Shakira and Freshlyground’s Time for Africa

Time for Africa, a collaboration by Colombian pop star Shakira and South African band Freshlyground, has been named as the official World Cup anthem.

Shakira and Freshlyground will perform the song at the World Cup kickoff concert at Soweto Stadium on June 10, as well as before the start of the World Cup final in Johannesburg on July 11.

Time for Africa will be released to radio stations around the world this week, and will be available for download from April 26th. (Scroll down for a video taster.)

Top 10 Shakira Facts

1. Shakira has sold almost 50 million albums around the world.
2. She is the only artist from South America to have a Number One song in the US, and her performance was a highlight of the concert celebrating President Obama’s inauguration.
3. She has four of the twenty top-selling hits of the decade, more than any other artist—and that includes 2006’s unforgettable Hips Don’t Lie the biggest-selling single of the 21st Century, which reached the Number One spot in 55 countries (and which she performed at the 2006 World Cup in Germany)!
4. Her new album is her eighth studio album and is called SHE WOLF.
5. She began writing songs at the age of eight.
6. She learned to speak English by studying the work of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Walt Whitman, and took history classes at UCLA during her break between albums.
7. The compassionate side of Shakira is most obvious in the remarkable work of her Pies Descalzos (Barefoot) Foundation, which she started at the age of 18 (and named after her first album) and has now opened it’s fifth school. The foundation currently provides education and nutrition to over six thousand impoverished children in Colombia and is working to expand its work to other countries.
8. Shakira has also become a leading advocate for universal education, speaking to world leaders on the topic and advocating policy change to governments around the world.
9. She has won two Grammy awards and seven Latin Grammies.
10. Two years ago, Forbes named her the fourth richest woman in music (after Madonna, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion).

Top 10 Freshlyground Facts

1. Band members come from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
2. They have been supporters of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation since playing a fund raising concert for the Foundation in 2005.
3. Freshlyground started brewing in 2002 in Cape Town.
4. Their music is a fusion of rock, jazz and Afro-pop.
5. In 2003 Freshlyground launched their debut album, Jika Jika.
6. Doo Be Doo, the first single off their multi-platinum 2004 album Nombula, was the most played song in South Africa in 2005.
7. The success of Nomvula was followed by that of Ma Cheri – Freshlyground’s third studio album, released in September 2007. Ma Cheri sold multi-platinum in South Africa and the single Pot Belly became another major crossover success
8. They have won numerous awards including 4 South African Music Awards, 4 Metro FM Awards and an MTV Europe Music Award for “Best African Act” – a first for any SA musician.
9. Their fourth studio album is due for release in SA in May 2010.
10. Freshlyground will be touring South Africa, Europe, the USA and Asia during 2010

Sony says…

“The spirit of global competition that surrounds the FIFA World Cup is both thrilling and inspiring. Shakira and Freshlyground’s Time for Africa perfectly captures these emotions and offers football fans around the world the ideal theme song to accompany the experience of rooting for their favorite team this summer,” said tk Sony Music Entertainment.

Time For Africa will be among the songs featured on Listen Up: The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album™, which will be released by Sony Music Entertainment in the weeks preceding the event.

The album will feature creative collaborations between local African and international artists. It also will include the official song of the official event mascot Zakumi.

All of Sony Music’s net profits are being donated to Africa-related charities and all of FIFA’s net profits being donated to the Official Campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ “20 Centres for 2010” which will create 20 Football for Hope Centres for education, public health and football in disadvantaged communities across Africa.

Videos to Watch:

Time for Africa:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgiC3uO_Qkc&feature=youtube_gdata

Freshlyground and Doo be Doo

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLuSyqMlm_U

Freshlyground and Pot Belly

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XPl6Pb8K4I

Freshlyground Live at Sandton Convention Centre – Ma’Cheri

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy6Ruj8rJMw

Shakira performing Hips Don’t Lie with Wyclef Jean at the 2006 World Cup in Germany:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbqcqzGntuE

Shakira and Rafael Nadal in her new music video for Gypsy:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnzHLkA1490

Websites to Visit:

www.shakira.com

www.freshlyground.com