Shakira is a popular musician worldwide. Her diverse music has captivated the hearts of many fans around the world, making her one of the most beloved musicians.
Shakira’s background allows her to reach a large audience around the world. As a result, it allowed her to gain a larger following than other artists.
CULTURAL BACKGROUND
Shakira was born and raised in Colombia but due to her father’s background, she also has Lebanese ancestry. Therefore, she is able to speak multiple languages which allows her to be able to connect with her audience on a more intimate level. While here primary language is Spanish, she is also able to speak English and some Arabic.
Start of Music Career
When Shakira was younger, her dad would take her to restaurants to listen to different kinds of music, and it allowed her to be immersed in these different kinds of music at a young age. After that, she received her first record deal at just 13 years old.
Shakira is known for her legacy and impact that has transcended language barriers, achieving the popularization of Latin music in the world, being one of the artists that catapulted Latin music to the international market. She is credited with opening the doors for a whole generation of Latin artists including Bad Bunny, Karol G, Jlo, Jbalvin, Maluma, Becky G and more.
SHAKIRA AND HER SUPER BOWL PERFORMANCE
Shakira’s Super Bowl LIV performance highlighted her cultural diversity. She was able to sing songs in her different languages which was able to reach the world on a personal level.
One thing that was appreciated by her fans was the cultural gestures she used while performing at the Super Bowl — whether that be her belly dancing or the Arabic tongue gesture.
For instance, the tongue gesture specifically was a cool thing for the fans to see because it’s not a gesture that is commonly known. Seeing it performed on such a global stage was cool and allowed the Arabic culture to connect with Shakira.
The gesture is an Arab tradition called Zaghroota and is used to express joy. Therefore, Arabs expressed great joy seeing that gesture on a global stage and shared that gratitude through social media.