The long anticipated duet Shakira-Beyonce finally has a video! Yes, you've read this right: as I was telling you a couple of weeks ago, the two booty-shaking beauties teamed up for a one-time collaboration and now they have also released a video for 'Beautiful Liar' - this is the title of the song.

Last night was a busy one for Miss Beyonce: she went on TRL and premiered her 'Beautiful Liar' video and, a little while before that, another video of hers, for 'Upgrade U' (featuring Jay Z) premiered on BET. We'll try to talk about each of the two by turns and, naturally, we are forced to start with the one in which the hotness comes in a large size, 'Beautiful Liar'.

The idea to do a collaboration with Shakira came from Beyonce and we can't but be grateful for it. Because, you see, the result is amazing! Although the concept of the song is not new (Brandy and Monica did it a long time ago with 'The Boy Is Mine'), 'Beautiful Liar' also brings something new to the idea of an amorous triangle: the women are no longer fighting for the guy, but completely turning their backs on him.

This is exactly what the video is trying to emphasize (aside from the fact that both singers are good looking and amazing dancers): focusing on Beyonce and Shakira in similar outfits, almost identical hair-dos and mirrored dance moves, the clip aims to blur the two images until the one is identified with the other. Many have already taken to the Internet to vent their outrage at the two singers for putting out a video in which they can barely make the difference between them, when this is precisely the main idea behind the video. The two women, after going through a similar experience (i.e being cheated on by the same man) begin to relate to each other, up to the point of merging into one single personality.

While this is not quite the place to go into a deeper analysis of the video, I should mention that I just said all of the above to point out that the fact that Beyonce and Shakira look the same is not just a coincidence - it's the very thing that gives meaning to the song. So, don't go and start hating before seeing it and convincing yourselves. Plus, the video is really hot and it has everything to make it a real pleasure for the eyes only (meaning, without that boring stuff I talked about before): Beyonce and Shakira in figure-hugging outfits, dancing in the rain, dancing while lying on the floor and shaking their booties. If that also failed to get your attention... then, I don't know what more to say.

And, so, we move on to Beyonce's second video: 'Upgrade U', featuring (no surprise here) boyfriend Jay Z. This one is quite the opposite of 'Beautiful Liar', since it shows her in the same light as her other previous ones: it's all about the glamour and the bling-bling. However, we shouldn't dismiss it so easily - there is a message behind all that, but you'll have to find it for yourselves, because I wouldn't want to spoil (quite) all the fun for you! Plus, for its most part, Beyonce plays Jay Z and raps in his stead, while still doing her sexy stuff!

Below are the two videos. Enjoy! Look for 'Beautiful Liar' on disc: the track will be included on the re-release of 'B' Day' (April 6), along with six new Spanish language tracks (without Shakira this time).


Shakira & Beyoncé - Beautiful Liar



Beyonce