She Wolf

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Lore & Background

The idea for "She Wolf" came to Shakira "very mysteriously." In an interview with Rolling Stone, she revealed: "I was in the studio in a bad mood that day, then I got inspired and went to a corner and I wrote the lyrics and the melody in 10 minutes. The image of the she wolf just came to my head, and when I least expected it I was howling and panting." Initially unsure of writing the lyrics in English, she reached out to Sia and Seth MacFarlane for help, but nothing came to fruition, and she ended up writing the entire lyrics by herself. Sam Endicott, lead singer of The Bravery, explained how he and John Hill began working with Shakira: she "contacted him (Hill), asking if he had any stuff. We never had her in mind. We just made the thing independently of her, and then she liked it a lot, and she sang over it. She used some of the melodies we put in there and then wrote these crazy lyrics about being a werewolf." The song contains a sample of the strings breakdown from "Good Times" by Chic. One line, where Shakira sings "I'm starting to feel just a little abused, like a coffee machine in an office," is often cited as an example of the unusual lyrics in her songs.

In Their Own Story

The accompanying music video for "She Wolf" was directed by Jake Nava and features Shakira dancing in various locations, such as a red cave and a golden cage. Critical reception towards the video was positive, with many praising Shakira's dancing ability. For additional promotion, Shakira performed the song on a number of shows and music festivals. It was also part of the setlist for The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011), El Dorado World Tour (2018), and Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour (2025).

Reader's Guide

Upon release, "She Wolf" was met with favorable reception from music critics, receiving praise for its inventiveness. David Balls from Digital Spy said the song "manages to be fresh and quirky while still sounding like a smash." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine labelled it a "sleek, hi-NRG/Italo throwback" and said its lyrics "walk a fine line between campy and really campy." Michael Cragg from MusicOMH called it "three minutes of delicious pop, as camp as it is clever." Jonathan Goss from Sabotage Times praised its lyrics and commended Shakira's use of the word "lycanthropy," calling the song a "modern classic." Spin critic Mikael Wood complemented it as "lovably bonkers." Ben Ratliff from The New York Times gave a negative review, saying the song is "undercooked and overwritten" and "reaches a special class of fascinating-awful."

Commercially, it peaked within the top 10 in 12 countries worldwide, and at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Loba" peaked atop both the Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Songs in the US, as well as the Mexican and Spanish charts. "She Wolf" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for digital sales of one million units in the US. In the UK, it peaked at number four and was certified platinum by the BPI for sales and streams of 600,000 units. At the 2009 International Dance Music Awards, it was nominated for "Best Latin Track." At the 2009 Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica, it was nominated for "Canción Del Año." At the 2009 Premios 40 Principales, "Loba" won "Best International Song in Spanish Language."

Did You Know?

• Shakira wrote the lyrics and melody for "She Wolf" in just 10 minutes after being in a bad mood in the studio.
• The song contains a sample of the strings breakdown from "Good Times" by Chic.
• One of the song's most unusual lyrics compares feeling abused to being 'a coffee machine in an office.'
• Sam Endicott of The Bravery revealed that the music was made independently of Shakira, and she later sang over it and wrote 'crazy lyrics about being a werewolf.'
• "She Wolf" was Shakira's highest-debuting single on the Billboard Hot 100 until "Can't Remember to Forget You" broke the record in 2014 by debuting at number 28.