This Day in Pop: Shakira releases 'Whenever, Wherever' in 2001 (August 27)

[PokemonSpears]

On August 27, 2001, Shakira released Whenever, Wherever as the lead single off her fifth studio album Laundry Service. The Spanish version, Suerte (literally translated as Luck), was also released across different regions. The Latin-pop / worldbeat song had influences of Andean music, with prominent traditional instruments such as the charango and the Quena flute. It was written and produced by Shakira and Tim Mitchell, with additional writing by Gloria Estefan. 

It became her breakthrough hit in the US, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, her most successful single at the time (later surpassed by Hips Don't Lie in 2006) and it topped the chart in 29 other countries, including the majority of Latin America, Asia, Middle East and Oceania. The music video has over 590M views on her Youtube account. 

Lyrically, both the English and Spanish version talk about the lucky they are for the circumstances she and her love interest were born under, and how that led them to be together, with the use of several examples and analogies (that perhaps make more sense in Spanish than in English). However, they differ in the chorus in that the Whenever, Wherever states they're meant to be together, whereas in Suerte she's the one making the decision to be with him, though it's a small change. 

 

Both versions of the music video were directed by Francis Lawrence, filmed in front of a green screen that shows her in various natural environments across the globe, like the mountains, the desert and the ocean. Lawrence also directed Britney Spears' I'm a Slave 4 U, using a green screen as well, which was actually filmed around the same time, with Britney stating in an interview that she met Shakira at the set of her video. The clip became Shakira's first retired video on TRL, and won the Latin Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video.  It also appeared on MTVLA's yearly Top 100, both in 2001 and 2002 at #60, and at #4 in the Top 100 of the whole 00's decade.

Whenever, Wherever as the beginning of the Laundry Service era, also marked a change in Shakira's look to a full blonde hair, to which she would stick for the following decade and beyond, leaving behind her natural black hair from the 90's, and the red hair she had rocked during her MTV Unplugged era. In Latin America this difference is often referred to as "the old Shakira" and "the new Shakira", though for most non Latin American countries it's the only look of hers they've always known.

Shakira has performed the song in various tours and shows, though the only time she performed the original version was at the Radio Music Awards. The rest of the occasions, she's used several different arrangements and remixes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PokemonSpears]

 

 

 

 

[BritneyItaly]

 

[Adriannn]

What an iconic song, video, and era. 
 

I love ‘Suerte’ sooooo much. 

[ObsessedBritFan1]

YASSS BISH

 

[SexyLove]

Timeless and eternal bop

[Stefani]

[Onyx_Zone-89]

Oh god I'm old. I remember when I went to a Lana Del Rey concert back in 2019, I ran into a new group of people and we were all hanging out and taking shots and the subject of what our first concert was. I told them Britney was mine, then one of the girls looked at me and said, " I've been to a Britney concert, in my moms stomach". I just about fell lmao

[VanillaCandlez]

Lucky that my breasts are small and humble, so you don’t confuse them with mountains 

[Korb]

Invented the concept of moving your hips

[RadicalOptimism]

An iconic moment 

[princessmimi]

Wow this song is 20 years old today?!
Damn!

This is my only fave song from her and the only one that I like!

Props to her for having a career 20 yrs later even though im not a fan 

[bitbitboi]

A cultural reset. She proved you can be a global superstar without all the glitter but based on PERSONALITY. She's still that woman that prefers to wear simple clothes and doesn't worry if she gets dirty. The SuperBowl with JLo (pretty much her opposite when it comes to looks and stage presence) proved that, and people still gravitate towards her. We need her.

[Moscow]

An actual cultural reset, I remember when this first came out Shakira became a global power with this! 

Fun fact : Brit and Shak both did this shoot in the same studio, history got made! Shakira for this and Brit for I'm a Slave 4 u 

[Leolileinstein]

Her best song EVER 

 

[CHAOTIC STYLE.]

@corpsetranger @Catalin can approve the following message: In our country, Shakira is the most famous international female singer. More famous than Madonna and Britney put together and combined.  

A Queen! I love this song soooooo much. Also, come thru with that appreciation post about Shak, @PokemonSpears

[PokemonSpears]

1 hour ago, Style. said:

@corpsetranger @Catalin can approve the following message: In our country, Shakira is the most famous international female singer. More famous than Madonna and Britney put together and combined.  

A Queen! I love this song soooooo much. Also, come thru with that appreciation post about Shak, @PokemonSpears

Which country is that?

[CHAOTIC STYLE.]

16 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

Which country is that?

Romania. They love her to death. The mothers, the fathers, the brothers, the relatives, all of them know at least two songs by her. Also, her marriage to Pique is goals.  

When she released Gypsy, she left us wigless - and no, no shade! 

[Moscow]

2 hours ago, Style. said:

@corpsetranger @Catalin can approve the following message: In our country, Shakira is the most famous international female singer. More famous than Madonna and Britney put together and combined.  

A Queen! I love this song soooooo much. Also, come thru with that appreciation post about Shak, @PokemonSpears

Where do you put up? Shakira is global star though, but very loved in her home country. 

Only Britney is the western female act to have a diamond album in Latin America! Shakira is very loved in India also, I saw her live concert sold out very quickly, women is a goddess. 

[Niarchos]

I love her