"It changed my story" — Shakira reveals how she had to convince her record label to let her release her smash hit Hips Don't Lie
Latin American pop star Shakira revealed that she had to convince her record label to let her release her 2006 smash hit, Hips Don't Lie. The track went on to become a classic pop song and one of the singer's biggest hits in her discography.
In an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show on May 8, Shakira recalled how Hips Don't Lie almost did not make it to her album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2. The Colombian singer collaborated with Wyclef Jean for the track. She said:
"I remember my album was already distributed, and then this idea came up, and Wyclef and I met. This song came about."
Shakira explained that by this time, her original LP had already been distributed in the market. She also shared that she had a dream about Wyclef Jean before he approached her for a collaboration. The two discussed the idea for the track. She continued:
"I knew I had a hit, so I called Donny Ienner, who was in charge at the time of [Sony Music Label Group U.S.], and I said, ‘Donny, you have to pick up the albums from the stores.’ He was like, ‘No way, this album is already out there.’ I was like, ‘You’ve got to believe me. You’ve got to trust me. You do that, we have a hit.' It changed my story."
Finally, Hips Don't Lie was released in February 2006 as a revamped version of Oral Fixation: Vol. 2. The lyrics were penned by Shakira and Jean, who also composed the track. The song remains the pop star's first and only number one track on the US Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it reached number one in 55 countries.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Shakira's track. She also joined hands with Jean to perform the song on The Tonight Show to celebrate it completing two decades.
Shakira opens up about her ongoing Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour ahead of the United States leg
During her appearance on The Tonight Show, Shakira also discussed her ongoing Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. The tour is designed to promote her twelfth studio album of the same name, which was released in March last year. The singer won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for the project.
In the Latin American leg of her tour, Shakira sold out 11 shows in Mexico City, with her tour being number one in the world for the second consecutive month. It began in Brazil in February this year. Speaking of the tour's success, she said:
"It’s incredible. I’ve been working on this tour for a year, preparing every single detail, from the visuals to the music. I’ve put together my biggest set list. I’m singing some of my classic songs, from ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ to ‘Whenever, Whatever’ to the most recent ones."
Shakira added that the production behind the tour is huge. The US leg of the tour is set to begin on May 13 in Charlotte, North Carolina, following the conclusion of the Latin American leg earlier this year. The Colombian singer told Fallon:
“It’s a pretty huge production. It’s a huge effort to tour with this production around Latin America. It’s probably the biggest production that’s ever traveled Latin America. It weighs like 93 tons. The screen is huge and it’s 145 people traveling… So when you show up and you see so many people dancing and singing and crying and getting emotional."
She added:
"It’s a party, but people really, really connect with this music. It’s been like the soundtrack of their lives, for many of my fans."
Shakira is also set to return to The Tonight Show later in May to perform her 1996 track, Antologia. Additionally, she will headline WorldPride DC in Washington, DC, on May 26.
