Many Americans seem to think Shakira is a pop singer, and her revealing, suggestive, and even lewd music videos don't help that image. But if that is the only Shakira you know, you are missing out. Shakira is one of the most passionate, emotional, skilled, talented, and powerful singer/songwriters in the world. The poetry of her lyrics does not translate well to English and much of the beauty and depth comes across as shallowness or sexual aggression - the truth of it is, Spanish is a Romantic language, and Shakira writes in Spanish. She has something of a flirty stage presence, but do not mistake this for Britney Speaks-like slut pop a la "Oops! I Did It Again," etc. Shakira's performances are raw and passionate, just like her music. If you were turned off by the drum machines and dance-club rhythms of her studio releases, you should conisder this MTV Unplugged performance. Her band is fantastic, and she herself is a very skilled musician.