UNTIL just weeks ago Britain had heard relatively little of Shakira - South America's equivalent of Victoria Beckham.

But after belly-dancing her way into the top ten with hit Whenever, Wherever, there's no doubting this Columbian diva is getting much-deserved British - and worldwide - success.

The 25-year-old, dating Antonio de la Rua, the son of Argentina's ex-president Fernando de la Rua, is cleaning up in the album charts too with her diverse compilation Laundry Service.

It kicks off with the highly original Objection (Tango), jam-packed with energy, killer beats and frantic instrumentals. Next up is Underneath Your Clothes, a slower, smoother love song.

The fantastic Whenever, Wherever is track three, supported by panpipes, yodelling and a thumping beat. Rules is a romantic song, while The One perfectly describes the showbiz world with "In a world full of strangers you're the one I know".

Ready For The Good Times is upbeat, Fool slows the album down, while Te Dejo Madrid is the first of Shakira's foreign language tracks.

Poem To A Horse is nothing special, Que Me Quedes Tu is emotional, while the passionate Eyes Like Yours (Ojos Asi) is a song you could imagine being played in a Latino village while locals dance in the open air.

Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) and Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango) round this brilliant album off with a crack of the Columbian whip.