Where is Shakira from? Where does the singer live now?
She is known throughout the world, mainly for her music and dancing but by some for her links to a certain Spanish footballer.
Born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, the singer-songwriter has an instantly recognisable dance style, and makes headlines wherever she goes, but now with just a single name. A devoted mother to her children Milan and Sasha, who she shares with ex-partner, former Barcelona soccer player Gerard Piqué, she swapped her family home for Europe and then travelled back across the Atlantic following an eventful time. And she wants to do what she can to settle.
Shakira’s Colombian roots
Born on 2 February 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira began her music career at a young age and gained prominence in Latin America in the 1990s. Her position as a global star was cemented with her fifth studio album, ‘Laundry Service,’ released in 2001, which featured the hit singles ‘Whenever, Wherever’ and ‘Underneath Your Clothes.’ Since then, she has become one of the most recognisable and influential figures in the music industry, winning numerous awards including multiple Grammy Awards and Latin Grammy Awards. She was also the face of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with Waka Waka.
Beyond her music career, Shakira is also known for her philanthropic work, particularly through her Barefoot Foundation (Fundación Pies Descalzos in Spanish), which focuses on providing education and nutrition to impoverished children in Colombia and other parts of the world.
Oh, and then there’s the moment her headline-grabbing piqued (sorry!). Yes, her relationship with then Barcelona player Gerard Piqué caught the imagination of millions and the break up, followed by subsequent targeted lyrics, even more so.
"I had to pick up the pieces of myself and put them all back together and music was the glue."@shakira sits down with @zanelowe in Miami to discuss her new album, 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.' https://t.co/HdSdMDoBKR pic.twitter.com/B28Zmva8Gq
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) March 20, 2024
Shakira swaps Barcelona for Miami
After some troubled times in the Catalan city Barcelona, Shakira decided to take her boys closer to her roots and they have settled in Miami, Florida. And she seems pleased with the decision, if a recent Hola magazine interview is anything to go by.
“I’ve never seen my children so happy,” the now 47-year-old said. “They go to their extracurricular activities without anyone chasing them around, unlike in Barcelona where we had paparazzi at the door every day.
“They lead a free and normal life as two ordinary children, not as celebrity kids.”
VIDEO: Shakira attends her 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran' album release party in Miami. pic.twitter.com/Grsj840g7v
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 23, 2024
Shakira offers Miami school “package” to sons’ friends
Shakira sought to ease the transition of her children to a new life in Miami by offering to sponsor their friends’ schooling and living expenses for a year.
Despite her generous offer, the parents of the children hesitated, possibly due to concerns about uprooting their lives. Shakira went as far as offering to help them find employment in Miami, but, as far as we know, none accepted the proposal. This reluctance may be attributed to the affluent backgrounds of the children’s families, indicated by the substantial tuition fees of €1,500 ($1590) per month in Barcelona.
Shakira’s new album out
Shakira has just released her twelfth studio album ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry). She’s appearing tonight (Monday, March 25) on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon to promote it and play one or more tracks. You can tune in from 11.35 ET on NBC.
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