Singer Shakira in Colombian visit

Lionheart says on May 28, 2005, 12:41:

B.S. - born in Colombia = not Colombian? 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 (Magic), 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 (Danger), Shakira changed direction for a time, joining the cast of the Colombian soap opera El Oasis in 1994.

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 (Bare Feet), which was initially released in 1995; a slow seller at first, the album gradually caught on thanks to the rock-tinged single "Estoy Aqui," which became a hit all over Latin America, as well as Spain. After that breakthrough, Pies Descalzos just kept spinning off singles: "Dónde Estás Corazón?," "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 (she finally left El Oasis in 1997).

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? (Where Are the Thieves?), 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 (on the Latin chart) 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 (not to mention its latent belly-dancing connotations). 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 (son of the former president of Argentina), and went to work on her first (mostly) 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. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

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viewpoint says on May 29, 2005, 08:41:

SHAKIRA VISITs QUIBDO http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/EVOD-6CSED5?OpenDocument
http://www.iom.int/
Date: 27 May 2005
Print E-mail Save Colombian singer Shakira inaugurates school for internally displaced childrenThe rock star Shakira, through her Foundation Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet), yesterday inaugurated a new school for more than 600 students in Quibdó, the capital of Chocó, on the border with Panamá and one of the poorest Departments in Colombia.

IOM, through its USAID-funded programme, "Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons, Receptor Communities and other Vulnerable Groups", contributed to the rehabilitation and upgrade of the classrooms and the water and sanitation system of the Maria Bermanchs School and is providing education alternatives as part of its Open Doors School Strategy.

The Open Doors School Strategy, carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Education, provides internally displaced children forced to miss school or who arrive in a new place in the middle of a school year, the opportunity to continue their studies until they are able to integrate into the normal school system. The strategy also allows for schools to be kept open and in operation every day of the year so that adults can continue their education as well and as a place for the community to host cultural, sporting and entertainment events. The success of the IOM Open Doors School Strategy has been so successful that the government is using it throughout the country.

Among the facilities the 623 students at the Maria Bermanchs School will now enjoy are 14 new classrooms, a computer room with Internet facilities, a playground, a cafeteria and bathrooms.

The civil society initiative, Conexión Colombia www.conexioncolombia.com, created to establish links with Colombian expatriates wishing to contribute to the development of their country, are sponsoring the education through secondary school of 150 internally displaced children currently at the school.

The Department of Chocó is one of the poorest areas in the country with a large Afro-Colombian and indigenous population. Since 1996, Chocó has experienced escalating violence caused by the illegal armed groups and has been struggling to cope with an increasing number of internally displaced persons. The Colombia government estimates that as of December 2004, more than 50,000 internally displaced people were living in Quibdó.

The rehabilitation of the school is part of the IOM Matching Funds Strategy designed to gather support from the private sector, civil society, the international community, Colombians in the diaspora and the national and local government. Participants in this Matching Funds Strategy included Pies Descalzos Foundation; the Colombian government; the President's IT Learning Programme through the Institute for Family Welfare; the Mayor's Office of Quibdó; Movistar, a Spanish Telephone Company; IOM and USAID. The Maria Bermanchs School project received US$ 338,270 from Pies Descalzos Foundation, US$217, 074 from Movistar, US$ 43,703 from Conexión Colombia, and US$ 77,492 from IOM.

For more information contact IOM Colombia, Rocio Sanz, Email: rsanz at oim.org.co Tel: +57 1 622 77 74

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viewpoint says on May 29, 2005, 09:51:

SHAKIRA "PIES DESCALZOS FOUNDATION" LINK http://www.fundacionpiesdescalzos.com/english/index.php

This link is an interesting read at it takes you into the detail and history of this foundation and it's many participants. There's a lot more to Shakira than a pretty face and a voice.

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Sam Salmon says on May 29, 2005, 20:13:

There's a lot more to Shakira than a pretty face and a voice Absolutemente!
Shakira epitomises the best of Colombian values-showing she cares and trying to do 'something' for the poor.
While I'm not a huge fan she does have some forceful/catchy tunes and doesn't compromise her sound.
Even her blander English language material is better than 99% of what's on most radio.

' a la orden!'

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chutzpah says on May 30, 2005, 01:40:

I dont like the english crossover. I like the spanish versions better.

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viewpoint says on May 30, 2005, 04:48:

PIES DESCALZOS FOUNDATION DIRECTORS The managing directors of the Pies Descalzos Foundation are as follows:

Maria Emma Mejia, Executive President

Maria Emma Mejia served as Foreign Minister and Minister of Education from 1995 to 1998 and was a Vice-presidential candidate in the 1998 national presidential elections. In 1999, she acted as peace negotiator in the on-going peace talks with the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces). She is currently a member of the Civil Facilitating Committee, a government group that deals with the ELN (Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional - the National Liberation Army) and is a member of the Foreign Relations Advising Committee of the Colombian National Government.

http://www.fundacionpiesdescalzos.com/english/foundation/equipo_02.php

Patricia Sierra, Programs Director

Patricia is a psychologist and university professor and specializes in social psychology. For fifteen years she worked with the Christian Children’s Fund, managing programs aimed at the infant and juvenile population in Ciudad Bolivar, Bogotá and other underprivileged areas of Colombia. She has also established children’s outreach programs in other parts of Latin America.

http://www.fundacionpiesdescalzos.com/english/foundation/equipo_03.php

Osnay del Carmen Cuesta, Regional Corrdinator

A business executive who specializes in financial administration, Osnay has worked as project coordinator with the Social Welfare Network and the governor’s office in the Choco department in Colombia.

http://www.fundacionpiesdescalzos.com/english/foundation/equipo_04.php

For those few people still under the illusion that women are absent in political and business circles in Colombia they need to study the resumes of these women. Maria Emma Mejia is a name known to all Colombians and a well respected "strong" political figure in Colombian politics.

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kernow62 says on May 30, 2005, 05:35:

I agree viewpoint, I believe Uribe's Cabinet is at least 50% women, perhaps 60%. What other country has such a large percentage of women holding such important positions.

After we elect Hilary Clinton president in the US I forsee Colombia doing the same and electing a woman president. (I use the term WE loosely, I cannot vote)

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viewpoint says on May 30, 2005, 08:07:

Kernow62 I share the same situation as you. I am a USA citizen living under the american flag but I am denied the right to vote in national elections. So much for freedom and democracy in the USA.

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kernow62 says on May 30, 2005, 10:03:

One slight difference; I am not a US citizen, I simply live here and pay taxes. I don't expect to vote here, and if the last election was anything to go by ....the choice was between a hypocritical liar and a wishy washy. Of course the choice in the UK was just as bad.

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