Shakira is one of the biggest artists of the 21st century—not only in Latin music, but also in global markets. The Colombian icon has consistently delivered hits in Spanish, but over the years, she refined her English—a language she learned later in life—which played a crucial role in her artistic evolution. Songs like “Hips Don’t Lie” and “She Wolf” made a massive impact on pop culture, with the former still resonating in 2025. Her secret? Poetry. Recently, Shakira revealed that studying legendary poets like Leonard Cohen, Walt Whitman, and singer-songwriter Bob Dylan helped her craft timeless English-language songs.
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In a new interview with the BBC, Shakira recalled her early days in Miami and admitted she didn’t have the modern tools many songwriters rely on today. “I was surrounded by Spanish-English dictionaries and synonym dictionaries,” she said, noting there was no Google or ChatGPT to lean on. Determined to understand how English poetry could shape her lyrics, she dove deep into the works of Cohen, Whitman, and Dylan.
Her breakthrough came while writing “Objection (Tango),” one of her first original English songs. Reflecting on the process, Shakira explained that after reading and analyzing poetry, she began translating her lyrics from Spanish into English—initially with the guidance of Gloria Estefan, and later on her own.
This poetic foundation paid off when Shakira released Laundry Service in 2001, her first primarily English-language album. Upon its release, the LP was a massive success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and earning Shakira several accolades, including a Premio Lo Nuestro Award and two NRJ Music Awards.
Today, Shakira is arguably the most influential Latin female artist in history, continuing to build her legacy as her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour performs to millions across North and South America, with upcoming stops in Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.
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