Shakira tops 100 million Facebook followers
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International pop star Shakira has topped 100 million likes on Facebook, making her the most popular public figure on the social site, after a surge with her song “La La La” for this summer’s 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The milestone highlights the power of social media to amass huge audiences — and connect directly to fans instantly. Shakira posted a thank-you video on Facebook for her fans for the milestone, which had been liked more than 162,000 people within one hour.
On YouTube, the video for “La La La” — sponsored by Activia yogurt — has been viewed more than 236 million times.
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“Social media and specifically Facebook has helped myself and other artists bridge the gap between the stage and the audience,” Shakira said in statement.
On Twitter, which has a smaller user base overall, Shakira has 26.1 million followers.
Shakira’s top 20 Facebook posts to date have resulted in 39.7 million likes; her most-liked post was a photo of her posing on the field before the World Cup final with more than 3.5 million likes in four days.
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The 37-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter, who is signed to Epic Records, hit 50 million likes in May 2012. Shakira joined Facebook in 2008.