She’s big, she’s blonde, and she’s back! Shakira’s hips – and indeed the rest of her – will move our hearts, minds and the Yas Arena in Abu Dhabi on April 29. Following the massive success of her 2010 European tour, the Colombian superstar has extended the Sun Comes Out tour into 2011, and on to the shores of Abu Dhabi. We’re very grateful; whether she’ll sing ‘Waka Waka’ is unknown, but football fans are optimistic.
Find out more about Shakira with our 25 fascinating facts (and useless trivia guide)
Grammy winner Shakira has sold about 50 million albums, and has four of the 20 top-selling hits of the decade, including 2006’s eye-popping, heart-melting ‘Hips Don’t Lie’, the biggest-selling single of the 21st century, which reached the number one spot in 55 countries. Shakira followed that up with worldwide football sensation ‘Waka Waka’, a revival of 1986 Cameroonian Zangalewa that the Colombian diva sang for the World Cup. It sold more than two million copies – making it the biggest World Cup song ever released – and scored more than 200 million YouTube hits, making it the fourth most watched video of all time (Justin Bieber being top). Including unofficial ‘Waka Waka’ videos, the total cumulative views is more than 400 million. ‘When I flew to South Africa, I never received so many hugs and kisses,’ she says. ‘In the airport, all the immigration officers were dancing the “Waka Waka” dance!’
How have you prepared for the Sun Comes Out tour?
I spent months preparing for this tour. It was a huge effort and a very intense time. I’m involved in all aspects of the production: beginning with the song arrangements, choreography, lighting design, camera takes, etc. I even participate in the smallest details like wardrobe accessories. For me these are not mutually exclusive facets; the tour is a synthesis of all these crucial parts that come together to form the show that the fans are seeing now. They say I’m a perfectionist, but I interpret it another way: more than a perfectionist I see myself as a devoted worker, passionate about what I do. I give everything I have, down to the last drop. And I think it’s all worth it!
What makes this tour different?
I’m learning so much from the audience. The most important thing is that they leave the show happy, and I feel that the energy I transmit to them comes back to me twofold. In this concert, the audience is the true protagonist. There’s a lot of interaction. It’s a concept designed for both sides to get to know one another a little more. And by the end of the show I feel as if the bond I had before has somehow strengthened. They know me more and I end up knowing my audience better. It’s a big party among friends in the end – a great celebration in an intimate atmosphere.
The lowdown
Age: 34
Google search results (in English): 137,000,000
Albums released: Seven
Most popular song: ‘Hips Don’t Lie’
Most memorable lyric: ‘Oh baby when you talk like that, you make a woman go mad’
Most frequently exposed body part: Midriff
Relationship status: Dating Spanish footballer Gerard Pique
Nationality: Colombian
Height: A teeny 5’1”
Hips: 37 inches
Shakira play Yas Island Abu Dhabi on April 29. Tickets from Dhs250. VIP tables of 10 are Dhs10,000. Weekend hotel packages range from a daily Dhs450 for a three-star stay up to Dhs750 for a five-star hotel. The Yas Hotel’s offer of Dhs750 per room per night includes access to Rush or Skylite as well as a pair of fan pit tickets. Hotel bookings are done through individual hotels. www.timeouttickets.com
