Shakira was in disbelief when the singer found out that she was one of the 17 nominees for the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last month.
“I thought someone was joking with me. I had to double-check, and then I just felt really grateful,” she told Billboard Español. “It’s not something you expect. I’m so over the moon with my fans who’ve been supporting me for 30 years already, and they continue to accompany me and to make things like these that sound almost impossible happen.”
Shakira is among a stacked group that features Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Pink, Sade, Phil Collins, Luther Vandross, Jeff Buckley, Melissa Etheridge, New Edition, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Oasis, The Black Crowes, Joy Division/New Order, INXS, and the Wu-Tang Clan.
An artist can become eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. Even though the 2001 song “Whenever, Wherever” sent her stardom to another stratosphere, Shakira actually released her debut album Magia in 1991 when she was only 14.
Shakira is the first Colombian artist to receive a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination. If inducted, she will be the first female artist from Latin America.
“To be the first Colombian, or even to dream about the possibility of maybe becoming the first Latina woman inducted in the Hall of Fame, feels so surreal,” she said. “I’d be so humbled and thrilled to be representing Latin music, Latina women, and the fans of rock and roll in my Hispanic community.”
The Class of 2026 will be revealed next month.
