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In a recent interview to promote her new album, Shakira refused to speak Spanish or answer questions posed to her in Spanish by the press. Marcela Sarmiento, who writes for AOL Latino and was assigned to interview the woman we refuse to call loba, because it's RIDICULOUS, emailed us exclusively today about the way she was treated by the stars' handlers for being from a Spanish-language publication.
It seems Shakira held court with a number of press outlets at a New York hotel Monday. Two days before the event, Sarmiento was informed, through Shakira's people, that she was not allowed to ask any questions of the performer in Spanish, even though both reporter and subject are from Colombia, Spanish is their native language, and the site Sarmiento writes for is in Spanish. Surprised, but still thrilled to meet the pride of Colombia, Sarmiento agreed. The day came and Sarmiento arrived with her English-language counterparts from AOL Music/PopEater to discover hers was the only Spanish-language publication in attendance. She writes us:
Exclusive: Shakira Refuses To Do Interviews In Spanish
Author:Guanabee Staff
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Daniel Mauser - Managing Editor
Cindy Casares - Associate Editor
Marcelo Baez - Contributing Editor
Ohhellsnah - Contributing Editor
Julio Torres - Contributing Editor
El Guapo - Associate Art Director
Liran Okanon
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In a recent interview to promote her new album, Shakira refused to speak Spanish or answer questions posed to her in Spanish by the press. Marcela Sarmiento, who writes for AOL Latino and was assigned to interview the woman we refuse to call loba, because it's RIDICULOUS, emailed us exclusively today about the way she was treated by the stars' handlers for being from a Spanish-language publication.
It seems Shakira held court with a number of press outlets at a New York hotel Monday. Two days before the event, Sarmiento was informed, through Shakira's people, that she was not allowed to ask any questions of the performer in Spanish, even though both reporter and subject are from Colombia, Spanish is their native language, and the site Sarmiento writes for is in Spanish. Surprised, but still thrilled to meet the pride of Colombia, Sarmiento agreed. The day came and Sarmiento arrived with her English-language counterparts from AOL Music/PopEater to discover hers was the only Spanish-language publication in attendance. She writes us:
The way it was supposed to work out was that AOL (both AOL Music/PopEater and Latino) had a total of 30 mins and it was arranged that Music/Popeater would have 20 mins and AOL Latino would have 10.Weh-heh-hell. We're sure you can imagine that's not the way it turned out at all.
When it was my turn, everyone started to switch cameras etc, so we jumped in and told them that AOL still had more time. [Shakira's] manager instantly jumped in and asked me where I was from and I told her AOL Latino to which she asked "You aren't going to ask the questions in Spanish right?" And I answered, "No". She was visibly annoyed and said "I thought it was just one person from AOL, I don't understand why there are two." Another person from her team, (for the purposes of this we can call her Person A), said, "Remember we had discussed that AOL was going to break it up into two people". The manager looked at her watch and said "We don't have time," looked at me and said, "Two questions, that's all we have time for." As she walked away, Person A said under her breath, "But we do have time," and looked at me with a "Sorry," expression on her face. During this whole exchange, Shakira had already gotten up from the interviewee chair, but couldn't have been more than 30 feet from where we were talking, so I am sure she heard, but didn't step in at any point.The really sad part about all of this is that Marcela previously considered herself Shakira's #1 fan. Now she's outing her anti-Spanish ways. We witnessed this scenario a hundred times in our former life in advertising. A brand that wants to reinvent itself refuses to acknowledge its rich heritage that anyone outside the company can see is it's only strength. If Shakira really wants to be the next Beyonce, which she clearly does, we don't see how doing an interview in Spanish with a Spanish-language publication could hurt this. It's not like everyone doesn't know that she's Colombian. Isn't that the only reason anyone listens to her in this country? So that they can fantasize about the maid turning into a wolf or whatever? Shakira, play to your strengths.
What do you think?
- LOL
- CHISPAS
- AY DIOS MIO
- QUE CUTE
- NERDO
- NACO
- CURSI
- QUE COOL
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Comments
Perhaps Shakira didn't want to do the interview because she thinks the idea of there actually being a AOL Latino in existence is a subtle form of segregation and a manipulative marketing tool, which it is.
Replybullshit, she wants to learn Ingles sin barreras that's all. lol
ReplyI think it's hilarious considering she her English is heavily accented - it doesn't matter what she speaks, you can easily tell Spanish is her first language.
ReplyOKay!! Enough! I think this is bullshit...How can we defend her when she's being a bitch!!...I;m sorry but thats not the way she should be acting towards other!. I was her fan...but it's dissapointing
ReplyFuck Shakira and fuck FAKElo, both rude bitches. Bring back Selena! I have seen many interviews where she would switch languages at the request of the interviewer. These 'latinas' today sicken me.
ReplyHer blonde hair sickens me.
ReplyShakira lost her north..like we will say in spanish "perdio su norte", its sad to see such a good artists go to waste.
Replythere's still an aol website?
