She’s political, she’s philanthropic and pretty anxious to head back in the studio.

Shakira spoke to Billboard about her charitable work with The Barefoot Foundation and her new award for Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year. While she’s spending a lot of time on the road, meeting with U.N. officials, she’s confirmed she’ll be returning to the studio pretty soon.

The Columbian singer hasn’t released an English album since 2009′s She Wolf.

“I’m working with different producers and DJs, and I try to feed off from that and find new sources of inspiration and new musical motivation. I’m anxious to return to the studio. My body is asking for it,” she says.

Believe us, Shakira, our bodies are asking for you to come back into the celebrity spotlight.

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Shakira is now the most followed spanish-speaking celebrity on Twitter. She is also the seventh most popular person on the micro-blogging site, with over 8,000,0000 followers.

This means that Shakira is more popular than well known celebrities like Ashton Kutcher and Oprah. Shakira also has a huge presence on Facebook and YouTube.

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Shakira has a new charity mission to help the YMCA education programs for Hispanic youths in Miami.

The Colombian singer’s Barefoot Foundation has teamed up with her boyfriend’s soccer team FC Barcelona. Shakira’s boyfriend is George Pique.

Shakira said when announcing the partnership, “Hispanics in the United States have everything to gain. We have the talent, we have the will. I truly think that with more education and more sports, we can achieve the unthinkable. We can have the ball on our side of the court.”

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It still remains an issue on the minds of American Idol fans everywhere – will Jennifer Lopez return to the show? Well rumors are circulating that in the event a deal cannot be worked out with JLO, there are some possible replacements.

PopEater is reporting sources claim that Shania Twain and Shakira are possible replacements for Jennifer. However if JLO walks, will the show suffer?

“Right now the star of ‘American Idol’ is Steven Tyler,” an insider source tells PopEater. “Everyone thought after Simon announced he was leaving that [Lopez] would fill the void. How wrong were they? It’s all about Steven, who’s already signed on for season 11.

What do you think? Will American Idol survive without Jennifer Lopez?

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Despite some backlash from the Palestinian community, Shakira has gone through with her visit to Israel,  appearing at a press conference due to her position as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

A Facebook page was created called “Shakira: Say NO to apartheid and YES to Freedom For Palestine,” which received 1,500 Likes, according to JTA. On the page, a letter states:

“If you attend the Presidential Conference, you will accept that a Palestinian fan of your work living under Israeli occupation will not be allowed by law — and denied by an illegal wall built on annexed private Palestinian land, fences and military checkpoints — the chance to attend it,” the letter said in part.

Wouldn’t it be weird if Shakira was able to negotiate peace in the Middle East? Of all the people in the world, that would be weird. But you never know…..

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Pop singer Shakira says one day she would like to do an entire album in Arabic.

The Spanish speaker and Columbia native, who also has many hits in English, was speaking at a news conference in Morocco, where she was headlining the Mawazine World Rhythms music festival. She said:

“It would be a challenge to do an album in Arabic. I would first have to learn Arabic,” she said. “I am completely open to that experience. … At some point I would love that to happen in my life.”

Born in Colombia of Syrian origin, Shakira said she grew up listening to the Arabian divas of the 20th century, Egyptian Umm Kalthum and Lebanese Fairuz.

This wouldn’t be the first time Shakira is influenced by the Arabic culture. The singer often uses belly dancing in her acts, and her hit Spanish language single “Ojas Asi” relies heavily on a Middle Eastern melody. Her eastern origins and musical influences have made her popular throughout the Middle East.

She admitted, however, that she only speaks a few words of Arabic, including “ateeni boosa” or give me a kiss, provoking laughter among the the crowd.

Morocco’s 10th-annual Mawazine festival of world music concluded Saturday after eight days of music that saw bands from 60 countries, including Kanye West, Lionel Ritchie, and Egypt’s Amr Diab.

Learning an entire language for an album is definitely a challenge, but if anyone can do it, it’s Shakira. Even if she does do an Arabic album, her English and Spanish fans would still buy it because her voice and songs are that infectious.

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At last, there is one thing that Oprah is not dominating! It seems as though Shakira bumped Oprah off the Twitter top 10 list this week.

Here’s the list:
Lady Gaga (10,307,549 followers)
Justin Bieber (9,849,628)
Barack Obama (8,169,294)
Britney Spears (7,940,896)
Kim Kardashian (7,578,928)
Katy Perry (7,451,618)
Ashton Kutcher (6,803,738)
Ellen DeGeneres (6,712,058)
Taylor Swift (6,475,026)
Shakira (6,156,469)

Oprah Winfrey came in at 11th with 5,856,790 followers.

