Shakira a "No no" for Fans of World Cup
Pop star Shakira's official World Cup anthem "Waka Waka" has received an unofficial "No, no" from South Africans.
The song, which is a collaboration with South African band Freshlyground, was released to radio stations last week but has not hit the right note with football fans in the host country.
"It's horrible," local fan Lindi Munonde said. "I'm not standing for it. I mean what is our president doing about it?"
"Waka Waka - Time for Africa" takes its inspiration from Cameroonian music, but South Africans aren't convinced Colombian singer Shakira is the right person to represent Africa's first World Cup.
"Really, I mean, how is Shakira going to sing the African part of it?" said Nomaswazi Thomo, another local fan from Johannesburg.
The "Whenever, Wherever" star is to travel to South Africa to sing the new anthem, alongside Freshlyground, before the July 11 World Cup final at the 94,000-seat Soccer City stadium near Soweto.
The 33-year-old Shakira is one of a string of international artists also performing at Fifa's June 10 Kickoff concert to mark the start of the tournament.
The Kickoff lineup, which includes American artists Alicia Keys and Black Eyed Peas, was criticised in South Africa, where locals felt their own musicians had been sidelined. World Cup organisers have now agreed to add more local artists.
Radio stations in South Africa say there has also been a strong reaction to the Waka Waka song.
"I love it that South Africans are just coming together as South Africans and saying, 'We've got our own people and it's an African World Cup. It's ours,"' 702 Talk Radio presenter Jenny Cryws-Williams said.
"We are going to put on a fantastic World Cup. Why don't we have South Africans doing it for us?" - Sapa-AP
