28.03.2014 - 13:09
News is spreading ever further about the attacks that Columbian singer Shakira have received for including a song in Catalan on her new eponymous record. A few days ago, The Wall Street Journal said, “Just as Catalans are girding for a referendum late this year on breaking away from Spain, the mega-star has triggered a dustup in Spain and endured vicious Twitter attacks by recording a version of one song on her new, self-titled album in the Catalan language.” Today, the news is highlighted in the Spanish language version of the BBC news site.
The song “Boig per tu” composed by Pep Sala and featured in Shakira’s new album was originally written in the Catalan language. Shakira sings the original version of the song on her new album in honor of her Catalan husband, FC Barcelona footballer, Gerard Piqué, and perhaps her Catalan grandfather. Indeed, the Wall Street Journal notes that “Her interest in singing in Catalan actually seems personal rather than political.”
But Shakira is getting flak for singing in Catalan at all. “With a song in Catalan, Shakira, you’re making me sick” said María Sagredo (@mariasagre), among others.
It is not uncommon for celebrities who speak in public in Catalan to be reviled by Spanish people in social media. When Pep Guardiola, former FC Barcelona coach, announced he was leaving the team in a press conference, he too was greeted with insults for speaking in his own language.
Curiously, the Catalan version of the song is only available to fans who buy the album in Spain and Latin America. Fans in the US and Canada, or the UK or the rest of Europe, only get the Spanish, translated, version of the song, called “Loca por ti”.
In another era, this song would’ve become a collector’s item, or a ‘rarity’. We share it with you here:
Last week, the Columbian singer released a “making of” video for the Catalan version of “Boig per tu”, in which she mostly speaks in English and sings in Catalan. The record went on sale on Tuesday, March 25.
Here’s the new “making of” video:
