Shakira biography: age, children and her new album

Shakira needs no introduction. The Colombian singer and songwriter is a global phenomenon who has crossed generations and musical genres, and her impact shows no sign of slowing in 2026. From her widely publicized separation from Gerard Piqué in 2022 to the release of the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the artist from Barranquilla has turned each chapter of her life into an artistic statement heard around the world, including Peru, where her songs become instant hits.

This biography covers Shakira in 2026: her childhood in Barranquilla, the journey from school stages to the world’s largest stadiums, the era of breakup songs, her sons Milan and Sasha, and her leading role in the World Cup played this year in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Shakira at a glance

Childhood and early years: the prodigy from Barranquilla

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, the warm coastal city on Colombia’s Caribbean shore. She is the daughter of William Mebarak Chadid, a businessman of Lebanese descent who came to Colombia from New York, and Nidia Ripoll, a Colombian woman with Catalan roots. She grew up in a large, multicultural family surrounded by older siblings on her father’s side, and showed exceptional artistic talent from a very young age.

Shakira herself says she wrote her first poem at four years old, composed her first song, “Tus gafas oscuras”, at eight and at ten was already impressing school audiences with belly dancing, a link to her Lebanese heritage. At thirteen, after an impromptu audition for a producer in Barranquilla, she secured her first record deal: the beginning of a story no one, not even she, could have imagined.

Her first albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), attracted little attention. But the young artist’s persistence paid off when, living in Bogotá and just 18, she released Pies Descalzos (1995), an album that made her a Latin-music star with songs such as “Estoy aquí” and “¿Dónde estás corazón?”.

The path to global fame: from Dónde Están los Ladrones to Laundry Service

After the Latin American success of Pies Descalzos, Shakira cemented her artistic reputation with Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998), a more mature and darker album, and especially with her landmark MTV Unplugged (2000), recorded in New York, which earned her first Grammy and established her as one of the strongest voices of her generation.

Her global breakthrough came with Laundry Service (2001), her first album entirely in English, which included the worldwide hit “Whenever, Wherever” and songs such as “Underneath Your Clothes” and “Objection (Tango)”. Since then, Shakira has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, won multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy awards, and established herself as one of Latin music’s most influential icons. In 2006, her duet with Wyclef Jean, “Hips Don’t Lie”, became one of the century’s best-selling singles and put her firmly at the top of charts worldwide.

Shakira on the biggest stages: World Cups and the Super Bowl

The Colombian singer has a long history with the world’s biggest sporting events. In 2010, she performed “Waka Waka”, the official song of the World Cup in South Africa, an anthem for a generation. Four years later, she returned with “La La La (Brazil 2014)”, and in 2020 she joined Jennifer Lopez in a spectacular Super Bowl LIV halftime show in Miami, one of the most-watched performances in the event’s history.

In 2026, Shakira returned to the World Cup spotlight: on May 15, she released, with Nigerian artist Burna Boy the song “Dai Dai”, FIFA’s official song for the 2026 tournament held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The music video, released on May 25, featured figures including Messi, Mbappé, Vinicius Jr. and Colombia’s Luis Díaz, and the artists first performed the song live at the June 11 opening ceremony in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium. Shakira also took part in the historic halftime show at the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium alongside Madonna and BTS—the first halftime show in the history of a World Cup final. (You can read the biography of Kylian Mbappé, one of the stars in the video.)

Separation from Gerard Piqué and the viral songs

Shakira’s name is closely linked to that of her former partner, ex-FC Barcelona footballer Gerard Piqué. Together since 2010 and with two children, they announced their separation in June 2022 after the footballer’s infidelity was confirmed. The breakup shook the entertainment world and led to one of the most productive artistic responses to a relationship ending in recent music history.

The first and most powerful was Bzrp Music Sessions #53 (January 2023), a collaboration with Argentine DJ Bizarrap in which Shakira responded publicly through sharp metaphors. The session broke global streaming records and turned lines such as “una loba como yo no está pa’ tipos como tú” and “las mujeres ya no lloran” into global anthems. Other direct hits followed: “TQG” with Karol G, “El Jefe” with Fuerza Regida, and the album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (2024), which brought her more awards and box-office records on her world tour.

Her children: Milan and Sasha

For Shakira, her two sons with Piqué are her highest priority:

• Milan Piqué Mebarak (born January 22, 2013): He is 13 in 2026 and has made his first public appearances with his mother, showing charisma and growing interest in music.
• Sasha Piqué Mebarak (born January 29, 2015): He is 11 in 2026 and is the younger child.

Both live with their mother in Miami, where Shakira settled after the separation and from where she advances her career. The singer has said in several interviews that her sons initially found the adjustment difficult, but are happy in their new life and that she has prioritized their emotional stability above all else.

Personal life and relationships in 2026

After the media storm surrounding her separation, Shakira keeps her love life very private. In 2026, she has not confirmed a new romantic relationship and has said in interviews with People magazine that her children and career are her priorities. She has denied or ignored rumors linking her to various figures in sports and music, consistent with her preference not to discuss her private life.

Professionally, 2026 has been a year of celebration: alongside the World Cup song, the Colombian artist continues receiving recognition for her discography and remains one of the most-streamed Latin performers, with a catalog that keeps accumulating plays.

Facts about Shakira

• Her name, Shakira, means “grateful” in Arabic, a nod to her father’s Lebanese heritage.
• She wrote her first poem at 4 years old and composed her first song, “Tus gafas oscuras”, at 8 years old.
• Her hit “Hips Don’t Lie” (2006), with Wyclef Jean, was for years the best-selling digital single of the twenty-first century.
• She has performed at four World Cups: Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and the 2026 edition, and performed the official song at two of them (2010 and 2026).
• Her performance at Super Bowl LIV (2020) with Jennifer Lopez is one of the most-watched halftime shows in the event’s history.
• The Bzrp Music Sessions #53 broke the world record for plays of a Latin song in its first 24 hours and surpassed 500 million views in under two months.

Conclusion

Shakira is far more than a singer: she is a cultural phenomenon who has reinvented herself repeatedly, from a child prodigy in Barranquilla to a global superstar who turns her own life into art. In 2026, with the World Cup anthem heard around the planet and her sons growing up beside her, the Colombian artist shows that her reign is far from over. Her music, resilience and connection with millions assure her a lasting place in music history. If you enjoyed her story, you may also be interested in the biography of Pedro Pascal, another of the world’s most famous Spanish-speaking figures, here on Famosix.

Sources consulted

• Wikipedia: Shakira
• FIFA: Shakira and Burna Boy team up to release Dai Dai, the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Song
• Billboard: Shakira and Burna Boy release the “Dai Dai” video featuring Messi and Mbappé cameos
• Infobae: Shakira performed “Dai Dai” at the 2026 World Cup halftime show at MetLife Stadium