Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll

Shakira, 2023.

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born 2 February 1977), widely known simply as Shakira, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and philanthropist. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been dubbed the "Queen of Latin Music" for her artistic influence and versatility. Her career began at age 13 with a recording debut for Sony Music Colombia. Although her first two albums, *Magia* (1991) and *Peligro* (1993), did not achieve commercial success, subsequent releases such as *Pies Descalzos* (1995) and *Dónde Están los Ladrones?* (1998) established her as a leading figure in Latin music. Her international breakthrough came with *Laundry Service* (2001), which sold over 13 million copies globally and featured hits like "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes". Broadcast Music, Inc. recognized her as a "pioneer" who expanded the global reach of Latino artists. In 2022, MTV honored her as one of "The Most Influential Women in the History of Music", the sole Latina on the list.

Career and Accolades

Shakira has received numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards, fourteen Latin Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards (including the 2023 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award), seven Billboard Music Awards, thirty-nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, twenty-one Guinness World Records, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was named Billboard's Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade for both the 2000s and 2010s. Her philanthropy, particularly through the Barefoot Foundation, earned her the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year awards in 2011. In 2011, she was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the United States, and in 2012, she received the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French government.

Personal Life

Shakira began a relationship with Argentine lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 2000. In a 2009 interview, she described their relationship as functioning "like a married couple" without formal legal ties. After a decade together, the couple separated in August 2010, citing a "mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship". De la Rúa continued to oversee Shakira's business interests during this period. In 2013, de la Rúa filed a lawsuit against her, seeking $100 million for alleged financial losses after her sudden termination of their business partnership in 2011. The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in August 2013.

Shakira entered a relationship with Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué in 2011. The couple met in 2010 after Piqué appeared in the music video for "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They welcomed their first son, Milan, on 22 January 2013, and their second son, Sasha, on 29 January 2015. Forbes named them among the "World's Most Powerful Couples". In June 2022, the couple announced their separation after 11 years together. In March 2024, Shakira stated in an interview that she felt "better off as a single mother" and described her former partner, Piqué, as "Voldemort", a reference to the antagonist in the *Harry Potter* series. [1] [2]

Paradise Papers and Legal Issues

In November 2017, Shakira was named in the *Paradise Papers*, revealing her ownership of a Malta-based company used to transfer $30 million in music rights. Her legal team maintained that the arrangement was fully legal. In 2018, Spanish authorities initiated an investigation into her finances, alleging she evaded taxes between 2012 and 2014 while residing in Spain with Piqué and their family. Shakira argued her primary residence was in the Bahamas during that period. In July 2021, a Spanish judge ruled there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient for her trial on tax fraud charges.

The *Pandora Papers* (2021) disclosed that Shakira applied for three offshore companies in 2019. Her representatives stated these filings were part of dissolving existing entities, with no income or activity associated with them. In 2022, after failing to reach a settlement with Spanish prosecutors, Shakira agreed to trial. Prosecutors sought an eight-year prison sentence for six alleged tax fraud offenses. On 27 September 2022, a Spanish judge approved the trial, with a date set for November 2023. On 20 November 2023, Shakira settled the case by paying a €7.5 million fine. In a statement, she cited her well-being and the impact on her children as factors in her decision.

References

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