• She was only four when she wrote her first poem.
• She wanted a typewriter for Christmas as she always watched her father writing stories on one. She got one when she was seven and has been writing poetry since then.
• She wrote the song “Dark Glasses” because her father always wore a pair of dark glasses hiding the grieving since her brother died in an accident when he was riding his motorcycle.
• She was inspired to be a performer when her father took her to a restaurant where a dancer was doing Belly-Dance to an Arabic drum beat.
• She was let off the school choir at the age of two because she had too strong of a vibrato. She used to perform Belly-Dance on a new number every Friday in School.
• Shakira shares her birthday with her partner Gerard Pique.
• Shakira was known as the “The Belly Dancing Girl” in her school, where she discovered her passion for performing live.
• Shakira found some recognition in her hometown by the time she was 13 when she used to be often invited to perform at different places. This is when  Monica Ariza noticed her and talked to Sony Executives to crack her a deal.
• Sony Columbia signed her after watching her perform three songs.
• Sony gave her only $100,000 to record her album  Pies Descalzos  because they thought that it would not sell more than 100,000 copies. It sold itself well and sold 5 million copies.
• She is already immortalized by having a five-meter statue built in her home city Columbia’s Caribbean Coast.
• Hips Don’t Lie  was the number one single in 55 countries. It was also the maximum played song on the radio totaling 9637 in a week.
• She was listed by Forbes  the highest-earning female artist of 2008.
• Shakira runs  Pies Descalzos Foundation  for helping poor children all around Columbia. Thanks to her father who used to take her to a park where orphans lived, to make her grateful for her life. Since then, she dreamed to help those kids after getting famous. She was also awarded Humanitarian Award in 2003 for the same cause.
• Her Fiance Antonio De La Rúa was the son of the president of Argentina at the time.
• Her IQ is 140.
• Her grandmother was the one who taught her Belly Dancing.
• She loves Bollywood and its music.
• She has been awarded and honored with a medal International Labor Organization.
• Steven Spielberg wanted to cast Shakira before Catherine Zeta-Jones in the movie  The Mask of Zorro. She turned it down because she wasn’t confident enough with her English.

References/Sources: [ + ]

Shakira opens up about split from Gerard Piqué, how she learned he 'betrayed' her

Shakira is opening up about her split from former soccer player  Gerard Piqué  — and how she learned her once-partner had "betrayed" her.

It happened shortly after her 91-year-old father, William Mebarak Chadid, was hospitalized for a bad fall.

"He went to Barcelona to console me after I was consumed with sadness because of my separation," Shakira told People en Español of Chadid. "He was gravely injured in an accident. Everything happened at once. My home was falling apart. I was finding out through the press that I had been betrayed while my dad was in the ICU."

The incident happened when Chadid was at Shakira and Piqué's son Milan's first communion. She and Piqué are parents to Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7.

Chadid is recovering, but the process has been long, Shakira said.

But the period that followed his fall, and the news of Piqué's betrayal, was not easy on the "Hips Don't Lie" singer. She told People she thought she "wasn't going to survive" that time. "The man I have loved the most in my life, my father, was leaving me when I needed him the most. I couldn’t talk to him, or go to my best friend for the advice I needed so much."

She praised her father's resilience.

"He has overcome COVID once, two accidents, one (bout of) pneumonia and five surgeries – all of this at 91 years of age, in less than six months. My dad is the biggest example of resilience, and my mother has been by his side day and night," she said. "They have both been a reflection of that dream that didn't come true for me. But I hope they are role models for my kids of love, of patience in relationships, of absolute devotion and zest for life."

Shakira and Piqué announced their split just over a year ago after more than a decade together.

According to People , the couple first confirmed their relationship in March 2011. In 2012,  Shakira revealed  she was pregnant with their first child. The couple never chose to get married – but appeared to be happy as longtime partners.

While dealing with the separation, "Hips Don't Lie" singer has had a year full of achievements – some with ties to the uncoupling.

She received the Woman of the Year award at Billboard's inaugural Latin Women in Music 2023 gala in May. The award came after a record-breaking music year, during which she crushed more than a dozen Guinness World Records with "Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53." The song – which  seemingly shades  her ex – made its debut at No. 9 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. That feat alone made her the first woman to have a song on the chart's top 10 in Spanish, according to  Billboard .

