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Singer, songwriter. Born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia. With a Lebanese father and Colombian mother, Shakira honors her Latino and Arabic heritage in her music. She wrote her first song at the age of 8 and signed her first record deal at 13.

After her first two albums flopped, Shakira took the reins of her third album, becoming involved in every aspect of its production. Released in 1996, Pies Descalzos, meaning "bare feet," sold more than three million copies. The album featured her trademark sound, a blending of Latin, rock, and Arabic musical styles. The follow-up record, Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (1998), which translates as "Where are the thieves?," reached the top of Billboard's Latin charts. Based on the success of her albums, Shakira became a music superstar in the Spanish-language markets, known for her strong vocals and incredible hip-shaking belly dance moves.

While hugely popular in much of the rest of the world, Shakira had not yet achieved a major record on the U.S. pop charts. She moved to Miami with her family to further her goal, and taught herself to write songs in English. She enlisted Emilio Estefan, of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine fame, to act as her manager and producer. Her first English-language album, Laundry Service (2001), provided Shakira with the success in the United States that she longed for—the album was No. 3 on the charts, selling more than 200,000 copies in the first week. The songs "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes" were both big hits.

Shakira returned to the top 10 of the albums chart in 2005 twice. She first released the Spanish-language Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 in June, which was followed in November by English-language Oral Fixation, Vol. 2. She received the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, her second time winning such an honor. Previously, she had won a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album for 2000's Shakira: MTV Unplugged.

Touring extensively, Shakira released two concert albums: 2007's Live and 2008's Oral Fixation Tour. In July 2009, Shakira released the new single, "She Wolf," from her studio album of the same name. The album went platinum in 2010, and hit No. 15 on the Billboard charts in 2009. Her hit "Waka Waka" from her 2010 album Sale el Sol became the theme song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The global superstar headed on tour shortly after to promote her album.

In addition to her busy career, Shakira created the Pies Descalzos Foundation to help children in her native Colombia. She is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and was awarded a UN International Labor Organization medal in 2010 for her philanthrophic efforts.

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Throughout today's society, there are inspirational people that can be found both in our past and present. These infamous figures are known for their philanthropy work, talent in movies, voices in songs, inspiring a crowd to change and seeing different views positively, and so much more. One of the newest and brightest voices that has swept through the nation, known for their music, talent, and philanthropic work is none other than Shakira, where a person can see the Shakira biography is filled with more than just success.

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Born and raised in Barranquilla, Columbia, Shakira at the early age of 3 knew that one day she would be standing on a stage performing for the people of the world. At 33, she has performed live in dozens of arenas and concert halls, and showing the world that dreams do come true. In her childhood, Shakira started writing poems, her first one titled, "La Rosa De Cristal", "The Crystal Rose". From there, she was gifted a typewriter by her father who was also a writer. As the years progressed, Shakira was inspired by different cultures, especially the Portuguese and Arabic sounds of music and styles of dance. Upon sitting in an Arabic restaurant, Shakira experienced the Arabic sounds of drums, which would later turn into her journey into mastering the styles of Arabic belly dancing that she is so profoundly known for. It was at the moment in the restaurant that Shakira knew she would one day perform on the stage for people. Her upbringing was filled with a sense of family and honoring the true value of family and self worth, not to value superficial items that can easily be lost in this world. Before the age of 13, her father filed for bankruptcy, and as any child would think, their world was coming to an end. Her father took her to an orphanage, where Shakira was able to witness the hardships of children her same age and younger, and it was then that she realized the important things in life really were, and that one day she too would help people in her own way.

In Shakira's biography, Shakira's music career started in the year of 1990, where she was signed onto the label of Sony Music with her first debut album, Magia, and then soon after Peligro. At the time, Shakira was better known in her Columbia country, but not so well outside of that, regardless of her being fluent in the languages of Spanish and Portuguese. Though her second album was reviewed better than her first, her record sales only proved differently, only selling 1,200 copies. She didn't give up, however, for while she was recording songs, she was also making local appearances at award festivals and contests singing and displaying her amazing talent. In one contest in Chile, called Vina del Mar International Song Festival, Shakira walked away with a third place trophy, where one of the judges was Ricky Martin.

In the mid 90s, 1995-1997, Shakira came back to the studio to record more music with Sony Music, where she had the opportunity to bring her musical influences. She had the opportunity to allow her unique vocals completely take flight as she demonstrated her unique range and vibrato through various musical styles. The album recorded was titled, Pies Descalzos, which included the song, "¿Donde Estas Corason?". In 1996, the album was released internationally, and was highly reviewed with positive remarks. In the Latin countries, and soon the U.S. markets, Shakira found herself sitting at the top of the billboards with her songs "Un Poco De Amor", "Antologia", "Se Quiere, Se Mata". In the latter years of the 90s, 1998-2000, Shakira got the opportunity to work with Emilio Estafan Jr., executive producer whom is married to Gloria Estefan. This was her start in making herself unforgettable in the eyes of those in the U.S. as a successful cross over artist. In a song titled, "Ojos Asi", Shakira was able to display her love for her Arabic roots, which was also a song that landed her the spotlight on MTV and other music television stations.

