Look Back at Pop Queen (and Former Voice Coach) Shakira’s Legendary Career
The queen of Latin pop music, Shakira, is one of the most captivating Coaches who has ever graced one of The Voice’s red chair, boasting a decades-long career.
Shakira’s influence as a musician is immeasurable. Born in Barranquilla, Colombia to her Colombian mother and Lebanese father, Shakira quickly became known for her sonic fusion of Arabic and Colombian musical styles. She created an entirely new sound — which has made the “Hips Don’t Lie” one of the most successful Latin artists in music history.
From her red chair reign to her smash 2021 Superbowl show, Shakira is a powerhouse performer to her core, continually raising the bar. Shakira is beloved far and wide for her unique vocals and mesmerizing dance moves.
Shakira’s career background is a testament to her timeless talent and artistry. Dive into the former Voice Coach’s impressive career history, below.
Shakira released her debut album, Magia (1991), at just 14 years old. In 1993, Shakira kept the beats going with Peligro and, while the first two albums included many bops, Shakira’s third studio album, Pies Descalzos (1996), permanently planted her on the Latin music charts.
Shakira continued to shake up the industry with her reggae-reminiscent sound and mind-boggling belly dancing, gaining even more traction with the 1998 release of Dónde Están Los Ladrones?
Shakira cemented her legacy in 2001 after winning the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album for the hypnotizing recording of her MTV: Unplugged performance. But even with a Grammy under her belt, Shakira was only getting started.
The album responsible for elevating Shakira to international superstardom was her 2001 release Laundry Service. Before the album’s debut, Shakira had relocated to Miami, Florida in hopes of growing her American fan base, prompting her to write an album in both English and Spanish.
Giving us the smash hits “Whenever, Wherever,” “Te Dejo Madrid,” and “Underneath Your Clothes,” Laundry Service was partially produced by Emilio Estefan, the son of fellow Latin pop legend Gloria Estefan. Laundry Service proceeded to be a decorated success, winning several awards in 2002
2005 and 2006 were monumental years for Shakira’s career as she released two albums that made her a household name.
In 2005, Shakira released Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, gracing fans with its sultry lead single “La Tortura.” The album was a bonafide Grammy-grabber, earning her the 2006 Grammy for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album and four Latin Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Song of the Year (“La Tortura”), Record of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Album.
Shakira was only heating up. She upped the ante and forever changed the future of belly dancing with Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, featuring the mythic hit “Hips Don’t Lie.” Besides Shakira and Wyclef Jean’s smash single that has since become one of Shakira’s most well-known songs, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 included must-hear songs like “Don’t Bother” and “Illegal,” featuring Carlos Santana. “Hips Don’t Lie” earned widespread acclaim, was chosen for the closing ceremony of the FIFA World Cup, and became Shakira’s first-ever #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100.
She Wolf to El Dorado
Shakira’s 2009 release She Wolf, was an international success thanks to dynamite tracks like the тιтular hit “She Wolf, “Did It Again” (co-written with fellow Voice alum Pharrell Williams), and “Gypsy.”
In 2010, Shakira released the nostalgic album Sale el Sol, a must-listen record that many consider Shakira’s nod to her Colombian roots. The album’s lead single was “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” the 2010 FIFA World Cup theme song.
When speaking of her ninth studio album, Shakira said, “This album represents exactly the way I am—my state of mind today, as an artist and as a woman. Some of the songs remind me of my beginnings, so it’s kind of like going back to where everything started, but from a new perspective, with the way I see things now.”
Shakira released the grand-slam self-тιтled album Shakira in 2014, featuring the energizing breakup ballad “I Can’t Remember to Forget You,” featuring Rihanna.
An elite few have the honor of performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, but Shakira is among the unforgettable ranks of halftime show-stealers. The 2020 Super Bowl halftime show starred Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, who delivered an incredible set centered around Latino pride.
“I feel incredibly honored and humbled to be, in a way, next to J.Lo, representing the Latino community that is such an important force in the United States,” Shakira told Complex.
Shakira’s rock-n-roll medley of her smash hits was a befitting testament to her prolific career. Shakira took fans on a sonic journey through her most beloved singles, pairing the set with the perfect amount of nostalgia, hip-swaying, and mesmerizing vocals.
Shakira’s magnetic energy and catchy hits have claimed an international chokehold on audiences for decades, leading to many television and film credits since her 1991 rise to fame. Shakira made her on-screen debut in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis (1994) as Luisa Maria. Since then, Shakira’s robust career has spoken for itself within many of her on-screen projects.