Shakira, Gerard Piqué: Reach custody agreement for two sons, aim to give them 'utmost security'

At the May event, Shakira said that when she felt most lost, music helped her find her way back to herself, alluding to her split.

The singer worked on the record smashing song "#53" with producer Bizarrap as part of his Music Sessions project, writing the lyrics for the track.

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Contributing: Naledi Ushe , Wyatte Grantham-Philips

Sha’Carri Richardson

Two-time world champion track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson specializes in the 100- and 200-meter dash events and is known for her bold fashion choices.

2000-present

Latest News: Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson Earns 2024 Olympic Berth

“I feel honored. I feel everything, every chapter I’ve been through in my life, designed and prepared me for this moment,” Richardson said after the event. “I cannot wait to go to Paris and represent [the United States].” The former Louisiana State University standout is also trying to qualify in the 200-meter dash; competition for that event begins with the first round on June 27.

Richardson previously made Team USA for the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics but was ineligible to compete after testing positive for THC in a regular drug test. She said the result stemmed from her marijuana use at the time of her biological mother’s death in June 2021.

Quick Facts

Early life: hometown and mother, high school and college, professional running career, fashion icon, ex-girlfriend, who is sha’carri richardson.

Sha’Carri Richardson is an American track athlete and two-time world champion. She was born and raised in Dallas, where she began running at age 9 and became a successful sprinter in middle school and high school. Richardson then attended Louisiana State University for one year before turning professional in 2019. After a positive drug test prevented her from competing in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, Richardson’s career dipped until she became the “world’s fastest woman” after winning the 100-meter dash at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in record time. The runner has also gained attention for her bold fashion and beauty aesthetics, garnering comparisons to the late track star Florence Joyner .

FULL NAME: Sha’Carri Richardson BORN: March 25, 2000 BIRTHPLACE: Dallas, Texas ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

Sha’Carri Richardson was born on March 25, 2000, in Dallas. Growing up, Richardson didn’t have a relationship with her biological parents. Instead, she was raised by her grandmother, Betty Harp, and aunt Shayaria Richardson, whom she calls her mother.

In 2021, Sha’Carri announced her biological mother’s death and declined to discuss her mom in detail beyond saying , “I am grateful for her giving me life, bringing me into this world.” She hasn’t publicly spoken or acknowledged who her father is.

Richardson was inspired to start running at a young age. Shayaria was a successful track and field runner, and at age 9, Sha’Carri found her mother’s medals from her high school running career. “My grandmother made [my mother] a big plaque full of medals, and I saw it one day and was like, ‘I want that. I want you to bring me one, Granny.’ And [my grandmother] was like, ‘Well you got to do something to get some medals!’” Richardson told Teen Vogue in 2022. “And honestly from then on it was just like, ‘If you want to do something, if you want to be great, you got to put your all into it.’”

An active child whom Shayaria described as a tomboy, Richardson spent her time at cheer and dance practices, playing football with neighborhood boys, and of course, running. “I knew right from the start that we were going to be in it for the long haul. She was committed. I would get home from work and she would ask me to take her to the track,” Shayaria told D Magazine .

Richardson began competing in track races during middle school, where she won regional and state championships. In 2016, she gained national recognition as a sophomore at David W. Carter High School in Dallas when she became the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics Champion in the 100 meters. In 2017, Richardson earned a bronze medal in the 200 meters at the USA Track and Field (USATF) National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships.

Richardson committed to running at Louisiana State University in 2017. After graduating high school the following year, Richardson was the No. 1-ranked sprint recruit in the country.

As a freshman at Louisiana State University, Richardson won her first NCAA title in 2019 and set a new collegiate record for the 100-meter dash, recording a time of 10.75 seconds. With a record under her belt, Richardson decided to withdraw from the university and set her sights even higher. She made the announcement on X (formerly Twitter) in June 2019.

Richardson became a professional runner in 2019. That same year, she signed a contract deal with Nike. She specializes in the 100- and 200-meter dash.

Disqualification from the 2020 Olympics

In June 2021, Richardson qualified for the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics after she won the 100-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field. After crossing the finish line and running into the stands, she shared an emotional moment with her grandmother. “My grandmother is my heart. My grandmother is my superwoman,” Richardson said . “Honestly, that was one of my biggest goals in life: to have her see me compete in one of the highest levels and be successful.”

