Born Shakira Mebarak Ripoll in the coastal city of Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira-who goes by her first name only-- is that blend of raw talent, brains and charisma that only rarely comes along in any field. Her name, which in Arabic means "woman full of grace," belies her ancestry.

She is the daughter of a Colombian mother and a Lebanese father-a jeweller and writer whose Arabic background greatly influenced his daughter. Shakira's fondness for music was apparent early on, and she started winning local and national talent contests at age 10.

While in school, Shakira was making her musical talent known by winning talent shows playing the guitar, and she was even kicked out of her school choir because her voice drowned out the other choir singers. By 13, she had signed a record deal with Sony in Colombia, which resulted in her first album, "Magia (Magic)," a compilation of songs she wrote between the ages of 8 and 13. It was an effort that put Shakira in Colombia's musical map, and led to her being chosen to represent her country at the Fesival OTI in Spain. [Full Bio]

Filmography
MTV Video Music Awards 2001 (2001) (TV) .... Presenter
Shakira: MTV Unplugged (1999) (V) .... Herself

Articles & Interviews
Stuff "Stuff Cover Girls: Shakira" date unknown