Tag Archives: Supersong

Pitbull Kicks Off a Night of Latin Performances at the Billboard Music Awards

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This year’s Billboard Music Awards had a decidedly Latino feel… Not only did Jennifer Lopez become the first Hispanic artist (and woman) to win the coveted Icon Award, but the show featured several high-octane performances from Latino musicians, including Pitbull.

Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez & Claudia Leitte

The 33-year-old Cuban-American rap superstar, joined by la Lopez and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte, kicked off the night with an energetic performance of their new single ‘We Are One (Ole Ola),” the official 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem.

Pitbull kicked off the perforamnce with several scantily clad dancers backing him up, then kicked it over to Lopez, whose gold-fringed outfit sparkled in the lights. Leitte finished out the song.

No surprise, the performance featured strong soccer imagery as this year’s World Cup is right around the corner.

Pitbull, Lopez and Leitte will perform the song at the World Cup opening ceremony in Sao Paulo.

But Pitbull wasn’t the only one to perform a soccer-themed song…

Ricky Martin brought a little life to the BBMAs by performing “Vida,” one of the 2014 FIFA World Cup theme songs.

The upbeat track was written by fellow Puerto Rican singer Elijah King, as part of Sony’s “Supersong” 2014 World Cup song contest.

Looking stylish in all black amongst his team of white-clad dancers, Martin tore through the soccer-themed banger, shouting out its stadium-worthy cries of ole! In between, he showed off some dance moves of his own, leaving little doubt that he’s still livin’ la vida loca.

This isn’t the first time Martin has performed a track for the World Cup. His song for the 1998 competition, “La Copa de La Vida” (The Cup of Life),” propelled him into the global spotlight, taking off after he performed it on the Grammys. It charted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, and reached No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Jennifer Lopez, meantime, proved why she’s a living icon…

The “I Luh Ya Papi” singer returned to the BBMA stage once again, this time to debut her new single “First Love,” the latest track from her upcoming album A.K.A.

JLo not only looked haute in a one-shoulder, sparkly black jumpsuit, but she belted out the tune with gusto and showed the world just how well she can dance.

Last but certainly not least, Shakira performed her latest single “Empire.”

The Colombian singer and The Voice coach lit up the Billboard Music Awards stage with a sizzling rendition of the latest single from her recently released self-titled album.

Dressed in a sheer, sparkling dress and thigh high black boots, Shakira stalked the stage complete with a cathedral-like stage set and flames blasting on stage behind her.

By song’s end she had walked into the audience chanting the song’s luminescent refrain “and the stars made love to the universe,” pausing before a blast of steam with the mic stand held high above her head.

Santana to Perform “Dar um Jeito” at World Cup Closing Ceremony

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It’s closing (ceremony) time for Carlos Santana at this year’s World Cup…

The 66-year-old Mexican American musician and guitar legend has joined forces with Swedish electro DJ Avicii, Brazilian Latin Grammy winner Alexandre Pires and Haitian-American rapper Wycleff for a special World Cup performance.

Carlos Santana

Santana and the other artists have been picked by FIFA, the World Cup’s governing body, to perform “Dar um Jeito (We Will Find A Way),” the closing anthem for this year’s international soccer tournament, the world’s most-watched live televised event.

The track comes from the pen of two-time Grammy-nominee Ash Pournouri.

“In Portuguese Dar Um Jeito means to find a way around obstacles and impossibilities,” said Pournouri. “With this track, we wanted to send a message of optimism and opportunity with the music and the words.”

Santana, Avicii, Pires and Wycleff will perform the song live at the World Cup closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on July 13.

The closing anthem is just part of the World Cup’s growing musical accompaniment and will form part of the official 2014 World Cup Album alongside the official World Cup song, which Pitbull debuted for an audience at SXSW earlier this month.

 

The Miami-based rap superstar will perform the official song, “We Are One,” in Brazil together with Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte.

“FIFA and Sony have been working hard in developing an album that brings the sounds of Brazil to life through a variety of creative tracks,” said FIFA’s Marketing Director Thierry Weil. “Santana, Wyclef, Avicii and Alexandre Pires are true musical icons and I am thrilled they will be part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony.”

“It is an honor to take part in the 2014 FIFA World Cup,” added Santana. “Along with my brothers, Wyclef, Avicii and Alexandre Pires, we look forward to performing the song in Rio de Janeiro in July and sharing this message of light and hope on the FIFA World Cup stage.”

Other tracks to be included on the 2014 World Cup album are “Vida” from American songwriter Elijah King, the winner of FIFA’s online SuperSong competition, which will be recorded by Ricky Martin, and the official mascot song, which Brazilian singer Arlindo Cruz first released in 2012.

King’s “Vida” Named the Winner of Sony’s “Supersong” 2014 World Cup Song Contest

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It looks like World (Cup) is Elijah King’s oyster…

The Puerto Rican singer, who has made several appearances on the Billboard Latin charts since 2009, has been named the winner of Sony’s “Supersong” 2014 World Cup song contest.

Elijah King

King’s bilingual English and Spanish-language song “Vida” will now be recorded by Ricky Martin.

“Vida,” which has a tropical pop feel, will be produced by Salaam Remi, known for his work with The Fugees, Amy Winehouse and Nas.

The song will be included on FIFA partner Sony’s official 2014 World Cup album, to be released on RCA Records in May. And a video for “Vida,” Martin’s second World Cup song, will be shot in Brazil in March, to be included in a TV special that will air on Sony Pictures TV channels.

King was most recently featured on “Te Gusta” a song by Venezuela’s Grupo Treo that reached No. 4 on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart in 2013. His 2011 solo single “Quitate la Ropa” peaked at No. 30 on the same chart.

The Miami-based singer/songwriter beat out four lesser-known finalists who entered the contest by uploading their songs to supersong.com, including Brazilian Rodrigo Alexey, a jingle composer who has a studio in Sao Paulo; and American-born Nicolas Salazar, who works as a musician and actor in Bogotá.

Martin’s previous World Cup song, 1998’s “La Copa de La Vida” (The Cup of Life,)” propelled him into the global spotlight, taking off after he performed it on the Grammys. It charted at No. 2 on Hot Latin Songs, and went to No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Shakira‘s 2010 World Cup hit “Waka Waka,” with South African group Freshly Ground, has sold 1.7 million downloads in the U.S.

The official 2014 World Cup song will be Pitbull‘s “We Are One“ featuring Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte. The artists will perform their song at the opening ceremony of the soccer tournament, which kicks off June 12 in Sao Paulo.