Shakira has opened up about the backstory behind one of the biggest hits of her career, “Hips Don’t Lie,” during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The global superstar celebrated the 20th anniversary of the iconic song with a live performance and a powerful reflection on how the track almost never saw the light of day. In her interview, the pop icon revealed that her label initially resisted releasing the song because her album had already been finalized and distributed. But when the opportunity to collaborate with Wyclef Jean emerged, she knew she had something special.
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“My album was already distributed, and then this idea came up. Wyclef and I met and started working on this track,” Shakira explained. “I knew I had a hit, so I called Donny Ienner, who was in charge at the time, and I said, ‘Donny, you have to pick up the album from the stores.’ He said, ‘No way. This album is already out.’ I said, ‘You gotta believe me, you gotta trust me. You do that, we have a hit.’” Shakira said her persistence paid off. “He did it. We repackaged the albums, and it changed my story.”
Originally released in 2006, “Hips Don’t Lie” became a worldwide sensation. The song topped charts in more than 20 countries and remains one of the best-selling singles of all time. In the U.S., it peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is certified 2x Platinum with 2 million units sold. Two decades later, “Hips Don’t Lie” continues to be a staple on fans’ playlists. The song gathers millions of streams daily and remains one of those timeless hits that still gets everyone dancing.
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