“PN FMM UZ….. (Please refer to your newspaper for complete puzzle.)
TODAY’S CLUE: C = N
ANSWER: “WE ALL GO THROUGH PAIN AND HARDSHIP, AND WE ALSO HAVE ENJOYED THE BEAUTY OF THIS LIFE WITH ITS UPS AND DOWNS.” — SHAKIRA
SHAKIRA
FEBRUARY 2, 1977 • AGE 49 • COLOMBIAN SINGER & SONGWRITER
🌴 A STAR FROM BARRANQUILLA
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 2, 1977. Of Colombian and Lebanese heritage, she developed an early interest in music, writing songs as a child and signing her first recording contract at age 13.
🎶 FINDING HER MUSICAL VOICE
After two commercially unsuccessful albums, Shakira achieved her breakthrough with Pies Descalzos in 1995. Her 1998 follow-up, Dónde Están los Ladrones?, further established her as a leading Latin American recording artist.
💃 HIPS DON’T LIE!
Shakira reached worldwide audiences with her first predominantly English-language album, Laundry Service, in 2001. Its hit “Whenever, Wherever” became an international success, followed by her chart-topping 2006 collaboration with Wyclef Jean, “Hips Don’t Lie.”
🏆 A GLOBAL MUSIC ICON
Shakira has earned multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards throughout her career. Her 2010 song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” became the official anthem of the FIFA World Cup, while her 2024 album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran won the 2025 Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album.
📚 HELPING CHILDREN THROUGH EDUCATION
In 1997, Shakira established the Pies Descalzos Foundation to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged children in Colombia. She became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2003, advocating for children’s rights and early childhood education.
🌟 REINVENTING HERSELF
Following her 2022 separation from footballer Gerard Piqué, Shakira returned to the charts with several highly successful songs, including her 2023 collaboration with Bizarrap. Her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, launched in 2025, marked another major chapter in her decades-long career.
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