NEW YORK – The board of directors of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, a UK-based investment company, has acquired 100% of the music publishing rights of Grammy-winning superstar Shakira.
Hipgnosis made the announcement on Wednesday. Shakira’s catalog includes 145 songs, including “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Whenever, Wherever,” “La Tortura,” “She Wolf” and “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”
Shakira released her debut album in 1991 at the age of 13 and rose to international fame with her third album, Pies Descalzos, in 1995. The multi-talented singer-songwriter and instrumentalist took the American pop scene by storm when she released her US-language debut, Laundry Service, in 2001.
She has won three Grammy Awards, 12 Latin Grammys, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards and 39 Billboard Latin Music Awards. In total, Shakira has sold 80 million albums.
“Now is not the time to remain silent”: Shakira writes impressive essay about children separated at the border
“Being a songwriter is an accomplishment that I consider equal to and perhaps even greater than being a singer and artist. At 8 years old – long before I sang – I wrote to understand the world. Each song is a reflection of the person I was at the time I wrote it, but once a song is out in the world, it belongs not only to me but to those who appreciate it,” Shakira said in a statement. “I am humbled that songwriting has given me the privilege of communicating with others and being part of something bigger than myself.”
The announcement that Hipgnosis is taking over Shakira’s catalog came a week after the company acquired a 50 percent stake in Neil Young’s music. Last month, Bob Dylan said he had sold his publishing rights to more than 600 songs to Universal Music Publishing Group.
Bob Dylan’s Complete catalogue with over 600 songs acquired from Universal Music
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shakira sells music publishing rights to British company