However, that July, results came back from a routine drug test performed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency on the day of her Olympic Trials race: Richardson had tested positive for marijuana. She was subsequently banned from competition for one month and disqualified from competing at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021. Richardson shared that her marijuana use occurred at the time of her biological mother’s death in June 2021 to help her cope with the loss.

“I want to take responsibility for my actions,” Richardson said on the Today show . “I know what I did. I know what I’m supposed to do and am allowed not to do, and I still made that decision. I’m not making an excuse. I’m not looking for any empathy in my case.”

Comeback and Record 100m Time

Richardson’s comeback following her Olympics disqualification was slow. She finished in a disappointing last place in the 100-meter event at the Prefontaine Classic in August 2021. In June 2022, she also failed to reach the semifinals at the USATF Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter events. As a result, she was absent at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

Finally, in June 2023, Richardson began to find her footing at the front of the pack once more. She won the 100-meter sprint at the USATF Outdoor Championships with a time of 10.82 seconds. “Now, I stand here with you again, and I’m ready, mentally, physically and emotionally,” she said in a post-race interview . “I’m here to say, ‘I’m not back, I’m better.’”

Her success continued at the 2023 World Athletics Championships that August. She won the 100-meter sprint with a championship record time of 10.65 seconds, took third place in the 200-meter sprint, and anchored the women’s 4x100m relay for another first place win.

“I feel amazing,” Richardson told Eurosport . “I feel like hard work pays off. I’ve been dedicating myself. I’ve been keeping my faith strong this season and just believing and knowing whatever you practice is what you put forward, and I’m grateful.”

Her win in the 100-meter sprint earned her the title for the current “fastest woman in the world.” Elsewhere, Richardson was named to Forbes ’ 30 Under 30 list for 2024.

2024 Olympics Berth

Richardson officially completed her comeback at the U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials in June 2024 by winning the 100-meter dash in 10.71 seconds to earn a spot on Team USA for the Paris Summer Olympics.

Richardson is known for her unique personal style and beauty aesthetic. Her bold fashion choices on the track have included catsuits and other eye-catching racing attire. Her personal style has been compared to fellow sprinter Florence Joyner , who won five Olympic medals in the 1980s.

“I really just wanted people to know that you can be yourself,” she told NBC following a race in 2022. “That means you wanna be sexy, you wanna be cute, you wanna express yourself in ways that nobody has before? Don’t let that stop you.”

Richardson also wears colorful wigs, makeup, and nail art during her races. She loves fake eyelashes, preferably mink. “You know how they say the eyes are the windows to the soul? Well, the lashes are the window wipers,” she told Vogue .

At the 2023 Prefontaine Classic in September 2023, Richardson made headlines for competing in her natural hair. “I told [my coach] that if I go 10.6 [seconds in the 100-meter dash], I’ll wear my natural hair,” she said. “When I became the world champion and set a championship record, I ran a 10.65. So, I had to pull out the natural.”

Off the track, Richardson has attended the Met Gala and, in February 2024, became the face of a joint campaign for Nike and Jacquemus, a French luxury brand.

Richardson has publicly announced that she’s bisexual. She previously dated Jamaican hurdler Janeek Brown. The couple broke up in 2022 after Richardson accused Brown of abuse.

Richardson shared on Instagram: “I was in a relationship with a Jamaican athlete that never cared about me from jump. I was abused and stole from yet protected her from the judgment of her country and family while they dragged me. I had to deal with [homophobia] and so much more that I’m still healing from.”

In an interview on Instagram Live, Brown confirmed Richardson’s accusation: “I was abusive once that there’s physical evidence of. And we moved on, and even after then I was trying to move on from that, we still got nowhere.”

• I never wanted to settle with just being okay, just being good. I want to make sure that when I leave this sport, that I put everything on the table and that I accomplished everything that I was called to do.
• A quote I like is “Be who you are and be great at it.”
• I just want the world to know that I’m THAT girl.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us !

Emily Shiffer has worked as a writer for over 10 years, covering everything from health and wellness to entertainment and celebrities. She previously was on staff at SUCCESS , Men's Health , and Prevention magazines. Her freelance writing has been featured in Women's Health , Runner's World , PEOPLE , and more. Emily is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she majored in magazine journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and minored in musicology. Currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina, Emily enjoys instructing barre, surfing, and long walks on the beach with her miniature Dachshund, Gertrude.

Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.

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