Shakira Quotes

I'd like to think I inspire young people to be creative.

If our young people could but glimpse it, it would be the most powerful spiritual motivation of their lives!

When I make commitments I like to stick to them, especially when I'm giving back to kids. Just giving them an example of what they can achieve. I love giving back to kids. It's fantastic.

From an artist's point of view, I always want to work with the writers I admire.

The point of my work is to make it clear that all youth can make 'big miracles' happen.

I guess people don't think that young girls or young artists have opinions, but I'm so glad that there's artists like Lorde and Raury and Kehlani because they're showing other people that young people can have an opinion and a voice and do really well with it. I'm glad I can be one of those people.

When Nike says, just do it, that's a message of empowerment. Why aren't the rest of us speaking to young people in a voice of inspiration?

I know there are a lot of musicians and a lot of artists, and there are a lot of writers and other people who inspire young people, but I'd like to see somebody in political life be able to connect and make these choices that we need to make in Washington real in terms of people's lives.

Hopefully, young people will see that you can be young and make the sacrifices to follow your dreams.

I enjoy seeing young people being interested in what they can do.

I don't follow trends. I'm a trendsetter. I represent all the younger generations; fly kids, creative kids - they look up to me. I got a program that's called ROAR. I go to all high schools everywhere we go, and I talk to all the kids, and I give away 30-35 tickets and passes to the kids doing good in school. Stuff like that means a lot to me.

We should never discourage young people from dreaming dreams.

I do think it's possible to change people's minds - it's one of my goals with my music.

I plan with the BBC African Player of the Year award to become an agent of hope and positive change in the lives of the millions of African youths who have lost hope and are deprived.

I wouldn't really call myself a spokesman for anything. All I wanna do is inspire young people everywhere - not just Indonesia.

I think that I could be an example to young people, and they know that dreams come true.

Obviously I'll still be involved in organizations like the USO and Wounded Warriors, which will always be a big part of my life. But I like to motivate people, and I like working with children. I could go anywhere and do anything.

You see how powerful some of the things you say and you do can be on people, especially young people.

It is just satisfying to think that, somehow, my music and my story could touch someone and make them want to make their own life better.

The kids are our future.

I want to cement my own legacy and, most importantly, motivate the youth of India and make all of India proud.

Life has to keep going, so you can either be a victim the rest of your life and let it drag you down into drugs and alcohol and depression or you can turn it into something good, fun even, you know, and I tell young people who are going through depression that this might be the most important time of your life. This might be what makes you a great artist later on.

Think about what artists, novelists and poets have in common: the ability to engage in metaphorical thinking, linking seemingly unrelated ideas, such as, 'It is the east, and Juliet is the Sun.'

You aren't going to save the world on your own. But you might inspire a generation of kids to save it for all of us. You would be amazed at what inspired children can do.

I'm not the type to turn to drugs and alcohol, but I do have a profound devotion to art and music - and children.