It’s raining Awards for Shakira

Colombian Latin pop singer-songwriter Shakira reigned the Latin Grammy Awards held Thursday, bagging four trophies, including album of the year for ‘Fijacion Oral Vol. 1’, song and record of the year honors for ‘La Tortura’ and best female pop vocal album.

She not only stole the show with her whirling performance on ‘La Tortura’, heaving and swaying her chest and hips, but also elucidated the problems faced by the immigrants working in the United States illegally and trying to become citizens, supporting them to the full.

"I hope soon they will receive the recognition they deserve from the government," the superstar said.

Her album also picked up another award for its engineers.

Shakira, meaning ‘greatful’ in Arabic, is named after her grandmother. She is best known for songs such as ‘Estoy Aquí’, ‘Tú’, ‘Ciega, Sordomuda’, ‘Ojos Así’, ‘Whenever, Wherever’, ‘Underneath Your Clothes’, ‘Objection’, ‘Don't Bother’, ‘La Tortura’, ‘Hips Don't Lie’ and for her dancing moves which are based on the art of Belly dancing.

Born in 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira recorded her first album ‘Magia’ with Sony Columbia in 1991, when she was just 15. The album didn’t score too well. Her second album ‘Peligro’ was released in 1993, but she took a break from singing to concentrate on her education.

She returned to recording in 1995, delivering a number of hits. The versatile singer has won a number of awards. In 2000, she won an MTV Video Music Award in the now-defunct category of People's Choice- Favorite International Artist. In 2002, she won the now-defunct International Viewer's Choice Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. She bagged 5 MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist (North), Video of the Year (for ‘Suerte’), and Artist of the Year in 2002.

At a United Nations ceremony on April 3, 2006, she was honoured because she created the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a charity that helps to protect children from violence in Colombia. At the event she said: "Let's not forget that at the end of this day when we all go home, 960 children will have died in Latin America”.

In 2006, she also received 6 Latin Billboard Awards. In the MTV Video Music Awards of 2006, she was the most nominated artist of the year, with 7 nominations for ‘Hips Don’t Lie’, but managed to bag only one award for choreography.

The Latin Grammy Awards, launched in 2000 and aired on CBS, recognizes artistic and technical excellence in the recording arts and sciences by peer vote. The award function was juggling between Miami and Los Angeles year after year, but this year they made their New York City debut.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg took to the stage to a Latin beat, escorted by several female dancers dressed in red.

"Welcome to my house," Bloomberg said in Spanish, introducing a video about Hispanic diversity and Latin musicians in the Big Apple.

Reggaeton group Calle 13 and Argentine rocker Gustavo Cerati also won multiple awards.

‘Crimen’ fetched Certari the award for the best rock song and ‘Ahi vamos’ won the best rock vocal album. Calle 13 picked up awards for best new artist, best music album, and also won best short music video Grammy for its reggaeton song ‘Atrevete te, te!’.

"I'm honestly wetting myself," Calle 13 rapper and lyricist Residente.

"I'm very nervous. I want an 'arroz con habichuelas' when I get to my house," he said in reference to a Puerto Rican rice and bean specialty.

Mexican singer/accordion player Julieta Venegas, nominated for four Awards, bagged best alternative album for ‘Limon y sal’ in the pre-televised awards ceremony.

Joan Sebastian took away the best banda album award for ‘Mas alla del sol’ under the Mexican regional award category.

Ricky Martin and Andrea Bocelli adorned the evening with their respective performances. A tribute to reggaeton and salsa was also staged.