Shakira Returns to Colombia to Promote Education

The BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani recently accompanied pop mega star Shakira on a trip through Colombia to raise awareness for disadvantaged children and education. They traveled to the north-west border province of Choco, a poor and remote location deep in the Colombian jungle to visit a school funded by Shakira.

The area has been devastated by the civil conflict that has wreaked havoc throughout the country for years. "One-hundred per cent of our kids that we have in our school here have been displaced or have families that have fled their home towns," Shakira told Mirchandani.

The kids in the town greet her with fawning admiration, not just because she is Colombia's biggest pop star but also because they understand what she is trying to do for their community. When Mirchandani asked a teacher why the government isn't taking more of an active role to help the people in the way Shakira has, she responded, "You'll have to ask the president that. He should pay more attention to the plight of the people of Choco. We've been abandoned."

But thanks to Shakira, Colombia's government and specifically President Uribe, seems to be taking notice. Uribe recently recognized the singer's work, giving Shakira a medal as she announced plans to build another school in her hometown of Barranquilla.

Shakira's persistence and passion has helped transform hundreds of children's lives and has pushed education to the top of the list of priorities in Colombia where the FARC and the civil conflict has dominated political conversation for almost 40 years. Helping children in the most dire of circumstances find hope and opportunity seems to inspire her just as much as her music.

Source:http://www.latina.com/entertainment

Shakira show a ringing success

ABU DHABI // The organisers of Shakira’s New Year’s Eve performance said yesterday that the show proved a success and underscored their intention to continue bringing international acts to the capital.

Despite early concerns that the concert would be cancelled after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Ruler of Dubai, called off New Year’s celebrations in his emirate in recognition of the violence in Gaza, everything went as planned, said Lee Charteris, operations manager for Flash.

“We were obviously very relieved it wasn’t cancelled,” Mr Charteris said. “We’d put a lot of work in and it would have been a great shame if it hadn’t been able to go ahead, but it did and people came and had a great time. We’re very, very happy indeed about how it went.”

Organisers said they sold about 12,000 tickets to the La Rumba concert and party.
Shakira performed outdoors at the Emirates Palace hotel, where staff had toiled for weeks to transform the grounds for Wednesday night’s party.

Among the songs Shakira performed were her international chart hits Wherever, Whenever and Underneath Your Clothes, in addition to several Spanish numbers.

She went through several costume changes, her energetic dance moves and belly dancing delighting the crowd. For one song, she climbed down from the stage and met members of the audience, even asking some in the audience for brief vocal contributions.

The show ended with the hit Hips Don’t Lie, from Shakira’s second English-language album, Oral Fixation Vol. Two, but she remained on stage and counted down the seconds to midnight, when a huge firework display began and the audience cheered. Hundreds of revellers stayed to dance through the night at the La Rumba party.

Mr Charteris said Flash is talking with “a few artists” about coming to perform in the capital, but he would not elaborate.

In its short history, Flash has brought a roster of A-list stars to the region for the first time, including Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera and, recently, George Michael.

Source:http://www.thenational.ae

Charlie Walk Out As Epic President

Epic president Charlie Walk will exit his post at the end of the month, sources tell Billboard. His future plans have not yet been revealed.

While his future plans have not yet officially been revealed, sources tell R&R that Walk will remain firmly in the entertainment industry -- he has several television projects in development, including a pilot with Ryan Seacrest. Expect him to solidify his plans in January.

Walk took over at Epic in 2005. He had been executive VP of creative marketing and promotion for Columbia Records Group, where he started in 1990. During his tenure as president, Epic scored big hits from Shakira, the Fray, Sara Bareilles, Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston.

But the label's market share has plummeted from 4.22% of current albums for the year ending 2005 to 1.58% for the year-to-date 2008, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Beyond Walk, Epic is expected to lose some A&R and radio promo staffers as part of layoffs this week.

Source:http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz

Obama invites Shakira to sing at inauguration: El Comercio

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama invited Colombian singer Shakira to perform in the White House on the day of his inauguration in January 2009, Peruvian newspaper El Comercio reported Tuesday.

