Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born in Barranquilla,Columbia,on February 2,1977.She is the daughter of a Columbian mother and a Lebanese father. Shakira's love for music was evident early on,and she wrote her first song at the age of 8. She learned belly-dancing from her Lebanese grandmother ,and she used to love to perform-dancing and singing. According to one story,shakira was kicked out of a choir because her strong voice drowned out the other singer.