Shakira is more than just a pretty singer. If you want to find out more about the “Whenever, Wherever” singer you need to read this article. You might be really surprised.
Fact Nr.1
The name Shakira has actually a deep meaning. It’s arabic for grateful.
Fact Nr.2
She has a really mixed background. Her father is a Lebanese, while her mother is a Spanish-Italian, and like we all know she was born in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Fact Nr.3
Even a natural beauty like Shakira doesn’t like everything about her body. She hates her ears; therefore she always wears her hair open or in a way that her ears are covered.
Fact Nr.4
She has been in a 11 years relationship with Antonio de la Rua, son of the former President of Argentina.
Fact Nr.5
Shakira is living a really healthy lifestyle; She doesn’t drink coffee, she doesn’t smoke and she never drinks alcohol either.
Fact Nr.6
She is really small compared to her footballer boyfriend. She measures 1.55 m and he is as tall as 1.94 m.
Fact Nr.7
It was her Lebanese grandmother who taught her belly dance, in matter to stay true to her middle eastern roots.
Fact Nr.8
She started really early with her career; she signed her contract with Sony when she was only 13 years old. Even though her first two discs flopped, she didn’t gave up until she released her first successful disc in 1996.
Fact Nr.9
She composed her first song with only 8 years. It is called “tus gafas oscuras” (your dark glasses) and it talks about her fathers grief of losing his son (Shakiras half brother) in a car accident.
Fact Nr.10
She is gifted with a talent for foreign languages, she speaks 5 languages in total: Spanish, English, Arabian, Portuguese and Italian.
Fact Nr.11
She is smarter than the average. She has an IQ of 140, average is about 100.
Fact Nr.12
She would have liked to become an astronomer or psychologist if her music career wouldn’t have worked out.
Fact Nr.13
Shakira likes to stay simple. Her favorite colors are black and white.
Fact Nr.14
In 2010 she was appointed as a member of the white house initiative on educational excellence for Hispanics, under Barack Obama as President, who she has met personally in the same year.
Fact Nr.15
She has the honor of being immortalized by a large statue of herself in her home city Barranquilla in Colombia.
Fact Nr.16
In 2003 Shakira was nominated as a Goodwill Ambassador by Unicef, the youngest in history. She has even travelled to Bangladesh in 2007, after the cyclone SIDR has hit the country badly.
Fact Nr.17
She is eternalized on the walk of fame. She got her star in 2011.
Fact Nr.18
Sony, her record label says that she is the biggest selling Colombian singer in history. She has sold more than 60 millions albums.
Fact Nr.19
With only 18 years, Shakira created her own foundation “Pies Descalzados”, with her foundation she is supporting vulnerable children and giving them access to education and therefore to a better future.
Fact Nr.20
Shakira met her 10 years younger boyfriend Gerard Pique in 2010 while filming the video for her official FIFA World cup song, “Waka Waka (This time for Africa)”.
Fact Nr.21
“Hips don’t lie” has been the most played song in American Radio history with 9637 in one week.
Fact Nr.22
Compared to most stars, she hates wearing jewelry, the only thing she is fond about are wide rings.
Fact Nr.23
Her favorite song is “with or without you” of U2, her musical inspiration is John Lennon and she admires Gloria Estefan for what she has done for Latin music.
Fact Nr.24
In 2009, she has been interpreting 2 songs at the Barack Obama investiture a long with Usher.
