Shakira

Although USA Today has called her the "Latina Alanis Morissette" and comparisons have been made to Janis Joplin, Colombian singing sensation Shakira is far more ethereal and otherworldly than these comparisons suggest.

Born in Barranquilla, Colombia to parents of Columbian and Lebanese descent, Shakira Mebarak released her first album in Colombia at age 13. Fancying herself a true "artista," Shakira has been dancing, writing and singing since age three and continues to write all of her own music.

Shakira is perhaps best known for her landmark recording Pies Descalzos, a hybrid of rock, pop and Latin rhythms that sold over 3.6 million copies worldwide. Shakira blends American style pop-rock with traditional Latin rhythms, creating her own unique sound and forging new ground in the growing Latin music market in the United States.

Shakira's career received a boost when she was named Latin Female Artist of the Year at the 1998 World Music Awards. Her fourth album, Donde Estan los Ladrones, reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Latin 50.

As Shakira contemplated crossing over and recording an English-language album, she became the first Spanish singer to perform on MTV Unplugged. The album, MTV Unplugged, was released in 1999 and won a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album. Shakira's 2001 Laundry Service boasted songs in both English and Spanish and debuted at number three on the pop charts, thanks to the Latin-flavored dance hit, “Whenever, Wherever.” Suddenly, Shakira seemed like an overnight sensation, or Latin America’s answer to Britney Spears. Her follow-up single, “Underneath Your Clothes,” peaked at number nine. In 2002, Shakira picked up a Latin Grammy for her video "Suerte."

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