Pop star Shakira, collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to perform the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa "Waka waka (This time for Africa)" which is an of a traditional Cameroonian soldiers' Fang song named "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds.The song was made popular in her native Colombia in 1987 through west african DJs in Colombia.
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, who is known as Shakira was born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of Nidya del Carmen Ripoll Torrado and William Mebarak Chadid, who are of Lebanese, Spanish (Catalan) and Italian descent. She has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage.
Shakira is a Colombian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, and philanthropist who emerged as a musical prodigy in the music scene of Latin America in the early 1990s. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira revealed many of her talents in school as a live performer, demonstrating her vocal ability with rock and roll, Latin and Middle Eastern influences with her own original twist on belly dancing. Shakira is a native Spanish speaker and also speaks fluent English and Portuguese.
Shakira wrote her first poem, entitled "La Rosa De Cristal" ("The Crystal Rose") when she was only four years old. As she was growing up, she was fascinated watching her father writing stories on a typewriter, and asked for one as a Christmas gift. She got her wish at age seven and continued writing poetry. These poems eventually evolved into songs. At the age of two, an older half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident and at the age of eight, Shakira wrote her first song entitled "Tus gafas oscuras" ("Your dark glasses") which was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses, to hide his grief.
When Shakira was four, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Arabic music and which typically accompanied belly dancing. Before she knew it, Shakira was dancing on the table, as restaurant patrons responded by clapping enthusiastically. It was then that Shakira said she knew she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers (and even the nuns) at her Catholic school, but in the second grade was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded "like a goat". At school, she says she had been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate every Friday at school a number she had learned. "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance," she says.
When she was eight, Shakira's father declared bankruptcy. While the details were sorted out, she stayed with relatives in Los Angeles. On returning to Barranquilla, she was shocked to find that much of what her parents owned had been sold. To show her that things could be worse, her father took her to a local park to see orphans who lived there, sniffing glue. The images stayed with her and she said to herself "one day I’m going to help these kids when I become a famous artist."
Between the ages of ten and thirteen Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at about this time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director.
Between the ages of ten and thirteen Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at about this time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Vargas, not daunted, was still convinced that Shakira had talent, and set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.
She has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, twelve Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been Golden Globe-nominated. She is also the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time, and the second most successful female Latin singer having sold over 50 million albums worldwide. Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart, and the UK Singles Chart. Shakira is to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Shakira was raised Roman Catholic. Shakira currently lives in The Bahamas. In 2000, she started dating Antonio de la Rúa, the son of the then President of Argentina Fernando de la Rúa, a romance that made headline news throughout Latin America. In March 2001, he proposed to her. There have been many rumors regarding the couple over the years. In June 2007, Latin American media speculated that the couple had finally split up. On the previous days, Shakira and Antonio were seen in a restaurant in New York City, facing and denying the rumors one more time. Shakira's future mother-in-law Inés Pertiné claimed the wedding would take place in September 2007 in the mansion which Shakira owns in the Dominican Republic, but the wedding did not happen. She also said that Shakira has already ordered Argentine designer María Pryor to design her wedding dress. All this was denied by Shakira herself in Mexico. De la Rúa and Shakira remain engaged. A Twitter update from her on September 4, 2009 stated (translated from the Spanish) "We are neither married nor fighting (contrary to rumors). We are very together and very good. 9 years!" Shakira has stated their relationship already works as a married couple, and that "they don't need papers for that."
When the beautiful actress, Megan Fox is 24 years old and Brian Austin Green is 36 years old, they are officially husband and wife. The couple got married on June 24, 2010, at sunset on the beach outside the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu, Hawaii, and Fox were an Armani Prive gown with a 16 ft train. Megan Fox was barefoot and held a bouquet of white roses and gardenias while flowers were scattered on the sand during the ceremony. Green's son, Kassius, 8 years old, was present at the ceremony and become the only one witness for the couple.
Megan Fox was just 18 when she met Green, who was 30 at the time and they started dating in 2004, but split in February 2009 after a two years engagement. Within a few months they had reconciled and, Green, popped the question to Fox, 24, for a second time on June 1. The big proposal was thwarted when they accidentally lost the 2-carat sparkler on the beach. Earlier this year 2010, Megan told about preparations for the big day, saying Green would be a hands-on groom.
After the wedding ceremony, Fox and green enjoy the beautiful of beach in Hawaii.
Megan Fox was just 18 when she met Green, who was 30 at the time and they started dating in 2004, but split in February 2009 after a two years engagement. Within a few months they had reconciled and, Green, popped the question to Fox, 24, for a second time on June 1. The big proposal was thwarted when they accidentally lost the 2-carat sparkler on the beach. Earlier this year 2010, Megan told about preparations for the big day, saying Green would be a hands-on groom.
After the wedding ceremony, Fox and green enjoy the beautiful of beach in Hawaii.
