Shakira “In this life, to earn your place, you must fight for it. » - Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, singer/songwriter. Shakira has indeed fought for her place in the celebrity lifestyle. In 1979, Shakira's half-brother was killed when a drunk driver hit the motorcycle he was riding. Only 2 years old at the time, the singer says her first memory was learning of his death. Shakira had been writing songs since she was 8 years old. When Shakira was a young girl with great aspirations to become a singer and dancer in her native Colombia, she was unceremoniously rejected from her Catholic school choir. Some criticism of him lowered his self-esteem. She was a fighter and still is a fighter. Shakira is a popular singer born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia. She has won several Latin music awards and taken her superstar success overseas. Born in Colombia on February 2, 1977, Colombian pop singer and dancer Shakira has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards and 12 Billboard Latin Music Awards, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Known for hits like "Whenever, Wherever" and "Hips Don't Lie," Shakira is one of the best-selling Colombian artists of all time and the second most successful Latin singer after Gloria Estefan. After the collapse of her first two albums, Shakira took the wheel of her third album, involving herself in every aspect of its production. Shortly after, Shakira won her first Grammy Award (Best Latin Pop Album) for Shakira: MTV Unplugged (2000). With the success of her albums, Shakira became a music superstar in Spanish-speaking markets, known for her strong vocals and incredible, hip-shaking oriental dance moves. In 2001, Shakira released it...... middle of paper ......eople/shakira/>."Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll." Bio.A&E Television Networks, 2014.Web. May 21, 2014."ShakiraBiography." IMDb.IMDb.com and Web. May 21, 2014. Ferreiro, Laura. "Shakira's surprising path to success: Why she was rejected from Chorus School." Yahoo Music. Yahoo, March 21, 2014. Web. May 21, 2014. “Shakira.” Shakira - Meaning of Shakira, what does Shakira mean? Our baby name - origin and meaning of baby names, and Web. May 21, 2014. .D., Désirée De. “Shakira.” Ink for teenagers. np, nd Web. May 22 2014.