Saturday, April 30, 2011

Shakira Opens EMA Show With Dizzee Rascal

Madrid crowd goes crazy for 'Loca' and 'Waka Waka.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe


Dizzee Rascal and Shakira perform at the 2010 EMA on Sunday
Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

The 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards got off to a crazy start, courtesy of a performance from hip-swiveling superstar Shakira.

The Colombian megastar opened the show with her Sale el Sol single "Loca," rallying the crowd with her signature undulating moves. Flanked by two dancers, Shakira hit the Madrid stage in a silvery bra top and fringed harem pants under neon lights. Then British grime rapper Dizzee Rascal joined the singer for his verse on the English version of the track, rocking a simply sleek black jacket and white T-shirt, and getting the crowd amped.

After "Loca," Dizzee retreated backstage as Shakira launched into her global World Cup anthem "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)," a suitable choice for an award show staged in the nation of the world soccer champs. The Spaniards showed their pride throughout the percussion-heavy jam, as mammoth flags rose from various points in the audience, and were waved above the crowd. Swirls of confetti rained on the crowd as Shakira wrapped up her high-energy set.

Her collabo with Dizzee is just one of several brushes with hip-hop the singer has explored in recent years. Shakira told MTV News in 2009 that she was trying to broaden her musical horizons by hooking up with rap artists.

"I'm never going to be a hardcore hip-hop singer," she said. "I come from Colombia, but I think music today ... it's about bringing elements that belong to different universes, even though they're opposed or similar, and making them exist in this big melting pot that the world is today. The world has shrunk, and we're just a big neighborhood, and it's kind of cool."

Shakira's set was the first in a night packed with performances from some of the world's biggest stars. Katy Perry, Linkin Park, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Kings of Leon, B.o.B, Ke$ha, Bon Jovi and more all will grace the EMA stage. The night is hosted by "Desperate Housewives" diva Eva Longoria.

The 2010 EMAs air on MTV2 on Sunday (November 7) at 9 p.m. ET, and an edited, performance-heavy version will be broadcast Friday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.

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