On her music, Shakira has said that, "my music, I think, is a fusion of many different elements. And I'm always experimenting. So I try not to limit myself, or put myself in a category, or... be the architect of my own jail."^[100] Shakira has frequently stated she is inspired by oriental music and Indian music, which influenced many of her earlier works.^[101] She has also been influenced by her Arabian heritage, which was a major inspiration for her breakthrough world hit "Ojos Así". She told Portuguese TV, "Many of my movements belong to Arab culture." She also cites her parents as having been major contributors to her musical style.^[102] She is also strongly influenced by Andean music and South American folk music, using her native instrumentation for her Latin dance-pop songs.^[103]

Her earlier Spanish albums, including Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones? were a mix of folk music and Latin rock. Her cross-over English album, Laundry Service and later albums were influenced by pop rock and pop Latino.^[104] "Laundry Service" is primarily a pop rock album, but also draws influences from a variety of musical genres.^[105] The singer credited this to her mixed ethnicity, saying: "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures – between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music."^[106]

The Arabian and Middle Eastern elements that exerted a high influence on Dónde Están los Ladrones?^[106] are also present in Laundry Service, most prominently on "Eyes Like Yours"/"Ojos Así".^[107] Musical styles from different South American countries surface on the album. Tango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance that originated in Argentina, is evident on "Objection (Tango)", which also combines elements of rock and roll.^[105] The uptempo track features a guitar solo and a bridge in which Shakira delivers rap-like vocals.^[108]