Always ready to go the extra mile for Shakira's fans, Shakira.com has crossed the Great Lakes and finds itself outside of Toronto, Canada, in an industrial complex just off of Lake Ontario.

That might not sound very glamorous, but it's here that Shakira is preparing for her world tour - which kicks off in Montreal on September 15th.



She's here in Toronto with the full band: Tim, Brendan, Albert, Thomas, Joe, Grecco, Olga and Una, along with Magnus, Shakira's musical director who has worked with her on the arrangements of all of the songs she'll be performing (which will include a selection spanning all of Shakira’s albums, even the upcoming Sale el Sol).

When we arrive, we open the door to the studio to find Shakira with the band, rehearsing a song that at first seems unfamiliar, with a melody that seems to be straight out of a James Bond film. We only have to wait 10 seconds for the confusion to disappear - it’s one of Shakira’s most well-known songs with a completely new twist. As Magnus declares, “We’ve actually made something like a cover of her own song!" A cover which will have thousands moving their hips in just a few weeks...



After a few more songs it’s break time. Today it’s pasta and pizza. Half an hour of rest and the band returns to their positions. It’s time to attack “Loca”, Shakira’s new single. To be honest, hearing it makes us a little "loco" ourselves and we're soon up on our feet, dancing away to the song's thrilling rhythms. From the look on their faces, the band either think our dancing is shockingly good or shockingly bad. We'd like to think it's the former.



Anyway, keep it locked to Shakira.com for more from the rehearsals, plus the chance to win a T-shirt signed by Shakira.

Shakira.com

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