The Colombian singer has teamed up with the creators of Angry Birds to release Love Rocks, a gem-swapping app for cell phones, which she hopes will eventually spawn spin-off fashion brands and merchandise.

"It really is a joint venture, not just a simple licensing deal. She has been super hands-on with the game design, with a lot of input on the details and the music," says Peter Vesterbacka, marketing chief for games manufacturer Rovio, the company behind Shakira's app.

"We are taking the Angry Birds model and applying it to Love Rocks, building a franchise around the brand," he tells Britain's The Guardian newspaper. "The game is the first thing that is out and visible, but there will be many other things.

"We are looking at lifestyle, fashion, that kind of thing. It just so happens that in the last few years, games have become super-powerful for building a new brand at a very fast pace."

The game will also allow users to gain access to Shakira's new music as they will be rewarded with album downloads after completing a certain number of levels.

"There are so many fun ways that we want to incorporate it... ways to link it (the game) with new music or tours. It's just another way to have a more direct dialogue with your fans," Shakira explains.

"I think in the last 20 years the line between art and technology has blurred quite a bit and now, rather than being worlds that are at odds with one another, they complement each other. Technology can bring art to another level if it's done right... This game was such a fun way to bring an artistic sensibility to a gaming world."

Shakira follows in the footsteps of reality TV star Kim Kardashian who has scored a huge international hit with her own game, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, which has reportedly brought in around $113 million (£71 million) since its launch in 2014.

Other stars to have signed deals to produce games include Katy Perry, Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj.