Best Pop Singers of 21st Century (No. 17)

With the primary quarter of the Twenty first century coming to a detailed, Billboard is spending the following few months counting down our workers picks for the 25 biggest pop stars of the final 25 years. We’ve already named our Honorable Mentions and our No. 25, No. 24, No. 23, No. 22, No. 21, No. 20, No. 19, and No. 18 stars, and now we bear in mind the century in Shakira — who remodeled Latin pop along with her groundbreaking early-’00s crossover, soared to international fame with hits like “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka” and influenced a brand new technology of artists throughout a number of genres.

On the daybreak of the Twenty first century, Shakira not solely emerged as a world musical power, however reshaped how Latin artists crossed into the mainstream, and thrived there. Because the millennium turned, the idea of a Latin pop artist dominating worldwide charts in two languages was extra aspirational than reasonable. This was regardless of some crossover successes seen within the late ’90s — artists like Jennifer Lopez sang primarily in English, and just a few, corresponding to Selena and Ricky Martin, made important impacts whereas performing extensively in Spanish. But, Shakira artfully bridged this hole: Mixing her Colombian roots with a pointy pop sensibility, she broke by means of linguistic boundaries and set the stage for the breakthroughs loved by non-English talking artists to comply with. 

Right this moment, the 15-time Latin Grammy winner is extensively thought of probably the most profitable feminine Latin artist of all time, with 95 million data offered over her three-­decade profession. Lots of her songs have change into greater than hits, however moderately pivotal cultural moments that showcase her as a multidimensional famous person. From the Sizzling 100 No. 1 juggernaut “Hips Don’t Lie” to the FIFA World Cup banger “Waka Waka” and the unapologetic diss monitor “Shakira: BZRP Music Classes, Vol. 53” with Bizarrap – launched, respectively, throughout the primary three a long time of the Twenty first century – her tracks have change into staples at international gatherings, turning sports activities anthems into pop phenomena and solidifying her standing as a global music ambassador.

Recent off conquering Latin America along with her wildly profitable third and fourth studio albums — 1995’s Pies Descalzos and 1998’s Dónde Están Los Ladrones? — Shakira, a belly-dancing, guitar-playing, drum-pounding singer/songwriter, remodeled her picture and sound to kick off the brand new millennium. Buying and selling her rockera brunette locks for a horny blonde look, she set her eyes on the English-language market and launched the groundbreaking Laundry Service in November 2001. Propelled by timeless hits like “Every time, Wherever” and “Beneath Your Garments,” which climbed to No. 6 and No. 9 on the Sizzling 100, respectively — the album reached a No. 3 peak on the Billboard 200. The LP was each a business triumph and a cultural milestone for Latin pop. 

Within the peak teen-pop period of TRL, Shakira distinctively carved out her area of interest as an alternative-leaning pop artist — full with soiled blonde hair with occasional black streaks and braids, and a hippie-rocker look. An distinctive dancer and multi-instrumentalist with a real rock edge, she additionally stood out as a songwriter who uniquely tailored her lyrical fashion to English — a language she had solely lately realized. Her immediately recognizable voice carried a deep, highly effective tone laden with emotional cries, paying homage to Mercedes Sosa’s depth and Alanis Morissette’s uncooked vitality. But, it was fully her personal, and her mixture of abilities and novel strategy made Shakira a novel presence in early 2000s pop, difficult typical norms and paving a brand new path in direction of stardom.

As Shakira’s presence on the world stage expanded, she continued to interrupt new floor. Launched in June 2005, Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 marked her sixth studio album, and first whereas on prime of the world. Regardless of her main pop success singing in English on Laundry Service, she nonetheless determined to return to singing in Spanish for its follow-up — a dangerous transfer that nonetheless paid off each artistically and commercially. Co-produced by luminaries like Gustavo Cerati, Lester Méndez, Luis Fernando Ochoa and José “Gocho” Torres, singles like “No”, “Días de Enero”, “Las de la Intuición” and “La Tortura” with Alejandro Sanz gained vast recognition. Notably notable was her team-up with the Spanish famous person Sanz, one of many first examples of a serious collaboration in Latin music, at a time when such partnerships had been uncommon. Largely praised as probably the greatest duets of the 2000s, the pop-reggaetón monitor helped set a precedent for future collaborations throughout the business. The latter tune turned the largest hit of the set, and the one one which entered the Sizzling 100. 

The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, the primary all-Spanish set to interrupt to the chart’s prime 5. Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 additionally spent 17 weeks at No. 1 on Prime Latin Albums, probably the most for the Colombian star on the prime of the rating. She rapidly adopted that set with Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, the English-language counterpart to the Spanish-sung Vol. 1, launched that November. Right here, Shakira continued to discover new musical territories, venturing extra into mainstream pop and rock, marking a noticeable shift from her Latin pop roots and Center Japanese influences. This album noticed her collaborating with iconic musicians corresponding to Carlos Santana on “Unlawful” and Gustavo Cerati on “The Day and the Time,” although these tracks, regardless of the star-studded lineup, didn’t obtain the influence anticipated. 

Nonetheless, “Hips Don’t Lie,” that includes Wyclef Jean, was added the next 12 months to Shakira’s Vol. 2 in a reissue geared toward boosting the album’s gross sales, after lead single “Don’t Hassle” had underwhelming business success. This transfer helped the album expertise a major revival, boosting it from No. 98 all the best way to the highest 10 that Might. Mixing salsa and reggaetón with a Jerry Rivera pattern, the tune additionally catapulted to the highest of the Sizzling 100, turning into Shakira’s solely No. 1 thus far on the all-genre chart and remaining there for 2 weeks. Regardless of the album’s rocky begin, the LP was in the end redeemed by the huge success of “Hips,” which has endured as one of many best-remembered pop songs of that whole period (and one in all our workers’s  prime 500 pop songs of all time).

The Colombian famous person continued to pour out extra data, and launched She Wolf in October 9, 2009 — which snarling electropop title monitor ended up turning into her moniker as much as today, and reached No. 11 on Sizzling 100 and No. 1 on Dance Membership Songs. The album was adopted by the extra back-to-basics Sale el Sol on 2010, which returned Shakira to the Billboard 200’s prime 10, peaking at No. 7. Prior to those, in 2007, she additionally united with famous person Beyoncé on “Stunning Liar,” marking an unprecedented collaboration of its time, an American pop icon and a Latin sensation. The tune reached No. 3 on the Sizzling 100. 

Whereas she continued to show her trendsetting and hit-making prowess as a singles and albums artist, she additionally established herself as a powerhouse within the dwell efficiency area. Her electrifying efficiency on the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the place she sang the match’s official trilingual anthem “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” that includes Freshlyground, turned a world name to unity, reflecting the spirit of the match and additional establishing Shakira as a beloved international icon. (It was additionally there the place she met her former companion, soccer star Gerard Piqué, who she would have two youngsters with and be with for over a decade.) This wasn’t Shakira’s first World Cup efficiency; she debuted in 2006 with “Hips Don’t Lie” on the closing ceremony in Germany, returned for South Africa, and once more in 2014 in Brazil, the place she launched “La La La” that includes Carlinhos Brown.

Shakira’s musical journey noticed continued success with the discharge of her eponymous 2014 album and 2017’s El Dorado. The previous turned her highest-peaking album on the Billboard 200, reaching No. 2, and the latter soared to the No. 1 place on Prime Latin Albums for 5 weeks, additionally dominating the Latin Pop Albums chart for a formidable 63 weeks. Though these achievements maintained her relevance, they couldn’t fairly match the explosive influence of her early Twenty first-century successes. Nonetheless, notable hits from these albums, just like the Shakira-Rihanna collaboration “Can’t Bear in mind To Overlook You” and “Chantaje” that includes the then-rising Colombian pop star Maluma, made important inroads on the Sizzling 100.

But, there was maybe no larger proof that Latin music cemented its place in American popular culture within the 2020 Tremendous Bowl LIV halftime present, when Shakira and Jennifer Lopez took the world’s greatest stage collectively on February 2. Shak’s set was completely Latin, that includes a lineup of her Spanish-language hits and dance types that highlighted her Colombian (and Lebanese) heritage, together with champeta and mapalé, an Afro-Colombian dance. This made her efficiency distinct in comparison with different Tremendous Bowl halftime exhibits, except for Gloria Estefan who carried out thrice within the ‘90s. The set additionally featured then-rising international stars Unhealthy Bunny and J Balvin, bringing their very own tropical-urbano aptitude. In distinction, J.Lo delivered extra of a razzle-dazzle, high-energy set, paying homage to a Las Vegas present.

Two years later, Shakira discovered herself making huge headlines once more – this time not for her musical achievements or jaw-dropping performances, however for her extensively publicized breakup (and tax points). In early 2022, rumors had swirled that Shakira was ending her 11-year relationship with Gerard Piqué. That June, they confirmed their break up, igniting a flurry of tabloid hypothesis in regards to the soccer participant’s infidelity with a youthful, 23-year-old lady he reportedly began relationship quickly after. This private turmoil attracted intense media scrutiny, with paparazzi besieging Shakira’s house and her youngsters’s faculty in Barcelona, remodeling a non-public household ordeal right into a full-blown media circus.