ReplyGood for her ... I stopped doing interviews in Spanish years ago!
Replywho da fuck are u?
Replylmao AND this is the reason why she refuses to do interview in spanish.... LOL seriously...this is between AOL and the manager. WHO CARES. I mean Shakira last time I saw her on TV she was giving a LONG DEPTH INTERVIEW to Cristina Saralegui or however u spell that.
ReplyThis probably has more to do with the control she and/or her handlers want to have over her image in the two languages. It is called segmentation for a reason. One styling, arrangements, etc in one and a different in the other. Trying to please, appease, and entice buyers how they feel comfortable. True she gave Cristina a long interview, she dressed, spoke and portrayed herself in a very different way than I have seen in English.
ReplyShe's a fake. I never cared for her blonde hair. If she refused to do the interview in Spanish at the time due to contractual obligations, she could've given Marcela a rain check and spoke to her in Spanish later. Come on, the woman arrived as a fan who happened to have the distinction of interviewing her. Biatch! Just watch Shakira trying to win back her Latino public in 2 years when She Wolf turns out to be a short lived fad. The songs are okay, but they have a 'been there, done that' quality to it. Britney, JLo, Beyonce and other leading American women in entertainment sold that sensual, sexual image early in the decade. I think Shaki's exploiting the last of that maneater trend in 2009. I don't care that she's not American, but she has a duty of sorts to represent her country adequately. She's not Rihanna who comes from an already English speaking country that share's a common Afro Carribean and American derived culture. So Rihanna singing American music with a Caribbean twist is not unusual. Even Nelly Furtado, a Portuguese Canadian, knew better and retired the 'Promiscuous' shenanigans after 'Loose' and got in touch with her Latin heritage (Spanish and Portuguese are close in language and culture). She was smart enough to know that the sexy act was good for one time to put her name in the headlines after her sophomore slump following 'Folklore'. It's sad that Nelly comes out with a more authentic sounding Spanish language album even though the woman can't speak Spanish to save her life as she Portuguese, yet Shakira has done everything to ditch her roots (i.e. bleach blonde, blue contacts, nose job, do her makeup in a way to not look so 'dark and Arabic', lose weight to look more gringa, use Autotune to reduce her thick Spanish accent, emphasize her Lebanese heritage over her Latina one in English language interviews so that people don't see her as Hispanic). She did this Spanish interview with Jesus (forgot his last name), a Spanish journalist, where she was apparently distancing herself from being Colombian and saying that she feels more Arabic even though she was born in South America. I can understand and respect the woman's cultural background as Latin America is one big melting pot, but for her to deny or deemphasize her Hispanic heritage because she figures that being seen as an Arab makes her look ethnic in an exotic way is just wrong. That's like Paulina Rubio saying that she's Spanish because she is a white Mexican, starts copping a Spanish accent and disassociates with her Mexican heritage as a result. We'd all bitch slap for that (symbolically speaking). People like her and Sammy Sosa take us Latinos to the back of the bus instead of the front and in the driver's seat.
ReplyThere is not a chance Shakria nor anyone else on her team would deny that she is a proud Colombiana! However, I can believe that a news reporter invents stories to get more press coverage. It is unbelievable sick. It is why no one trusts journalists anymore. They are a very sick narcissistic bunch of morons that don't know anything about history or culture and make it up as they go along. Get a life.
ReplyI like this comment. Thank you.
ReplyShe is not trying to deny her heritage at any point, just listen to the interview from z100 radio (New York) station you will see that one caller was from Colombia which was asking something to Shakira in english and Shakira answered the question in spanish, and it was actually Elvis Duran who asked Shakira not to speak spanish. Something I don't really like is the latest video music "Give it up to me" she looks like Beyonce and JLO kinda....but she looks so cute and hot, thou. at first I didn't like she wolf, now I love it and give it to me didnt like it either but now liked it too. It is good for an artist to change I think because for example Juanes it is a very talented singer his lyrics are most of the time delivering a good message but at the end his songs sound the same and it is kind of boring.
ReplyFirst of all this tacky Colombian bitch looked almost as bad as J.Lo at the awards last night. 1980's hooker boots? Hello. You're Arabic. Hello. You're Mestiza. Ethnic broads DO NOT look good as bottled blondes. I wonder...would she have been okay with responding in French? Que come mierda.
ReplyWaaaa! I didn't get to speak to Shakira! Waaaaa! Get a life! You work for AOL Latino for god's sake. You're lucky they let you anywhere NEAR Shakira.
ReplyOh I know you're not talking to me.
Replyblah blah blah....... guess you guys missed her interview on 'el show de crisitina' where clearly she spoke in spanish, since the show is on Univision!!!!!!!
Replyshe wolf!!! donde saco ella ese termino??? he wolf, she wolf, they wolf????
ReplyDejen de joder con shakira! si tiene el pelo rubio, negro, si parece latina, o arabe.. wtf??!! esto es marketing! y definitivamente lo esta logrando... vallan a trabajar vagos! hay cosas mas importantes!
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