Sexy is good as long as it's not the main recipe. It's an ingredient. I would not appear in a leotard in a video if I [did] not have other dimensions.

I remember the first time I saw the 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' video. I will never forget that day. I just wanted to see Kurt Cobain's face. I had a feeling he was very cute. But, I couldn't see his face. When I finally did see him, he was even cuter than I imagined!

I admire a person who, for the love of art, is able to take off their clothes in front of a camera. But I'm not capable, I'm too cowardly for that.

I grew up in Barranquila, Colombia, and I spent most of my childhood dreaming about becoming a singer.

By giving every child a fair start, we are improving our collective future, including the private sector's ability to find talent in a very competitive global marketplace.

Writing in English was a major challenge. I didn't want other songwriters to write for me. I wanted to preserve the spirit of my songs in Spanish. I am the same Shakira in English as I am in Spanish.

I consider myself a survivor more than anything else.