Around the year 2000, Shakira was experiencing a major breakthrough in her international music career. She had already achieved fame in Latin America with albums like Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998), the latter of which solidified her as a leading Latin pop-rock artist. Her unique voice, poetic lyrics, and fusion of rock, pop, and Latin sounds earned her critical acclaim and a growing global fan base.

In 2000, she released her first live album, MTV Unplugged, which showcased her vocal talent and songwriting skills in an acoustic setting. The performance was widely praised and won her a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. This period marked the lead-up to her English-language crossover, which would come in 2001 with the release of Laundry Service.