Shakira has been making music for over 35 years, can play guitar, drums, percussion, and harmonica, speaks at least 5 languages fluently (Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, and French), founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation in 1997, and has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2003.
Shakira: The Multi-Talented Polyglot Philanthropist
When most people think of Shakira, they picture the Colombian superstar whose hips famously don't lie, belting out dance anthems that have dominated charts worldwide. But behind the glitter and the Grammy awards lies a woman of remarkable depth—a self-taught musician, a polyglot, and a tireless advocate for children's education.
A Career That Started at Eight
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll wrote her first song at age eight and signed her first record deal at thirteen. By the time she was a teenager, she had already released two albums in Colombia. That was 1990. Do the math, and you'll realize she's been a professional musician for over 35 years.
She didn't just sing her way to fame—she learned to play guitar, drums, percussion, and harmonica along the way. No session musicians required for this one-woman band.
The Language Collector
Shakira's linguistic abilities are genuinely impressive. She's fluent in:
- Spanish — her native tongue
- English — which she learned specifically to break into the American market
- Portuguese — for her massive Brazilian fanbase
- Italian — picked up during her time in Europe
- French — added to her repertoire more recently
She also has some knowledge of Arabic and Catalan, thanks to her Lebanese heritage and her years living in Barcelona with former partner Gerard Piqué. When she records songs, she often releases versions in multiple languages—not translations sung by someone else, but her own voice in each language.
The Philanthropist Nobody Talks About
Here's where Shakira's story takes a turn that deserves more attention. In 1997, at just twenty years old and long before she was a global megastar, she founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation ("Barefoot Foundation" in English).
The name comes from her third album and symbolizes the barefoot children in impoverished Colombian communities. The foundation has built schools throughout Colombia and continues to provide quality education to thousands of children in vulnerable areas. She didn't wait until she was wealthy beyond measure to give back—she started when she was barely an adult herself.
UNICEF's Secret Weapon
Since 2003, Shakira has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, focusing on early childhood development and education. She doesn't just lend her name to press releases. She's addressed the United Nations, met with world leaders, and consistently pushed education initiatives onto global agendas.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, she's been a regular presence—not as entertainment, but as a speaker advocating for children's rights. It's a strange image: the woman famous for "Whenever, Wherever" lecturing billionaires about educational inequality. But that's exactly who she is.
The Complete Picture
There's something almost unfair about Shakira's combination of talents. Sell over 80 million records? Check. Play multiple instruments? Check. Speak five languages fluently? Check. Build schools for underprivileged children for nearly three decades? Also check.
Most artists pick one lane. Shakira built a multilingual, multi-instrumental highway and then used it to transport educational resources to kids who needed them most. Her hips may not lie, but apparently neither does her commitment to being impossibly overqualified at everything she does.