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Shakira hip-shakes to new level
In a sold-out show at LA's Staples Center, the Latina crossover queen shows off her assets.
It happened about midway through her 100-minute set Tuesday at Staples Center. Shakira tied up her black T-shirt to reveal her abdomen and those hips that don't lie. With that move, the Colombian singer took her performance to a new level, hip-shaking her way through the heartbreaking Spanish-language hit "La Tortura."
Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" video.
It wasn't like the crossover queen didn't show off her considerable assets prior to that move. In the opening half of her set, the petite dynamo strutted around the stage barefoot, strapping on a sparkling electric guitar for the power ballad "Don't Bother" and an acoustic for the Spanish sing-along "Antologia." She high-stepped her way through the jaunty "Hey You" and blew harmonica on "Te Dejo Madrid."
Yet it wasn't until she showed off those shaking hips that she truly ignited the Staples Center crowd. Simply put, Shakira possesses the most influential pop music hip shake since Elvis Presley's shook the world on The Ed Sullivan Show 50 years ago. But that's not her only weapon. During her set, Shakira showed why she is the most successful Latina crossover artist, with emotional vocals that transcend language, pinup-girl looks, and the sensual moves of a belly dancer.
It's that combination of talent that has made Shakira a huge star around the world. This week her collaboration with Wyclef Jean, "Hips Don't Lie," remains the No. 1 single in the UK for the third consecutive week. A few weeks earlier, she tied Red Hot Chili Peppers with the most nominations for MTV's Video Music Awards, garnering seven.
In spite of her broad-based success, Shakira has managed to retain her Latino following by remaining true to her roots. More than half her set consisted of songs sung in Spanish, yet they were performed with such flair that even the English-only fans were entertained.
After she shook things up with "La Tortura," a modern-dance clip of the singer and another female dancer was projected on the scrim in front of the stage, allowing Shakira time for a quick costume change. She returned in a flowing, Madonna-worthy red gown to belt out "No," extending the winglike sleeves of the dress in dramatic fashion during the song's climax. She also showed off the Arabic roots from her father's side with a belly-dancing segment that led into the hit "Whenever, Wherever."
When the show closed with "Hips Don't Lie," it was a bit anticlimactic. Since Jean opened the show, there wasn't a person in Staples Center who didn't know it was coming. Still, the celebratory feel of the song--originally a throwaway track from 2004's forgettable Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights--managed to overshadow any lack of spontaneity. Even an overenthusiastic fan's intrusion onto the stage and subsequent manhandling by security couldn't put a damper on the party.
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