You’d think with all the attention surrounding her final shows that Oprah would climb in followers. Maybe her demographic isn’t vested in the twitter world, though. Most of her fans are older woman, so I’ll give her some slack. Well, congrads to Shakira for beating out Oprah – doesn’t happen very often.

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Grammy Award-winning singer Shakira was honoured by Harvard University on Saturday with its 2011 Artist of the Year award, according to CTV News.

The Harvard Foundation, the university’s centre for intercultural and science initiatives, honoured Shakira for her charitable contributions and “distinguished history of creativity,” said foundation director S. Allen Counter.

Shakira, who has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, accepted the award in person and challenged Harvard students to do more to improve education in developing countries. Shakira is a proud founder of the Barefoot Foundation, which aims to provide education and nutrition to children in poor-conditioned areas of her native Colombia. She is also a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador.

Previous winners of the Harvard award include Sharon Stone, Will Smith, Jackie Chan and Herbie Hancock, just to name a few.

It makes me glad when celebrities do good with their fame and use their notoriety to solve bigger issues. Not only am I a fan of Shakira’s music, but I am a huge fan of her as a person. If you have all that time and money to throw around, you might as well help solve a world crisis or two. Her hips may not lie, but those who call her ‘just another music star’ sure do.

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After 11 years off the market, Shakira is now single gentlemen. The Colombian pop star has broken up with her longtime agent/boyfriend Antonio de la Rúa, but the two remain close and business partners. She announced the news on Shakira.com.

“We made a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship,” they write. “We view this period of separation as temporary and as a time of individual growth as we continue to be partners in our business and professional lives.”

In regards to her relationship with Antonio de la Rúa, she said their ”friendship and understanding of one another is unwavering and indestructible.” They also called their 11 years together “the most wonderful years of our lives.”

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Columbian singing sensation Shakira shook her hips all the way to four trophies at last night’s Latin Grammy awards. Her album, “Fijacion Oral Vol. 1,” earned the singer album of the year and best female pop vocal album honours, while her duet with Alejandro Sanz, “La Tortura” won for song and record of the year.

Other multiple winners at last night’s ceremony included reggaeton group Calle 13 and rock star Gustavo Cerati of Argentina.

Cerati picked up two Grammys, one for best rock song for “Crimen” and the other for best rock vocal album for “Ahi vamos.”

Meanwhile, Calle 13 were named best new artist, and their self-titled debut won best urban music album. The video for their single “¡Atrevete te, te!” also earned the group a best short music video Grammy.

The seventh annual Latin Grammy Awards were held this year at Madison Square Garden in New York for the first time. The ceremony featured sizzling performances from Ricky Martin, Andrea Bocelli, and Shakira, who sang her award-winning “La Tortura.”

The Awards were broadcast on Univision television.

Winners at the 7th Annual Latin Music Awards:

Recording of the year: “La Tortura,” Shakira.

Song of the year: “La Tortura,” Luis F. Ochoa, Alejandro Sanz and Shakira.

Album of the year: “Fijacion Oral Vol. 1,” Shakira.

Best new artist: Calle 13.

Female pop vocal album: “Fijacion Oral Vol. 1,” Shakira.

Male pop vocal album: “Adentro,” Ricardo Arjona.

Pop album by a duo or group with vocals: “Guapa,” La oreja De Van Gogh.

Rock vocal album: “Ahi Vamos,” Gustavo Cerati.

Alternative music album: “Limon y sal,” Julieta Venegas.

Rock vocal duo or group album: “Casa,” Natalia y La Forquetina.

Rock song: “Crimen,” Gustavo Cerati.

Salsa album: “Asi es nuestra Navidad,” Gilberto Santa Rosa y el Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.

Cumbia/vallenato album: “Cien dias de bohemia,” Los Hermanos Zuleta.

Traditional tropical album: “AM/PM Lineas paralelas,” Andy Montanez y Pablo Milanes.

Merengue album: “MQ,” Milly Quezada.

Contemporary tropical album: “Una nueva mujer,” Olga Tanon.

Regional tropical album: “Kumbia Kings Live,” A.B. Quintanilla III and Los Kumbia Kings.

Tropical song: “Te mando flores,” Juan Fernando Fonseca (Fonseca).

