Singer, songwriter, guitarist, dancer, entertainer -- any of these titles are appropriate for describing the versatile Latin American star Shakira. But it's the combination of all these together that makes her such an explosive performer.

In Japan earlier this week for promotions, the Colombian artist tangoed onto the stage of Tokyo's Akasaka Blitz, later did a belly-dance while singing in Arabic, then suddenly transformed her voice from the trademark falsetto into a thing of immense power. Mid-set, she took a break from her wild dancing and singing, and sat quietly in the middle of the stage to play the acoustic guitar.

Shakira is currently on a round-the-world promotion tour for her latest album "Laundry Service," which has already sold 8 million copies worldwide since its November release. Designed to reach a wider audience, "Laundry Service" was the first album Shakira recorded in English in her 12-year professional career. And although she has already achieved fame throughout Latin America, the international market -- outside of Spanish-speaking countries -- is still new to her. Japan was the first Asian country she ever visited.

"I think Japanese people are very kind, respectful and also very sweet," Shakira told reporters in English on Tuesday. "I am seduced by Japan . . . the landscape and the culture . . . I must confess that I would like to record in Japanese someday," adding that Japanese has very similar sounds to her native language of Spanish.

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born in 1977 in the Caribbean coastal town of Barranquilla, Colombia, the youngest of eight siblings. Her father is from Lebanon, while her Colombian mother is of European descent. She says this mixed heritage has been a strong influence on the character of her music -- a mix of rock and pop with Latin and Middle Eastern accents.

"My music is a cocktail, just like myself. I am a pina colada," she said. "In my veins runs Arab, Spanish and Italian blood."

At the age of 4, Shakira, whose name means "full of grace" in Arabic, says she started belly-dancing "just naturally" to the Arabian music her father brought into the house. "I think it was my DNA," she said.

She owes the "singer" in her to her mother, who would encourage Shakira to participate in children's singing competitions. The "writer" in her, meanwhile, originates in her father who made his living as a scribe, she said. She recalls asking Santa Claus to bring her a typewriter for Christmas at the age of 7; she ended up using it throughout her childhood to write essays, poems and songs.

At the age of 10, Shakira made up her mind to become a singer. Three years later, she won a recording contract with the Colombian branch of Sony Music.

Shakira achieved real stardom in the late 1990s after an image update and the release of two multimillion-selling albums -- "Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet)" and "Donde Estan Los Ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?)." The catchy pop song "Estoy Aqui (I'm Here)" was a huge hit from Mexico to Argentina and beyond.

Prior to her breakthrough, up until the mid-'90s, Shakira's style -- both in terms of appearance and performance -- was quite different. Her now trademark blonde, wavy hair was straight and black. In concert, rather than dance wildly about, she would sing while seated on a chair center-stage.

Asked what her image of an ideal woman is, she said enigmatically, a "woman in harmony." "Beauty is synonymous with harmony," she continued. "Some day I want to be a harmonious mother, a harmonious wife and a harmonious grandmother."

For now she remains one of the leading artists driving the Latin music craze in mainstream America, in the company of the likes of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguillera and Enrique Iglesias. And despite her status -- confirmed by two Latin Grammys in 2000 (Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance) and another Grammy in 2001 (Best Latin Pop Album for her "MTV Unplugged" album) -- Shakira appears to have both feet firmly on the ground.

"I don't have the power. Music has the power. I am just a vehicle," Shakira said. "And the audience, crowds, fans . . . They give immense power to me."