14 DAY TRIAL // Shakira has taught the world that her hips not only do not lie, but that they also tell stories. In July this year, the singer also showed that she could have her entire body do that, as she released the video for her first single off the “She Wolf” album, “She Wolf.” The vid got many tongues wagging as to where body-contortion ended and weirdness began, but what the world needed to see was that this was just her expressing herself, Shakira says for i-D Magazine.
According to the singer, who is currently preparing for the release of her latest album on November 17, the part of the video where she’s dancing inside a golden stage was not even included in the script. Yet, it turned out to be the most astounding sequence of the entire video, and that’s perhaps precisely because it all boiled down to some good Shakira improv, the singer believes.
“I wanted to express my vision, I wanted to articulate with images what I feel the song relates to, what it symbolizes. The golden cage that I’m in is a metaphor, because I feel like I’ve been inside a golden cage in my life for many years, with the anticipation of an animal wanting to get out. When I got into that cage for the first time for the shoot, I feel like I went completely unconsciousness [sic] at that moment.” Shakira tells i-D.
The moment cameras started rolling and the music playing, Shakira forgot about herself altogether. “They hit ‘play’, the music started and at that moment I stared hanging from the bars upside down… the whole performance in that cage is an improvisation. I felt somehow possessed by the spirit of the She Wolf. The She Wolf that has been inside of me all these years, longing to come out. I feel much more like a woman today. I feel more inclined to certain things, to express myself in certain ways and to talk about things with less prudence.” the singer further explains.
In the same interview, the Latino sensation also opens up about marriage plans to longtime boyfriend Antonio de la Rua (they have none) and about how it felt to be present at the Obama presidential inauguration. The Shakira-dedicated number of i-D also includes a stunning photospread with the singer, so make sure you pick up your copy as soon as possible.