Shakira, the former and present pop sensation is a Colombian singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, actress, and philanthropist. She is perhaps best known for the 90s hit “Hips Don’t Lie.” She learned to speak English as a teenager by listening to and reading the lyrics of the primary songwriter, Leonard Cohen.
This gave her a deep understanding of the dynamics of pop, the mechanics of poetry, and an abiding understanding of the human condition and culture – none of which will hurt an aspiring songwriter.
Our Latina songstress has homes all over the western world, with perhaps her most impressive property in Miami – a place with a strong tradition of taking in South American pop artists. She bought the house in 2001 in Biscayne Bay for $3.3 million. That’s an island town off the east coast of Southern Florida that has anything a lover of the seaside could want.
The home encompasses 8,708 square feet and overlooks the Julia Tuttle Causeway along over 100 feet of seaside property. It also has its own private dock. The house itself contains six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and is two stories tall. The house stands on a half-acre lot that’s just a hop, skip, and a shake from the Miami Gold Club’s Greens.
Possibly the most stunning feature of the home is the front walk as you approach the front door. It’s a splay of white marble tiles set within a stone grid with its own cobblestone top layer. A pair of ornate, low hedgerows leads off to the left, away from the front door. The house stands in the distance on the edge of the white stone grid like a far off destination in an old Atari video game.
In the living room, we find a similar theme to the outer walkway. Whites and right angles dominate the scene. Two large, glass coffee tables stand a few feet distant from the three white, plush couches.
In the dining room, we find more white stone and more squares. The table seats 10 and has a brown marble top. On a pair of large rectangular canvasses with the lyrics of one of Shakira’s hit songs in small print.
The kitchen is noticeably sterile with more strong whites and right angles. Still, it is inviting with recessed lighting under the cabinets. The high bar stools are white and chrome, but curvaceous, adding an accommodating accent to the room. A set of large glass doors lead out to the giant pool.
Out on the sunbathing deck, there are many high-quality deck chairs and sunbathing furniture. There is little shade – something one has to learn to accept in order to live comfortably in south Florida.
From the air, the property resembles a high-dollar boating club with small piers, docks, and other accommodations for small watercraft.
At present, there’s no sign that Shakira has any intention of selling her home. That’s a welcome degree of stability- so rare among pop stars.