Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, of Lebanese (father) and Spanish (mother) descent. Shakira is a singer, songwriter, musician, choreographer, model, and a record producer, .
So just how rich is Shakira? Shakira’s net worth is estimated by reputable sources to be an impressive $220 million (2015), which she has accumulated mostly from her very successful singing career which has so far spanned 25 years.
Shakira Net Worth $220 Million
Shakira loved music from an early age, and started by writing poems which developed into songs, such that when she rose to fame in the 1990s, primarily in Colombia and Latin America, with the release of her debut album “Magia” in 1990 at the age of 13, it contained songs she had written during previous years. Her second album was released in 1993, but these first two were only moderately successful commercially, then in 1996, Shakira produced and released her third studio album entitled “Pies Descalzos” (translated as “Bare Feet”), which peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Latin Pop Albums and was certified platinum by RIAA. The album was followed by a 20 show tour, and in 1997 received three Billboard Latin Music Awards. Shakira then released her fourth studio album “Dónde Están los Ladrones?” that proved to be commercially successful as well, peaking at #131 on the Billboard 200. The album was well received by critics and the audience, selling a total of sevn million copies worldwide. Such a remarkable start in the music industry added a substantial amount to Shakira’s net worth.
In the early 2000s, Shakira switched to English-speaking audiences and released her first English-language album “Laundry Service” that peaked at #3 on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 200,000 copies during its first week. The lead single of the album entitled “Whenever, Wherever” became Shakira’s first internationally successful song. To date, Shakira has released 10 commercially successful studio albums. Her most recent endeavor is a self-titled album released in 2014 that debuted at #2 on the US Billboard chart and sold over 84,000 copies during its first week.
In addition to her music career, Shakira has also appeared in several TV series, including “Ugly Betty”, “Taina”, “Wizards of Waverly Place”, besides guesting on “Saturday Night Live”.
Shakira is equally well-known for her philanthropic work, and actively partakes in various charity events. In 1997, Shakira founded the Colombian charity “Barefoot Foundation” (Pies Descalzos Foundation), which aids poor children through education, and has so far established five special schools around Colombia. Shakira is also a member of the ALAS Foundation, which is a non-profit organization founded by Latin-American artists and business leaders, and is also aimed at helping children. Among other recognitions, Shakira served as the Honorary Chairperson for “Action Week”, was honored as a guest at Oxford University, awarded a medal by the UN International Labor Organization and, in 2011, was chosen as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year for her philanthropic contributions. During her career, Shakira has received 360 nominations and won a total of 234 awards, including Billboard Latin Music Awards, Grammy Awards, MTV Awards, Teen Choice Awards and Billboard Music Awards among many others.
In her personal life, Shakira was in a decade-long relationship with Antonio de la Rua – an Argentinian lawyer – which ended somewhat acrimoniously in 2010 with Rua subsequently claiming a significant share of Shakira’s wealth, allegedly earned as her business manager. Currently Shakira resides in Barcelona, Spain with Gerard Piqué, a Spanish football player for FC Barcelona, and their two sons.