In the following years, Shakira would release her critically acclaimed albums, "Laundry Service", "Fijacion Oral Vol. 1", "Oral Fixation Vol. 2", and more recently, "She Wolf", and "Sale el Sol" which is due out Oct. 19th of 2010. Among her success, she has created over a dozen videos which have been found in top rankings on the U.S. Billboard, some of which have been number one, such as "Hips Don't Lie", featuring Wyclef Jean. Throughout her most recent career, Shakira has won awards for best choreography, best international pop artist, Billboard awards for Latin music, and much more. To date, Shakira has won 136 awards and 258 nominations.

Her most acclaimed video "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" was the chosen video for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. This video itself was highly received with rave reviews from all around the world.

Along with her singing career, Shakira has been able to complete another portion of her dream, which was being able to use her fame and success to give back to those who would need it. In 1995, she found the Fies Descalzos Foundation in Columbia, where it's purpose was to fund and support schools with poor children in this country. Through her career, she has made numerous appearances performing acclaimed songs at benefits for children, cancer, education, and those who have suffered from natural disaster. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and has been honored by the United Nations in 2006. Shakira has also created another foundation, ALAS Foundation, America Latina en Accion Solidaria" Latin Amierca In Solidarity Action. She has also been seen speaking out against the Arizona racial issues pertaining illegal immigration. Among her amazing achievements, she was chosen to speak at the University of Oxford, where some of the notable people in our history have spoken, such as Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, and the Dalai Lama XIV. Recently, in March 2010, Shakira was awarded by the United Nations' International Labor Organization, where she was given a medal and referred to as being a person who represented the what children in our world need, quality education and justice.

Going through a Shakira biography will show any person that this outstanding woman has accomplished much, but has done it all for more than just completing her dreams, by remembering the values that help shape our world for a better tomorrow.

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                                             Shakira Biography Information

After achieving superstardom throughout Latin America, Colombian-born Shakira became Latin pop's biggest female crossover artist since Jennifer Lopez broke down the doors to English-language success. Noted for her aggressive, rock-influenced approach, Shakira maintained an extraordinary degree of creative control over her music, especially for a female artist; she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists. When she released her first English material in late 2001, she became an instant pop sensation, thanks to her quirky poetic sense and a sexy video image built on her hip-shaking belly dance moves.



Shakira Mebarak{ full name: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll} was born February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia, into a poor family. Her mother was a native Colombian and her father was of Lebanese descent, and so as a child Shakira soaked up music from both cultures; she also listened heavily to English-language rock & roll, listing her favorite bands in later interviews as Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Police, the Cure, and Nirvana. Shakira wrote her first song at age eight, began entering (and winning) talent competitions at age ten, and started learning the guitar at age 11; one story runs that around this age, she was kicked out of her school choir for singing too forcefully. In 1990, at age 13, Shakira moved to Bogotá in hopes of pursuing a modeling career, but wound up signing a record deal with Sony's Colombian division instead. Her 1991 debut album, Magia , was comprised of songs she'd written over the past five or six years, including some of her earliest efforts. Although it didn't break internationally, the record started to make a name for her in her home country. Dissatisfied with the pop inclinations of the follow-up, 1993's Peligro, Shakira changed direction for a time, joining the cast of the Colombian soap opera El Oasis in 1994.

                                                                             shakira



When Shakira returned to recording in 1995, she asserted more control over the direction of her music, and worked more rock & roll rhythms as well as occasional Arabic tinges into her Latin pop material. The first results were Pies Descalzos, which was initially released in 1995; a slow seller at first, the album gradually caught on thanks to "Estoy Aqui," which became a hit all over Latin America, as well as Spain. After that breakthrough, Pies Descalzos just kept spinning off singles: Antología," "Pienso en Ti," "Un Poco de Amor," "Se Quiere, Se Mata." The album hit number one in eight different countries and eventually went platinum in the U.S. as well; Shakira toured for nearly two years promoting it.



Seeking to build on her success, Shakira signed Emilio Estefan -- Gloria's husband and a highly successful music-biz insider -- as her manager and producer. The move paid off when her follow-up album, 1998's Dónde Están los Ladrones?, became an even bigger worldwide hit than its predecessor. What was more, it cracked the lucrative U.S. market wide open, spending 11 weeks at number one on Billboard's Latin album chart and producing two U.S. number ones with "Ciega, Sordomuda" and "Tu." The album's signature track, however, was the worldwide hit "Ojos Así," her most explicit nod yet to the Arabic music she'd picked up from her father. Dónde Están los Ladrones? was also the most effective presentation yet of Shakira's strong-willed persona; her self-analysis made her even more popular among female fans, while her anger over love gone wrong drew comparisons to Alanis Morissette.



