Shakira
Born 1977 · Age 48
Colombian singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist and global pop star known for Spanish- and English-language hits and for founding the Pies Descalzos/Barefoot Foundation.
Compare Your Trajectory
See how your career milestones stack up against Shakira and other industry leaders.
Life & Career Timeline
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll born to William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado in Barranquilla; of Colombian and Lebanese descent.
Family tragedy: half-brother's death
Shakira's half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident when she was two; a formative childhood event.
Wrote first poem, 'La Rosa de Cristal'
At age four Shakira wrote her first poem, marking early literary and lyrical interest.
Composed first song 'Tus Gafas Oscuras'
At 8, after receiving a guitar from an aunt, Shakira composed her first song inspired by her father's grief.
Family bankruptcy and brief stay in Los Angeles
Her father's business failed when she was eight and she was sent to stay with relatives in Los Angeles; influenced her awareness of poverty.
Signed to Sony Music Colombia
Auditioned and was signed by Sony Music Colombia at age 13 to record three albums.
Released debut album 'Magia'
First studio album Magia released (collection of songs written since childhood); limited commercial success (~1,200 copies sold in Colombia).
Graduated secondary school early
Finished convent secondary school at age 15 after being advanced in class work; then focused on a professional music career.
Acted in telenovela 'El Oasis'
Starred in Colombian TV series El Oasis (1993–1994), expanding presence beyond music.
Viña del Mar festival – third place
Performed at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival and won third place; helped raise profile in Latin America.
Released second album 'Peligro'
Second studio album Peligro released; better produced than debut but not commercially successful due to limited promotion.
'¿Dónde Estás Corazón?' included on compilation
Recorded '¿Dónde Estás Corazón?' for Nuestro Rock Volumen II; the song became a hit in Colombia and led to new recording opportunities.
Began recording 'Pies Descalzos'
Started recording her third album and international debut Pies Descalzos with collaborator Luis Fernando Ochoa.
Released 'Pies Descalzos' (breakthrough)
Third studio album Pies Descalzos released; spawned six hit singles, reached #5 on Billboard Top Latin Albums, later certified platinum by RIAA (Aug 1996).
Launch concert for 'Pies Descalzos' tour in Bogotá
Concierto de Lanzamiento de Pies Descalzos in Bogotá — the tour would expand to 118 shows over two years.
RIAA platinum certification for 'Pies Descalzos' (US)
Pies Descalzos certified platinum in the U.S. (August 1996) following strong Latin-market performance.
Won three Billboard Latin Music Awards
Awards included Album of the Year (Pies Descalzos), Video of the Year ('Estoy Aquí') and Best New Artist.
Founded Pies Descalzos / Barefoot Foundation (approx.)
Established the Pies Descalzos (Barefoot) Foundation to help children displaced by violence and improve education in Colombia (foundation established in the late 1990s; many sources cite 1997).
Released 'Dónde Están los Ladrones?'
Fourth studio album recorded partly at Gloria and Emilio Estefan's Miami studio; major global hit, ~7 million copies sold worldwide and #1 on U.S. Latin Albums for 11 weeks.
Recorded MTV Unplugged (Spanish) in NYC
MTV Unplugged recorded on 12 August 1999 — first Spanish-language MTV Unplugged broadcast; widely acclaimed live performance.
Released MTV Unplugged album; Grammy recognition
MTV Unplugged released early 2000; critical acclaim and later earned Shakira a Grammy (Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album — sources list win associated with this recording).
Tour Anfibio
Embarked on Tour Anfibio in March 2000 — a two-month tour of Latin America and the U.S.
Management change and Pepsi promotional deal negotiated
Freddy DeMann took over management from Emilio Estefan around 2000 and negotiated a multi‑million-dollar global promotion deal with Pepsi (Shakira recorded several Pepsi tracks).
