-More DESIRABLE Hand Work | SHAKIRA | Previous | Next QUOTE: "I can't hire other people to write songs for me. I have to write them myself." -Shakira, on being a control freak With the surge of Latin artists emerging into the spotlight and conquering the pop international charts, it's no surprise that Latin Pop/Rock singer Shakira has gained the recognition of a superstar worldwide. BIOGRAPHY: Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 2, 1977, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is the youngest of eight children. Shakira is the world's most famous Latin female artist, having first arrived on the Latin music scene in 1991 at the age of 14,