What do you get when you mix one of Latin music’s biggest female stars with one of the hottest stars on the planet at the moment? Well, the answer is, ‘I can’t remember to forget you’ the new collaboration from Shakira and Rihanna! On Monday the 13th of January, after Rihanna hinting only a week before on her Twitter page that it might be happening, something extremely exiting happened. Fans didn’t have long to wait.
This up-tempo song is a blend of Latin, Reggae and Pop-Rock. The verse begins sounding Latin pop with Reggae induced RnB beats and soon morphs into a guitar heavy chorus that sounds more signature Shakira. I was a little worried with both gals having a bit of an accent of how it would sound but it works perfectly. Shakira’s odd but brilliant vocals deliver the lyrics “But when you look at me, the only memory, is us kissing in the moonlight”. Rihanna then pipes up, in the second verse, singing “I go back again, fall off the train, land in his bed, repeat yesterday’s mistakes” in her cool, edgy and fun voice with her accent sounding more Bajan than ever.
The song is about a woman who knows she should forget all about her undeserving man but can’t help but fall back into his arms. You could be forgiven for thinking Rihanna was referring to her turbulent relationship with Chris Brown but I doubt the songs intention is to dig that deep. This is a fun, pop anthem with two of music’s hottest babes.
The artwork for single is equally as exciting. Shakira with her blonde locks tousled over one shoulder and minimalistic make up looks simply stunning! Rihanna, her dark, bouncy curls lying over Shakira’s lap looks smouldering with her blood red lipstick and cleavage aplenty!
This will be the debut single from Shakira’s long awaited, untitled album and is already storming the charts. It’s her first single since ‘Waka Waka’ the song she wrote for the 2010 World Cup. The Columbian goddess is no stranger to a savvy collaboration. Since her 2001’s triple platinum album ‘Laundry Service’, she has teamed up with Beyoncé, Pittbull, Dizzee Rascal and who can forget the fabulous, belly-dancing, bum shaking ‘Hips don’t Lie’ with Wyclef Jean. The judge from The Voice is back again and she aint messing around. “It was utopia. She’s the sexiest woman on the planet.” Shakira tells Glamour magazine on working with Rihanna. She’s a crafty one is our Shakira. RiRi can do no wrong at the moment, she is music royalty, at the top of her game and manages to add a little sprinkle of Bajan magic to anything she touches.
This song certainly does what it set out to do and that is to tell the world Shakira is back!
Is it as good as her 2007 collaboration ‘Beautiful Liar’ with the bootylicious Beyoncé? I will let you decide!