If you’ve ever watched Shakira perform, you know the feeling. You’re sitting there, watching her move in ways that seem to defy several laws of physics, and you think: Wait, how old is Shakira exactly? It’s a fair question. She’s been a global fixture for so long that she feels like a permanent part of the pop culture landscape, yet she somehow has more energy now than she did in the late nineties.
Honestly, the numbers might surprise you. As of today, January 17, 2026, Shakira is 48 years old. She was born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll on February 2, 1977. That means she’s just a few weeks away from her 49th birthday. It’s wild to think that while most of us are worried about our knees clicking when we stand up, she’s currently in the middle of her massive Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, selling out stadiums across El Salvador, Mexico, and the United States.
The Math Behind the Hips: Shakira’s Age in 2026
It's weirdly easy to lose track of time with Shakira because her career spans four distinct decades. Most artists have a "peak." She just has different eras of dominance.
She started young. Like, really young. She signed her first record deal with Sony Music Colombia at age 13. By the time she was 18, she had already released two albums and was starring in a Colombian telenovela called The Oasis.
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If you grew up with "Whenever, Wherever," you might think of her as a 2000s icon. But if you’re a fan of her earlier rock-en-español roots, she’s a 90s legend. And if you’re just getting into her now through her recent hits like "TQG" or the viral Bizarrap session, she feels like a contemporary of artists half her age.
A Quick Timeline of the Ages
- 13 years old: Signed her first contract.
- 18 years old: Released Pies Descalzos, the album that made her a Latin superstar.
- 24 years old: Conquered the English-speaking world with Laundry Service.
- 33 years old: Recorded "Waka Waka" for the 2010 World Cup (where she also met her long-time former partner, Gerard Piqué).
- 47 years old: Released Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran in 2024, proving that "women no longer cry, they invoice."
Why Everyone Is Obsessed With How Old She Is
People don't just ask about her age out of curiosity; they ask because they’re looking for the "secret." There’s a certain "Shakira effect" where she seems to be aging in reverse, or at the very least, maintaining a level of athletic performance that is rare for anyone nearing 50.
Part of it is the dancing. She’s been belly dancing since she was a little kid in Barranquilla, and that kind of core strength doesn't just disappear. But also, she’s leaned into her age rather than trying to hide it. In her recent work, she talks openly about the betrayal, the tax cases, and the public breakup that defined her late 40s.
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It’s refreshing. Instead of trying to stay 22 forever, she’s made being 48 look like the most powerful version of herself.
What's Next for the Queen of Latin Pop?
If you think she’s slowing down as she approaches 50, you haven't been paying attention to the news.
Right now, in 2026, she’s basically living on the road. After a record-breaking run in Mexico where she sold over 780,000 tickets in Mexico City alone, she’s extended her tour into the first half of this year. She’s also reprised her role as Gazelle in Zootopia 2, which just hit theaters recently, and she even co-wrote a new track for the movie with Ed Sheeran.
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Basically, she's busier now than she was ten years ago.
Practical Takeaways from the Shakira Playbook
- Consistency beats intensity. She’s been at this for 35 years. The longevity comes from staying active and constantly evolving her sound.
- Lean into the narrative. Her latest album was a massive success because it was raw and honest about her life stage. People connect with the truth.
- Physicality matters. Whether it's tennis, surfing, or dancing, she stays moving. That’s the real "fountain of youth."
If you're planning on catching her on the 2026 leg of the tour, you’ll see a 48-year-old woman at the absolute top of her game. She isn't just "still around"—she's leading the industry.
The best thing you can do to keep up with her is check the official tour dates for the North American leg starting this May. Tickets for the MetLife and Hard Rock Stadium shows go on sale in April, and given how the Latin American dates went, they’ll be gone in minutes. Keep your browser ready and your "Hips Don't Lie" choreography practiced.
Actionable Insight: If you're a fan, don't wait for the general sale. Sign up for the Wolfpack newsletter on her official site to get the presale codes for the 2026 North American dates. Stadium tours at this scale sell out during the Citi and artist presales, so having that code is the only way to avoid paying five times the price on resale sites later.