Shakira as the Idealized Transnational Citizen: A Case Study of Colombianidad in Transition

Abstract

Like many of the spanglish generation, Shakira is a walking, living, breathing, singing contradiction. Born and raised in Colombia, she lived for bands like Led Zeppelin, The Cure, The Police, the Beatles and Nirvana. Rock was her first musical love, but her Arabic culture was her life …. Despite the fact that she was once named the queen of the Barranquilla carnival and was crowned by Colombian salsa great Joe Arroyo, Shakira is above all a rock chick.1