As a lot public embarrassment as the connection fallout brought on Shakira, it additionally helped encourage her most commercially profitable interval in a minimum of a decade. In the beginning of 2023, she launched the explosive electropop diss monitor, “Shakira: Bzrp Music Classes, Vol. 53” with Argentine hitmaker Bizarrap. Her specific finger-pointing and unapologetic storytelling marked a major departure from the same old veiled references in breakup songs, as she offered intimate particulars of her breakup, leaving no room for ambiguity by naming names and addressing private drama head-on. With bars like “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan” (“Girls don’t cry anymore, girls money in”), the self-proclaimed She Wolf penned a brand new manifesto of feminine empowerment, difficult the double requirements imposed on Latin girls in society. The tune turned probably the most seen clip on YouTube for a Latin monitor in its first 24 hours, with 63 million views, and marked a number of Billboard milestones, together with making Shakira the primary feminine vocalist to debut within the prime 10 of the Billboard Sizzling 100 with a Spanish-language monitor; it additionally received tune of the 12 months and greatest pop tune on the 2023 Latin Grammys.

The hits stored rolling in, as Shakira scored one other Sizzling 100 prime 10 with Karol G on their much-anticipated teamup “TQG.” Collectively, the 2 greatest Colombian feminine pop stars one technology aside delivered the final word tabloid-pop hit; Karol G additionally addressed her tumultuous breakup with Puerto Rican lure star Anuel AA. Each “Vol. 53” and “TKG” reached the Sizzling 100’s prime 10, and “TQG” topped the Billboard World 200. The tune turned Karol’s first prime 10 hit, and nonetheless her solely prime 10 hit thus far. 

Shakira basically spent the remainder of the 12 months amassing accolades for her spectacular comeback and total legacy. In Might 2023, Billboard honored Shakira as its first ever Latin Lady of the 12 months; in July, Premios Juventud gave her its Agent of Change Award. In September, she obtained the Video Vanguard Award on the MTV Video Music Awards — the primary South American artist to obtain it — the place she additionally carried out a blinding, 10-minute medley of hits.

Nonetheless, in her 2023 cowl story with Billboard, Shakira revealed that for the previous seven years, she had been sidetracked by household issues and life in Barcelona, removed from music business motion. Her focus shifted following her romantic break up, when she cathartically started pouring her coronary heart into her music. Additional hits adopted: “Te Felicito,” with Rauw Alejandro, climbed to No. 10 on Sizzling Latin Songs and No. 67 on the Sizzling 100 in Might and June of 2022, respectively; in November, “Monotonía,” with Ozuna (its video exhibits Shakira’s coronary heart being ripped out and crushed by a shoe), climbed to No. 3 on Sizzling Latin Songs.

With a niche of seven years since El Dorado — resulting from Piqué “dragging” her down, in her phrases — Shak triumphantly launched Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran in March 22, 2024. The album, her twelfth studio effort, showcased a hodgepodge of sounds, from infectious Afrobeats to soulful bachata, Tex-Mex rhythms and even a return to her rock roots. It rapidly garnered crucial acclaim, additionally debuting at No. 1 on each the Prime Latin Albums and Prime Latin Pop Albums charts. This milestone marked Shakira as the primary lady to prime these charts throughout 4 a long time. Persevering with her journey as a monumental power, Shakira is ready to return to the stage with Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, kicking off November 2, on her first tour since 2018 with El Dorado World Tour.

Shakira’s early foresight in mixing Spanish and English inside her music paved the best way for at the moment’s artists, who now profit from the doorways she helped to open. Reflecting on the music business at the moment, superstars like Unhealthy Bunny, J Balvin and Karol G navigate high-profile careers fully in Spanish, a testomony to how far the business has advanced from the times when bilingual or English-language choices had been deemed mandatory for true crossover success.

With the super and newer success of superstars like Bunny, Balvin, Karol, and likewise música mexicana stars like Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera — each collaborators on her newest album — their momentum has additionally helped legacy Latin artists like Shakira keep their relevance and affect amid the surge of Latin music, at present the fastest-growing style within the U.S. With the 2024 Latin Grammy nominations introduced on Tuesday (Sept. 17), Shakira continues to garner recognition: She is at present nominated for 3 awards, together with album of the 12 months for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, tune of the 12 months for the Tex-Mex-leaning “(Entre Paréntesis)” with Grupo Frontera, and greatest Latin digital music efficiency for “Bzrp Music Classes, Vol. 53 (Tiësto Remix).”

Shakira’s saga, marked by groundbreaking successes and private challenges, epitomizes the journey of a real pop titan within the Twenty first century. Charting a path that introduced Latin rhythms into mainstream international consciousness, her numerous hits and charismatic stage presence haven’t solely outlined her profession but additionally considerably influenced the present musical panorama. Furthermore, her resilience and adaptableness exhibit a mannequin of empowerment and inventive authenticity. By weaving by means of private hardships and persistently rising on prime, Shakira has not merely navigated the advanced terrains of worldwide pop music however has left an indelible mark on it. As we have a good time her as one of many biggest pop stars of this period, Shakira stays a pillar of innovation and resilience. In any case, her hits don’t lie. 

Learn extra in regards to the Best Pop Stars of the Twenty first Century right here — and remember to examine again on Thursday when our No. 16 artist is revealed!