Ranchero album: “Historias de mi tierra,” Pepe Aguilar.

Mexican group album: “En el Auditorio Nacional,” Joan Sebastian.

Norteno album: “Historias que contar,” Los Tigres del Norte.

Regional Mexican regional song: “Aun sigues siendo mia,” Osvaldo Villarreal (Conjunto Primavera).

Banda album: “Mas alla del sol,” Joan Sebastian.

Tejano album: “Nuevamente,” La Mafia.

Latin jazz album: “Solo,” Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

Latin music album for children: “Adriana Partimpim — O Show,” Adriana Partimpim.

Music video, short version: “¡Atrevete te, te!,” Calle 13.

Music video, long version: “Blanco y negro en vivo,” Bebo & Cigala and “Un viaje,” Cafe Tacuba.

Urban music album: “Calle 13,” Calle 13.

Cantautor album: “Como un campo de maiz,” Pablo Milanes.

Instrumental album: “Bebo,” Bebo Valdes.

Christian album: “Dios es bueno,” Marcos Witt.

Christian album in Portuguese: “Aline Barros & Cia,” Aline Barros.

Classical music album: “Rhapsody In Blue,” Michel Camilo y Ernest Martinez Izquierdo.

Folklorico album: “Corazon libre,” Mercedes Sosa.

Flamenco album: “Picasso en mis ojos,” Diego El Cigala.

Tango album: “Cafe de los Maestros,” Cafe de los Maestros.

Contemporary Brazilian pop album: “Timeless,” Sergio Mendes.

Samba/pagode album: “Universo Ao Meu Redor,” Marisa Monte.

Regional Brazilian music album: “Vida Marvada,” Chitaozinho & Xororo.

Brazilian rock album: “Hoje,” Os Paralamas do Sucesso.

Popular Brazilian album: “Segundo,” Maria Rita.

Romantic music album: “Roberto Carlos,” Roberto Carlos.

Best Brazilian song: “Caminho das aguas,” Rodrigo Maranhao (Maria Rita).

Engineered album: “Fijacion oral Vol. 1,” Gustavo Celis, Serban Ghanea, Mauricio Guerrero, Rob Jacobs, Killen Kevin, Dave Way y Dave Way (Shakira).

Producer of the year: Cachorro Lopez, “Dias felices” (Christian Castro), “Diego” (Diego), “Dulce Beat” (Belanova), “Limon y sal” (Julieta Venegas) and “Vanessa Colaiutta” (Vanessa Colaiutta).

Best package design: “Cafe de los maestros,” Laura Varsky.

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Shakira’s hips don’t lie – instead, they’re going to be helping 1,800 children who have been displaced by Colombia’s civil war.

Proceeds from the superstar singer’s Nov. 15th concert in her hometown of Barranquilla will go towards building an arts school for local children of La Playa, a suburb of the Caribbean port city. Almost half of the La Playa’s residents are minors, but few are enrolled in school.

The English and Spanish school will be named after Shakira’s Pies Descalzos (Spanish for Bare Feet) foundation and will open in 2008.

The homecoming concert is part of Shakira’s worldwide Oral Fixation tour.

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The thought of Hilary Duff and Dick Clark ringing in the new year side by side not tempting enough for you?

MTV’s New Year’s special will feature a much more impressive lineup of performers including Kanye West, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Shakira, Fall Out Boy, the All-American Rejects, Young Jeezy and Common.

Reverend Run will also make an appearance.

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Listen to the new single, “Don’t Bother”

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Shakira has also announced a new contest:
MTV: Music Television and Shakira have a Dirty Little Secret? one lucky fan is about to go on tour! MTV announced today the ?Dirty Little Secrets? contest, where one grand prize winner will win the chance to go on tour with Shakira in 2006 as the official ?fan correspondent? for MTV. In addition, the fortunate winner will work as a guest reporter for Teen People Magazine where they will interview Shakira and write a story about their experience to appear in Teen People in 2006.
Beginning on October 28th and running through November 20th, 2005. MTV viewers can enter at shakira.mtv.com and submit essays (300 words or less) describing why they are the best fan to win this opportunity. Submissions will be narrowed down to the top 5-10 finalists who will be flown into a designated city for personal interviews with a judging panel comprised of representatives from MTV, Teen People and other industry professionals from Epic Records and/or Shakira?s management company. This panel will determine the grand prize winner going on tour with Shakira next year.

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