Released lead single 'Whenever, Wherever' / 'Suerte'
Lead single from her first English-targeted album; blended Andean music elements and became a global top-ten hit (US #6).
Released English crossover album 'Laundry Service'
Fifth studio album (first major English-language release) debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200; became her best-selling album, selling over 13 million copies worldwide (some sources list up to 15M).
Tour of the Mongoose — first worldwide tour
Embarked on the Tour of the Mongoose (Nov 2002–May 2003), performing 61 shows across North America, South America, Europe and Asia.
Won MTV Video Music Award – International Viewer's Choice
Won an MTV Video Music Award for International Viewer's Choice for 'Suerte / Whenever, Wherever' (2002).
Named UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and traveled internationally to raise awareness for children's struggles in developing countries.
Released Live & off the Record (CD/DVD)
Live CD/DVD commemorating the Tour of the Mongoose sold approximately three million sets worldwide.
Released lead single 'La Tortura' (Fijación Oral, Vol. 1)
Lead single 'La Tortura' featuring Alejandro Sanz released in April 2005; remained on Billboard Hot Latin Tracks for a record 25 weeks and reached US Hot 100 (#23).
Released 'Fijación Oral, Vol. 1' (Spanish)
Spanish-language 6th studio album debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, sold 157,000 first week — highest US debut ever for a Spanish-language album at that time; multi‑million seller (2M+ US Latin certifications, ~5M worldwide).
Released 'Oral Fixation, Vol. 2' (English)
Seventh studio album (English) debuted at #5 on Billboard 200, sold 128,000 first week and went on to sell ~1.8M in the U.S. and ~8M worldwide.
Oral Fixation Tour begins (2006–2007)
Embarked on Oral Fixation Tour in June 2006; tour comprised about 120 shows across five continents through December 2007.
'Hips Don't Lie' reaches No. 1 globally
'Hips Don't Lie' featuring Wyclef Jean released Feb 2006; Shakira's first Billboard Hot 100 #1, reached #1 in 55+ countries and became one of the biggest-selling singles of the 21st century.
Received Billboard Spirit of Hope Award
Honored with Billboard's Spirit of Hope Award in recognition of philanthropic work with Fundación Pies Descalzos.
Won Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album
At the 2006 Grammys Shakira won her second Grammy (Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album) for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.
Released live album 'Oral Fixation Tour'
Third live album, Oral Fixation Tour, released in November 2007, capturing the 2006–2007 tour.
Collaborated with Beyoncé on 'Beautiful Liar'
Released duet 'Beautiful Liar' (2007) with Beyoncé; the single jumped a record 91 positions on the Billboard Hot 100 in one week (from 94 to 3) and hit #1 in the UK.
Released album 'She Wolf'
English-language album She Wolf released in 2009 featuring an electro-pop sound; received platinum certifications in various countries.
Released 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)' — 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem
Song selected as official anthem of the 2010 World Cup; included on Sale el Sol (2010) and became an international hit (reported multi‑million sales; video later surpassed 1 billion views).
Released 'Sale el Sol'
Spanish-language album Sale el Sol released (2010); earned Latin Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Album.
Appointed to President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (USA)
Appointed by U.S. administration in 2011 to advise on Hispanic education issues.
Named Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year & Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year
Honored in 2011 for philanthropic work and musical contributions.
Granted Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (France)
French government honored Shakira in 2012 with the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for contributions to arts and culture.
Birth of first son, Milan Piqué Mebarak
Shakira and partner Gerard Piqué welcomed son Milan on 22 January 2013.
Became coach on NBC's The Voice (Season 4 debut)
Joined The Voice as a coach (season 4 premiere on 25 March 2013), replacing Christina Aguilera; returned for season 6 (2014).
Antonio de la Rúa sued Shakira
Antonio de la Rúa filed a $250 million lawsuit in April 2013 alleging he helped build the 'Shakira' brand and seeking compensation.