When Gloria Estefan offered to translate "Ojos Así" into English, the prospect of a crossover suddenly seemed tangible, and Shakira decided that the most effective way to maintain control over her material was to learn English well enough to write in it herself. In the meantime, she set the stage for her crossover bid with a performance on MTV Unplugged, the channel's first Spanish-language broadcast. MTV Unplugged was released as an album in early 2000, and topped the Latin charts for two weeks on its way to becoming her third straight platinum album; it also won a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album. At the inaugural Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in 2000, Shakira delivered a much-discussed, show-stopping performance of "Ojos Así" and took home Unplugged-related trophies for Best Female Pop Vocal ("Ojos Así") and Best Female Rock Vocal ("Octavo Dia").



Mainstream pop stardom beckoned. Shakira dyed her long brown hair blonde, romanced Antonio de la Rua, and went to work on her first  English-language album, Laundry Service. The single/video "Whenever, Wherever" was released in advance of the album in late 2001, and made her a star in the English-speaking world almost overnight. Laundry Service entered the American pop charts at number three, and "Whenever, Wherever" climbed into the Top Ten of the singles chart, peaking at number six. The follow-up, "Underneath Your Clothes," also hit the Top Ten, halting at number nine; less than a year after its release, Laundry Service had gone triple platinum. Reviews of Laundry Service were divided as to the effectiveness of Shakira's English lyrics, but nearly all agreed on her unique poetic imagery.



Extensive touring to support Laundry Service led to a long break for the singer, so a remix collection (2002's Laundry Service: Washed and Dried) and a live album appeared in lieu of a new album. Revitalized, Shakira began the writing process for her next release and soon had 60 songs ready to go, some in English, some in Spanish. Twenty of the songs were selected and divided up by language to make two different albums. Both appeared in 2005 and both hit the Top Ten, with the Spanish-language album Fijacion Oral, Vol. 1 leading the way in June with a number four placing and the English-language album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, following in November at number five. As sales of Oral Fixation began to slow in early 2006, Epic reissued the album in March with a bonus track, "Hip Don't Lie." The newly recorded song went on to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June, becoming one of the summer's biggest hits and reviving sales of Oral Fixation as well as Shakira's entire back catalog. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide









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Biography For Michael Jackson

Date of Birth: 29 August 1958, Gary, Indiana, USA

Date of Death: 25 June 2009, Los Angeles, California, USA (homicide)

Birth Name: Michael Joseph Jackson

Nickname:The Gloved One,Wacko Jacko, Jacko,King Of Pop,MJ,Smelly,Applehead.

Height:5' 10" (1.78 m)

Mini Biography

American superstar Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958, and entertained audiences nearly his entire life. His father, Joe Jackson, had been a guitarist but was forced to give up his musical ambitions following his marriage to Katherine (Scruse). Together they prodded their growing family's musical interests at home. By the early 1960s, the older boys Jackie, Tito and Jermaine had begun performing around the city; by 1964, Michael and Marlon had joined in.

A musical prodigy, Michael's singing and dancing talents were amazingly mature, and he soon became the dominant voice and focus of The Jackson 5. An opening act for such soul groups as the O-Jays and James Brown, it was Gladys Knight (not Diana Ross) who officially brought the group to Berry Gordy's attention, and by 1969, the boys were producing back-to-back chart-busting hits as Motown artists ("I Want You Back," "ABC," "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Got to Be There," etc.). As a product of the 1970s, the boys emerged as one of the most accomplished black pop/soul vocal groups in music history, successfully evolving from a group like The Temptations to a disco phenomenon.

Solo success for Michael was inevitable, and by the 1980s, he had become infinitely more popular than his brotherly group. Record sales consistently orbited, culminating in the biggest-selling album of all time, "Thriller" in 1982. A TV natural, he ventured rather uneasily into films, such as playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978), but had much better luck with elaborate music videos.

In the 1990s, the downside as an 1980s pop phenomenon began to rear itself. Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his peerless celebrity. A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with, his physical appearance began to change drastically, and his behavior grew alarmingly bizarre, making him a consistent target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged and two children produced by his second wife during that time, but the purposes behind them appeared image-oriented. Despite it all, Michael Jackson's passion and artistry as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman are unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his seriously troubled adult life.

For it all to end on June 25, 2009, with his sudden death at age 50 of a drug-induced cardiac arrest, just as he was coming out of a four-year reclusive period and rehearsing for a sold-out London concert "comeback" in July, seems uncommonly cruel and tragic. Millions upon millions of dedicated fans will remember where they were "the day Michael died".

Michael Joseph Jackson Biography.

Biography for Michael Jackson

Date of Birth:

29 August 1958, Gary, Indiana, USA

Date of Death:

25 June 2009, Los Angeles, California, USA (homicide)

Birth Name:

Michael Joseph Jackson

Nickname:

The Gloved One

Wacko Jacko

Jacko

King Of Pop

MJ

Smelly

Applehead

Height: 5' 10" (1.78 m)


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