Lebanese-Colombian pop/rock singer Shakira Mebarak kicked off the European leg of her World tour, Tour Of The Mongoose, in Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi on December 10th 2002 in front of fans that waited in heavy rain for almost four hours to see their idol. During the concert Shakira gave her audience a taste of her Arabic origin by singing “Shati Ya Dinia” (Rain Oh World) by the prominent Lebanese singer Fairouz, according to the London based Elaph.
Upon singing the Arabic song, Shakira began to dance for her audience (Belly dance) which threw them in a state of overwhelming joy and excitement. The singer always expressed how proud she is of her Arab Lebanese decent and mingled certain traits in her performance. Shakira added that ever since she was a child she loved reciting songs, despite her weak skills in speaking Arabic, for the great Lebanese singer Fairouz, and in fact her family nicknamed her “Little Fairouz”.
Shakira will perform in Germany and the United Kingdom before taking the tour back to the U.S. in 2003. Tour Of The Mongoose, her first world-tour visiting 30 countries and 50 cities throughout 2002 and 2003, is sponsored internationally by Pepsi and Reebok and presented by MTV in North America.
Shakira is truly a "world artist" and one of the most poetic songwriters of our time. Her music is a fusion of her Colombian background, her Lebanese descent and her love of rock and roll. Her ability to combine all of these elements is readily embraced in the number 1 single "Whenever Wherever" an up-tempo English pop song with a searing Brazilian beat. Her sensitivity and vocal prowess shines in the song from the same album "Underneath Your Clothes."
Earlier this year, Shakira was terrified of returning to Colombia after she received death threats. Gangsters say they will kill or kidnap the multi-millionaire singer unless she gave them a lot of money. The South American beauty, worth an estimated £30million, has called up an army of security guards to watch her around the clock during her tour, which. Shakira left Colombia, the world’s biggest producer of cocaine, and moved to the US as soon as she hit the music world big time two years ago.
Shakira, whose fiancé Antonio De La Rua is the son of a former Argentinian president, flew into the UK for her concert at Wembley Arena on December 16. The singer has risen to become one of the world’s biggest stars in less than two years. She has had two Top 5 hits here, her biggest being “Whenever Wherever”.
The Grammy-winning pop singer has signed an agreement with an Egyptian organizing company to hold several concerts in Egypt earlier the coming year.
Shakira agreed with few Egyptian composers to work on a joint project to come out with a new song that would appeal to her Egyptian fans. "I will seize the opportunity of visiting Egypt to shoot few music videos in its marvelous archeological sites,” said Shakira.
On another note, Shakira became the latest recording star slated to pitch shoes and clothes made by Reebok International Ltd. She signed an agreement with the company, which will showcase a collection of footwear and clothing starting next spring that "captures the spirit" of Shakira.
Multicultural Shakira is one of a growing number of Latin American singers making a splash on the US pop charts. Her latest album, "Laundry Service," has sales approaching 10 million albums worldwide. Her music combines rock, pop, Latin and Arabic sounds. Shakira also plays guitar and writes most of her songs, which allows her to control its content and style, something she is very keen on. – Albawaba.com
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
