The 'She-Wolf' singer insists she doesn't care if people criticise her for flashing her flesh because she is very proud of her petite figure.

She said: "I've grown as a woman and if I want to show my legs in a video, does that make me less of a thinking person? I don't think so.

"I'm actually very proud of my short legs. They take me to places. Actually when you're short, people feel pity for you, so you can get away with a lot more stuff. If I was tall I'd be in big trouble."

In the music video for her new single 'Did It Again', Shakira cavorts with a man in a raunchy bedroom scene, and the Columbian singer says she was forced to embark on a gruelling fitness regime to tone her body for it.

She added to Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper: "I did gymnastics when I was 12, so I guess some of that flexibility remains in my muscles. But I did work out for a whole month, mostly to reshape my body. I was never very disciplined about fitness. Now I'm starting to get more aware."