Washington [US], May 11: Global music sensation Shakira recently opened up about the backstory of her chart-topping hit Hips Don’t Lie, revealing that the song was not originally part of her 2005 album Oral Fixation, Vol. 2.
Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Colombian singer shared how she had to convince her record label to include the now-iconic track in the album’s release. “I knew I had a hit,” she recalled, discussing her conversation with Donny Lenner, then-head of Epic Records.
The singer also recounted a serendipitous moment: she dreamt of working with Wyclef Jean, and the very next day, her manager proposed a collaboration. The dream soon turned into reality, and the result was Hips Don’t Lie — a global anthem that blended reggaeton, hip-hop, and Shakira’s signature Latin flair.
Despite the song’s undeniable potential, the label initially resisted repackaging the album, which had already been distributed. But Shakira’s unshakable confidence in the track led them to reissue the album with Hips Don’t Lie, a move that paid off spectacularly.
The track went on to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, catapulting Shakira into a new echelon of global stardom and becoming a defining hit of her career.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the song, and Shakira is celebrating by launching the North American leg of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, starting May 13.