Ashley

Kid Cudi is going to be on the single version of this. Good choice and should guarantee reasonable success in the US.

Very disappointed with that. Firstly, it's a pretty pointless performance because the song is already dead in America. This kind of performance (mimed or not) would've been useful about a month ago. Secondly, her excuse at waiting so long to perform has been "rehearsing." Rehearsing what exactly? Lip synching??? So frustrating. I just feel that that performance actually does more to damage Shakira's credibility than help her shift records. I mean, it's a pretty bad effort to mime on a talent contest. I just feel she has lost her adventurous side when it comes to performing. Remember the Shakira that did those semi acoustic performances of WW on CD:UK, and acoustic arrangements of UYC at TOTP and that incredible rendition of Objection at the VMAs? I don't know if we'll ever see that side of Shakira again. I hope all the rehearsals were for her UK shows because she cannot get away with miming in the Live Lounge or on Jools Holland.

http://www.buzzjack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100161

The Deeplick mix is definately the best :D

Full song live: http://www.vimeo.com/6604136 This performance will be aired Friday so we'll have a better version then. Promosquad preview: fcZ75cNOBcw Personally I think it sounds EPIC and will be so good in clubs. Sophie Muller is set to direct the video soon.

So far this is what she has lined up: Radio 1 Live Lounge (24th September) Jonathan Ross (25th September) T4 (???) This Morning (???) Later With Jools Holland (???) If anyone knows/hears of any more shows she's doing please post them so we don't miss anything ;) Also, does anyone know the dates that she'll be on the other shows? I'm guessing it'll be throughout next week. Really can't wait to see her on Jools Holland. I've wanted her to do that show for so long now!!

The Calvin Harris mix and the Deeplick mix are on iTunes if anyone fancies giving She Wolf a boost.

Yeah, that cover is so much more effective. Maybe there will be a deluxe version or something with this cover used.

Doesn't look like Madonna even has a chance.

I've not even heard Taio's song.

#3 now! Not going to buy it until next week though. The video is #1. Hopefully Radio 1 will give this some power rotation now. It's been on A list for a while but still not dented the top 50 airplay. I have heard it a few times though.

Dodgy vocals but surprisingly contemporary song. Can anyone else work out what the synth line sounds like?

I love the picture. Just the text is horribly done and so is the blue around the edge...I mean you look in the CD cover competition thread and there's people doing much more impressive stuff than this.

I think it might be Click - it seems written with "hit" in mind. Nowhere near as good as some of the other songs but it sounds like the most single like song to me.

I love all the clips except Why Wait - it's just a bit dated, the whole urban ethnic thing...Timbaland was doing it better with Aaliyah. Gypsy is amazing: Instant love. Did It Again is great - love the verses and the catchy chorus. I think this is the next single, it kind of fits well with what's out there at the moment like Tinchy Stryder. Good Stuff is a grower and the beats sound epic.

Well this isn't terrible. The problem I have with it though is that it doesn't seem to know what it is - an electro stomper or retro-esque pop. I think they've tried to make some slightly dated production sound all hip, trendy and other buzzwords by adding in the annoying alarms. If they had gone in one direction and produced this something like Crazy Chick, I think it would've worked better because the chorus is really catchy - I had it in my head after one listen. The best thing about this though is that it's a reality contestant lead single that's NOT A BALLAD. It's such a relief.

Woo! Shakira moved up :D

Congrats to everyone :) I've whipped one up already this week cuz I don't think I'll have much time later on. This is the concept I want but I might have a 2nd attempt because I'm not so happy with the way Imogen has turned out: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/pudsack/imogenheap.png

Check out the deeplick mix, it's so much better and incidently, it's what I'm listening to now ^_^

K=10 G C A I J M N H F=1

The Calvin Harris mix leaked, it's quite good. Puts a nice electro spin on the song.

Yeah, that's why I love it so much; because when I listen to the words I think "that's me summed up in 3mins20." I just can't imagine it as a big hit though.

Real Late Starter was immediately one of my fave songs from the demos she posted...mainly because of the lyrics and the really catchy chorus...I never pictured it as a single though, let alone the lead single. It just doesn't sound edgy at all or have anything that makes it stand out really. Like I said though, the chorus is pretty catchy and I'm sure Radio 2 will be all over it, maybe Radio 1 as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it went to #1 in the airplay chart like Everyone's Gone To War.

Just sneak this one in before the deadline: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/pudsack/littleboots-1.png

