Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll aka Shakira is a globally renowned Colombian singer-songwriter Colombian singer-songwriter. Born in Barranquilla, Shakira began with a n early interest with poetry and began writing poems after being gifted a typewriter. During her school years she developed her skills in singing and gained a passion for live performance. Soon her talents would gain the attention of a local theater producer named Monica Ariza who would convince Sony Music Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira.

The audition payed off and Shakira debut her first album titled Magia at only 13 years old with Sony Music Entertainment Colombia. Shakira released her second studio album two years later, titled Peligro, which did marginally better than the first but was still not particularly successful.

After graduating secondary school, Shakira returned to making music, releasing three more albums. Her 1995 album The Pies Descalzos had six singles reach number five on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart which along with her 1998 album Dónde Están los Ladrones? and 2001 album  Laundry Service helped her expand her audience into the English market.

Shakira quickly rose through the charts over the years and has now become one of the most recognizable Latin artist in the world. With over 100 million albums sold world wide, Shakira is known as the title of Queen of Latin Music.