Shakira

FEATURES SHAKIRA

The multi-award winning artist is embarking on her biggest feat to date – not a Grammy, not a hit single for the World Cup but Environmental Change for the future of our planet.

Shakira: wife, mother and international bestselling singer, is using her platform for good use. Instead of releasing another pop ballad – the 44-year-old is sitting on the panel of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize. Every year for the next 10 years five £1million Earthshot prizes are awarded; providing at least 50 evidence based solutions to the planet’s greatest environmental problems by 2030.

Shakira has a huge platform too. She has amassed over 18 million You Tube hits and 250 million social media followers and is considered one of the world’s best known solo singers. She has said she is not going to produce music “for a while” as other issues close to her heart are taking up all her time. Talking about Prince William and Earthshot she said:

“Seeing Prince William’s passion and how genuinely determined he is to provoke change is very, very inspiring, It's just incredible to see how committed he is, and all the people at Earthshot are, to make change happen in the world in such a short amount of time.

“And it's not impossible. It requires many of us, plenty of commitment and determination, and we need to raise awareness towards that. I feel that I can do that while talking to every journalist I can. Every time I'm in front of a camera, I can talk about that… We are citizens of humanity. We need to really provoke fast change in order to preserve our home.”

To mark the launch of the Earthshot, Shakira and Prince William released a video of a Zoom call between them, in which they discussed their shared passion for saving the planet, how to bring about change and in particular, Shakira’s passion for cleaning up oceans.

“Prince William is one of the people who is really aware of how imminent and how necessary it is that we all work together. He's called me on the phone just to discuss this and try to get me committed to do more.”

The singer has also started her own foundation for children’s education and welfare in her native Columbia. Calling it ‘Barefoot Foundation’ she campaigns for the right for every child to have access to education. The project aims to help 54,000 children over 3 years to succeed academically with school and education for those that need it most.

Raised in Baranquilla, a district of North Columbia, Shakira wrote her first song at the age of 8 and was signed to her first record label at just 13. Shakira has also managed to scoop 2 Grammy Awards, 7 Latin Grammy Awards, 5 MTV Music Awards and 7 Billboard Music Awards. Not bad for a girl from the deepest darkest depths of South

America.

Throughout her career Shakira has not only been a singer, but also a songwriter, record producer, choreographer and model. Her allround personality means that she has not only written the majority of her songs but also created the dances in many of her music videos, including the video for the hit single ‘Waka Waka’ which had over 933 million views and became the 9th most watched video on You Tube ever.

Although Shakira’s first two studio albums were not hits, her third album Pies Descalzos immediately gave her prominence in the Latin American market. With the success of other albums, such as Dónde Están los Ladrones, she became a superstar in the Spanish-language market, known for her strong vocals and incredible hip-shaking and those killer belly dance moves.

In 1997 Shakira made the decision to move herself and her family to Miami where she began to learn English. In 2001 her debut English language album Laundry Service reached no.3 on the charts, selling more than 200,000 copies in the first week of release. Her album was full of major hits such as ‘Wherever, Whenever’ which became

her breakthrough hit in the US, and after selling 10 million copies worldwide, it became the biggest hit of 2001.

Shakira soon became the highest selling Columbian artist of all time, and her records such as ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ began to top the charts gaining her several number ones. She also began collaborating with massive US artists such as Beyoncé Knowles. Their song ‘Beautiful Liar’ was released in 2007 and quickly became number one in several European countries including France, Germany, Italy and the UK.

By 2012 her US album sales alone had reached over 10 million. Shakira had created a worldwide phenomenon, which combined Latino, Arabic and hip-hop music together and reached out to such a variety of people that she was adored worldwide.

Her multitude of talents was broadened again when she was confirmed a Star Judge on popular NBC show ‘The Voice’, the fourth series aired in March 2013, just months after Shakira had given birth to her first child, Milan. Her personality and likeability definitely won over the hearts of the nation and she rapidly returned for the sixth series after taking a year off to spend time with her son and husband, professional Spanish football player SURREYROCKS | ISSUE 04SURREYROCKS | ISSUE 04 39

Gerard Pique, who recently celebrated playing 100 Caps for Spain during the FIFA 2018 Russia World Cup.

Although it hasn’t been all fun and games in Shakira’s personal life. Shakira previously dated Antonio de la Rua, son of former Argentine President Fernando de la Rua. In 2013, de la Rua made headlines when he sued the Latin songstress for $100 million, charging that he had helped create some of his ex’s hit songs as well as the “Shakira brand.” Fortunately for the singer the superior court

dismissed the lawsuit and she was not made to give La Rua any part of her income.

Even with their net worth of 220 million dollars Shakira doesn’t let her WAG status or fame get to her head. In 2010 the United Nations Labour Organisation honoured her for her philanthropic efforts and she became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.

Her charity work was also emphasised when she threw her world baby showers in the upcoming weeks to her second son´s births. Shakira organised and ran the event asking for gifts to be donated to babies that were in need all over the world. She claimed that “she hopes her charity efforts will make her sons proud.”

Their first Virtual Baby Shower was a huge success; over 80,000 children were vaccinated against polio, nearly four tons of therapeutic food helped children suffering from malnutrition, plus around 1,000 anti-malaria bed nets and nearly 200,000 oral rehydration salts sachets were distributed.

It is clear that Shakira is no longer just a singer, her talents vary so far and wide that she has become an exciting role model for younger generations. Environmental issues are her passion and she is excelling in getting her message out there.