August 15th, 2009 I ONLY DO MY ‘SEXY’ LOOK 4 THE CAMERA. “I am proud, because I do not have to sell my body to sell records”- Shakira. Have sat down and watched her new come-back video. Feel disappointed and very down. I am long-time Shaki fan. Have all albums ( even 18-track rambling spanish ones) and felt fairly terrified when watched this vid. This post is not a critique- anyone can see the video is well made. It’s more a product of my curiosity to find out why the majority of major female pop stars in the world are all resorting to making soft-core porn videos in replacement for music videos. Seems as if they are all becoming more desperate as they get older, each one trying to “out-sex” each other whilst the male population sits back laughing as its get a full view of their coochies for free. I am interested in why ’sexiness’ has become the primary expression in females and why this is being loosely defined as ‘pro-feminism’ by some. Felt SO angry when I first watched this video. Oddly ‘riled’. Like had been cheated of something. Got up from my laptop and took a walk around my bedroom. Wondered: “Am I over reacting? What has bugged me so much about this? Is it a crime to be sexual and express your sexuality? She is a beautiful woman, so why shouldn’t she flaunt it!”. Sat down and forced myself to watch it again. I admired her. I thought she was so beautiful. I thought some of the choreography was incredible. I was also cringing, embarrassed and uncomfortable. I understandd that her objective here was to represent female sexuality in its primitive, animalistic form- a form that many women are fearful of. But the reason why I loved Shakira originally was for her strength, self respect and intellect. She obtained worldwide success just by being her very original self. She struck me as an artist who was aware of her sex appeal but felt enough harmony with it to not push it in peoples faces in a trashy way. Fun Fact: Shakira’s arse is shot, in detail, 24 consecutive times in her new video ‘She- Wolf’. Of course she isn’t desperate. Arguments may be that: 1. She is “celebrating the female form” It’s good to exhibit the beauty of the female body. There is nothing shameful about nudity. But the line between cheap and sexual is fine. The purpose of the flesh-coloured suit is to evoke sexual imagery and encourages viewers to imagine her naked as she slips into different positions. Personally feel this does not relate to ‘celebrating female beauty’ but more ‘pornville usa’. If she had not been wearing the flesh suit, we would have seen her private parts 7 different times. That is all. Come to think of it, the main thing that bugs me about this video is not actually the nudity nor sexual content- It is the fact that it isn’t smart. Everything is obvious, dumbed down to the most base level so that even an amoeba can enjoy it. It has been scripted to communicate with individuals who have no imagination and need instant gratification in order to be inspired. The video totally vulgarises what she once stood for, as a woman and as an artist, by using the most base forms of sexual imagery in order to shock, appeal and gain the attention of as many people as possible. I don’t think this is her. 2. “She was always sexy in her videos, she is just wearing less clothes now. What’s the difference?” The difference is the same between a girl who will sleep with any guy who tells her she’s beautiful and a girl who will not. 3. She is “empowering herself and other women by expressing her sexuality” The majority of the choreography in this video replicates pole dancing and stripteasing. She is set in a cage, swinging on bars and writhing on the floor. She is responding and conforming to a fairly ‘male’ set of fantasies here. It is hardly ‘empowering’ if you are dancing in a cage for men. Women who protest that this IS empowering, you are merely taking this stand so as not to feel weak, to secretly ‘prove’ that you can compete with ‘the boys’. By declaring this to be a fair representation of a woman’s ideal of sexuality you are proving that you are strong, uncontrolled and uninfluenced by male desires and therefore, empowered. You are not. The fact is that, though videos and ideas and movements from the likes of Madonna, Britney, Gaga, Shakira etc have been interesting and even helpful to the female expression of sexuality, it’s all getting really old (for me). Pole-dancing and faux-stripteasing or (wait for it) playing the unique ‘I’M A GOOD GIRL BUT DEEP DOWN I’M REALLY DIRTY + NAUGHTY!!!1!’ role is an out-dated and boring way of expressing your sexuality. If everyone gets naked then there is quite frankly nothing left to see. How many more pole-dancing videos do we possibly need? Everything feels so desperate- Shakira does not need to resort to such base levels as putting her finger in her mouth like a weird baby, 6 times. These women are so powerful and talented and all we’re shown is who can push the ’sexy’ boundaries the farthest. A famous woman’s crotch is hardly ‘naughty’ after the 10th time. .. Sometimes feel like if we all just said: “Hey! Women love sex. So do men. They’re both allowed to and it is not a sin. There is nothing shameful or embarrassing about it, so let’s stop treating it as if it is some forbidden, awful subject” then maybe we wouldnt have all these trashy videos circulating around that make my skin crawl. Have personally gone through periods over the past 5 years of being sexed up then getting angry and sexing myself down purposefully, going to the extent of making myself ugly and fat to avoid male attention, then swapping back over again and again. I sometimes struggle to decide what is good / bad sexuality and am still not sure how to interpret attention. I know there is no ’should/ shouldn’t’ in this game but I don’t feel at ease with the topic as there are so few examples around in mainstream pop that do not use sex regularly. Then I see vids like Shakira’s and think ‘what the hell is wrong with me?’ I have been down this route e.g. typical sexed up pop route years ago and felt deeply awful and cheap, so have written this post with experience in mind. Doubt I would have such a strong opinion on the subject today if I had not had certain experiences that made me think “No, I don’t want to be like this anymore”. Hard to form opinion when every boy around you is salivating and making lame ‘gender equality’ quips to justify the video so I would really love to hear your opinions on this. It’s a fascinating topic for me. Do all men fall for these vids? Are all pop videos going to be pornos by 2023? How much is too much? Am I an idiot…? As usual, all ranges of replies welcome- But remember, no freedom of speech allowed. Those who say ‘yes, you’re an idiot’ will be sent to Alaska till the end of time to teach Sarah Palin politik. Perhaps main point here is that I have just realised have not even mentioned the actual song itself once in the whole of the above. FYI, it’s good. 3:49pm Posted by Marina Diamond at 3:49pm http://marinaandthediamonds.com/