Shakira is a pop singer whose fusion of her Lebanese and Spanish roots makes her Colombia’s most famous pop star. 🇨🇴
Shakira in New York City
MetLife Stadium
Shakira “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour” comes to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on Friday, May 16, 2025 at 7:30pm. From $68. 🇨🇴
Barclays Center
Shakira “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour” comes to Barclays Center in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; on December 5-6, 2024 at 7:30pm. 🇨🇴
New York City Venues
Shakira, “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan”
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born in Barranquilla, Colombia on February 2, 1977. Her name is Arabic for grateful. Her father was a Lebanese New Yorker, her Colombian mother was of Catalan Spanish descent.
The young talent wrote her first poem when she was four years old. She decided to be a performer after spontaneously belly dancing on a table in a Lebanese restaurant. Her songwriting was inspired by watching her father writing on a typewriter.
Her talent was noticed and she got to record her first album, “Magia,” when she was just thirteen years old. It’s been a long journey since then. Shakira is one of the artists who popularized Spanish-language music around the world. She has been a big influence on many younger stars.
Her career grew slowly until “Pies Descalzos” (Barefoot, 1996). “Estoy Aqui” (I am here). It’s interesting to see Shakira the girl, when she was just finding her voice.
Shakira hit the mainstream in the U.S. with her first English album “Laundry Service” (2001). Critics thought she wasn’t ready to work in English, but it became the best selling album of 2002.
Shakira’s most famous song is “Hips don’t Lie” with Wyclef Jean. It comes from “Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 “Don’t Bother” (2005).
The Road to El Dorado
After making eleven albums over a 26-year career, Shakira was feeling a little bit over it all. She is a busy mom with two young sons, Milan (4) and Sasha (2). Her partner, Gerard Piqué, was the FC Barcelona center-back. “El Dorado,” released in 2017 contains a couple of songs about their relationship.
Carlos Vives’ inspired her with his focus on traditional Colombian rhythms. He has made vallenato, a Colombian working-class music, cool. Their work together turned into “La Bicicleta,” a playful romp that won two Latin Grammys last year for “Song of the Year” and “Record of the Year.”
Returning to her roots seems to have reenergized Shakira. When you get stretched out, you have to go home to find yourself. Shakira mixes it up a lot on the album. “Trap” is a trap music ballad also with Maluma. “Déjà vu” is a Bachata with Prince Royce. “Me Enamoré,” with Spanish producer Rayito is about her relationship with Piqué. So is “Coconut Tree.” “Perro Fiel” (Faithful Dog) with Nicky Jam, and “What We Said“, in English with Nasri Atweh are reggaetons.
The Break Up That Broke YouTube Records
BZRP Music Sessions #53 is about her breakup with Piqué. Now Shakira is completely renewed and singing with her original energy again.
“Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan” means “women don’t cry anymore, women get paid.”
Albums
- “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” (2024)
- “El Dorado” (2017) won the “Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album” Latin Grammy, and the “Best Latin Pop Album” Grammy
- “Fijación Oral Vol. 1” won 2006 Latin Grammys for “Album of the Year” and “Best Female Pop Vocal Album; and a Grammy for “Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album”
- “MTV Unplugged” won a Grammy for “Best Latin Pop Album”