According to the newspaper, the upcoming U.S. President invited the star.

Shakira endorsed Obama's candidacy before the election. "It's an honor to receive so much support from someone that talented and a person that generous," Obama said about Shakira.

Source:http://colombiareports.com/colombian-news

Shakira’s antidote to ‘Cholera’

Stone Village Pictures and New Line will be putting Colombian pop star Shakira front and center for the promotion of its "Love In Shakira_250 the Time of Cholera," a wise choice if those in the office who have seen the flick are to be believed (but they don't appear to be hopeless romantics, so take that with a grain of salt).

Shakira will be performing songs from the film at its Nov. 6 premiere in Las Vegas. The Vegas debut of the movie will also serve as a dinner/auction a benefit for the Bare Feet Foundation, a Columbian nonprofit aiding children and their families.

Based on Gabriel Garcia Marquez's acclaimed book of the same title, the story examines the effects of a few decades of unrequited love, and opens wide Nov. 16. Trailer here. Or go to the film's MySpace page to discuss the joyful topic of how long you'd be willing to wait for the love of your life.

We're told "Cholera" is set to feature three songs from Shakira, although fans of the artist will be familiar with "Pienso En Ti," a version of which appeared on her 1996 album "Pies Descalzos." Those wishing to get a full-on peak of the new tunes before the film's release are a little out of luck, as the "Cholera's" MySpace page is currently showcasing the lovely "Pienso En Ti." Shakira's "Despedida" is, however, featured in the trailer, and her "Hey Amores" is used in a later scene in the film.

No plans yet to release a physical CD. A spokesperson for the film says a digital release for Shakira's singles is more likely, but there is nothing yet concrete.

Source:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/extendedplay

CELEBRITIES are to get yet another chance to dance on Saturdays — and copy THEIR favourite star.

ITV is planning a new show called Dance Like Your Hero, where twinkle-toed types must learn to move like their favourites.

Well-known names will shake it like Shakira and Justin Timberlake as cameras follow their every move.

The team behind Dancing On Ice are creating the series, which looks set to hotfoot it on to screens next year.

A top telly source said: “It’s a brand new format that is tipped to be the next big thing in Saturday night telly. There’s massive interest in the show.

“It will see household names go through an epic transformation into their hero, showing the blood, sweat and tears.”

The source added: “Dance is very popular. Look how breakdancer George Sampson won Britain’s Got Talent.”

Source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/

Flash presents Shakira in Abu Dhabi

The Shakira bash has been limited to 10,000 revellers, who will be able to enjoy the show in an intimate and exclusive outdoor setting.

It marks the first time ever that a concert will be held on New Year's Eve in the UAE, and will be the first time that the rhythmic dancing singer with the powerful voice and big heart will wow music-lovers in the capital.

What's more, the dancing songstress will be devoting a full four days to rehearsals to create a brand new show exclusively for Abu Dhabi.

Shakira will sing in English from her vast, award-winning repertoire that includes world smash hits: Hips Don't Lie, Objection, Underneath your Clothes, La Tortura, Suerte, No Creo, Inevitable and Whenever, Wherever to name but a few!

For Abu Dhabi's ultimate party of 2008, Flash has additionally scheduled an eclectic mix of local talent and international DJs; in a programme lined-up to count-down to the new year and to last well into the early hours of 2009.

'We are so excited to be staging Abu Dhabi's first large-scale New Year's Eve concert and to have Shakira as our headliner is going to make this a night to remember. She has such a massive and diverse audience here in the UAE - thanks to her South American appeal, Lebanese heritage and unique singing and dancing ability. Shakira is the perfect entertainment choice for New Year's Eve in Abu Dhabi,' commented John Lickrish, Managing Director Flash.

Shakira fans and party-goers alike can expect nothing short of incredible at what will be a once in a lifetime New Year's Eve party, which will combine state-of-the-art production with cutting edge sound and lighting design.

Source:http://www.ameinfo.com/175573.html