Shakira named Artist of the Year
Renowned Colombian singer, songwriter, and philanthropist Shakira has been named the 2011 Artist of the Year by the Harvard Foundation. The Grammy Award-winning musician will be awarded the foundation’s most prestigious medal, which bears the signature of Harvard President Drew Faust, at the annual Cultural Rhythms award ceremony on Feb. 26. “The students and faculty of the Harvard Foundation are honored to present multiplatinum artist Shakira with the 2011 Artist of the Year award,” said S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation. “Her contributions to music and distinguished history of creativity have been applauded by people throughout the world, and she is greatly admired worldwide for her humanitarian efforts through her Barefoot Foundation.” Shakira, born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, began her impressive music career as a teenager and later became a dominant presence on Billboard’s Latin music charts with her best-selling album, “Dónde Están Los Ladrones?” The multiplatinum record earned her...