Shakira is proud to hail from Colombia

Pop icon Shakira has become a global representative of Colombia. The Hips Don’t Lie singer said she was proud to hail from the Latin American country. Shakira was honoured by Spotify on September 29, as the platform declared that Friday as ‘Shakira Day’, and she was even announced as the ‘Equal Global Ambassador’ for September.

“The role that my fans have played in my career is impossible to quantify. They’ve known how to understand me better than anybody, and they’ve carried me to where I am today with their unwavering support,” Shakira, 46, said.

The singer added: “The way Colombia has served as inspiration for my career as an artiste is immeasurable. Colombia is a never-ending source of inspiration: for colours, culture, sounds, stories, folklore and food. It’s such a rich culture and I’m so grateful to have been raised where I was.” Reflecting back on her very long career, Shakira has managed to stand the test of time and unlike many pop artistes who came alongside her, she did not fade away into obscurity, but rather is still as popular as she used to be in the 2000s.

Looking back at her legacy as well as the predominantly patriarchal system of the music industry in Colombia, the She Wolf singer said: “I’m proud to represent women who come from my country in a male-dominated industry. I am a proud Colombian and will continue to be that.”