Released self‑titled album 'Shakira' and performed 2014 World Cup closing ceremony
Released album Shakira (2014) with collaborations including Blake Shelton and Rihanna; performed at 2014 World Cup closing ceremony in Brazil.
Birth of second son, Sasha Piqué Mebarak
Second son Sasha born on 29 January 2015 to Shakira and Gerard Piqué.
Voice role in animated film 'Zootopia'
Lent her voice to the character of Gazelle in Disney's Zootopia (2016), expanding multimedia presence.
Released album 'El Dorado' and suffered vocal cord hemorrhage
El Dorado released in 2017 (won Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album later). In 2017 Shakira experienced a hemorrhage of her right vocal cord, forcing cancellations of tour dates.
Resumed El Dorado World Tour
After recovery, resumed El Dorado World Tour in June 2018 following earlier cancellations related to strained vocal cords.
Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show with Jennifer Lopez
Performed with Jennifer Lopez at the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in Miami, showcasing Latin music styles to a global audience.
Reported sale of catalogue / rights (news reported)
Media reported Shakira among artists selling rights to their catalogs in 2021 (various deals in that year); specific deal details not provided in supplied text.
Executive produced/judged 'Dancing with Myself'
Served as executive producer and judge on the dance competition series Dancing with Myself (2022).
Released singles including 'Don't You Worry' (Black Eyed Peas) and 'Don't Wait Up'
Continued releasing singles; collaborated with Black Eyed Peas on 'Don't You Worry' (2022) and released solo single 'Don't Wait Up' (2021).
Awarded MTV Video Vanguard Award
Received the 2023 MTV Video Vanguard Award recognizing her extensive musical career and impact of her music videos.
Released 'Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53' collaboration with Bizarrap
Collaboration with Argentine producer Bizarrap that became a global chart-topper, broke streaming records (huge debut in Spanish on Spotify), and marked a major cultural moment.
Opened new school in El Bosque via Barefoot Foundation
Announced opening of a new school in El Bosque (Barranquilla) as part of the Barefoot Foundation's educational projects; reported in 2023 sources.
Released album 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran'
First studio album in seven years released in 2024; topped Billboard Top Latin Albums, making her the first woman with number-one albums in four different decades.
Won Grammy Award (2025) for 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran' (reported)
Reported in Britannica update that Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran won the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album in 2025.
Key Achievement Ages
Explore what Shakira and others achieved at these notable ages:
Similar Trajectories
Veronica Belmont
Born 1982 · Age 43
American online media personality, podcaster and product manager known for Tekzilla, Buzz Out Loud, Mahalo Daily, Qore, Sword & Laser and Mozilla's IRL; later a product leader at Adobe, Unity and Electronic Arts.
Clara Shih
Born 1982 · Age 43
American technology entrepreneur and executive; co-founder and former CEO of Hearsay Social; board member of Starbucks; executive roles at Salesforce; in Nov 2024 appointed to lead Business AI at Meta Platforms. Author of two books on social business.
Aparna Nancherla
Born 1982 · Age 43
American stand-up comedian, writer, actress and voice actor known for stand-up, writing for late-night TV, recurring TV roles (BoJack Horseman, Corporate) and for her memoir and comedy album.
Ruchi Sanghvi
Born 1982 · Age 43
Indian computer engineer and businesswoman; first female engineer hired by Facebook; co‑founder of Cove (acquired by Dropbox); former VP of Operations at Dropbox; founder of South Park Commons.
Katrina Lake
Born 1982 · Age 43
American entrepreneur, founder and chairperson of Stitch Fix, a data-driven personal styling and fashion subscription service; led Stitch Fix from founding (2011) to IPO (2017) and served as CEO until 2021.
Michael Seibel
Born 1982 · Age 43
Entrepreneur, co-founder of Justin.tv/Twitch and Socialcam; longtime Y Combinator partner and former CEO of the YC Startup Accelerator; investor and board member (Reddit, Dropbox).