During an honest interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the global superstar shared the dramatic backstory surrounding her hit “Hips Don’t Lie.”
The chart leader, released in 2006, was among the longest-lasting songs of the early 2000s. As Shakira explained, it took determination and trust in her instincts to get the song out at all. It was more than a catchy song, though. “Hips Don’t Lie” redefined Shakira’s career and solidified her as an international pop force to be reckoned with. With over 2 billion streams on Spotify and a legacy that still endures almost two decades later, the song’s influence is undeniable. But few fans had any idea until now just how much of a struggle it was to get it into the world.
Shakira began by setting the scene. Her English 2005 album Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, was already complete, printed, and shipped to record stores around the globe. The album, intended to capitalize on her earlier success in America with Laundry Service, had been promoted and released in its entirety. Subsequently, in a fortuitous convergence of events, creative sparks flew upon meeting Haitian rapper and producer Wyclef Jean.