Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 2, 1977, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is the youngest sibling of her parents' eight children. Her father William Mebarak, who is American of Lebanese descent, and Colombian mother, Nidia Ripoll, both supported their daughter's ambition of becoming a singer. Shakira knew early on that she wanted to be a professional musician and by the time she was 8, she was already writing her own songs. This undeniable prodigy even began playing the guitar by 11 ye...