Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka (This Is The Time For Africa)’ Chosen As Official FIFA World Cup 2010 Song

PRNewsFoto/Sony Music Entertainment

FIFA and Sony Music Entertainment today announced that Waka Waka (This Time For Africa), written and co-produced by global superstar Shakira, has been chosen as the Official Song of the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) in South Africa. The song will be performed by Shakira together with South African artist Freshlyground at the Closing Ceremony before the FIFA World Cup(TM) Final on July 11 in Johannesburg Soccer City Stadium. All proceeds from the song will benefit FIFA’s Official Campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) “20 Centers for 2010.”

“I am honored that Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) was chosen to be part of the excitement and the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” said Shakira. “The FIFA World Cup is a miracle of global excitement, connecting every country, race, religion and condition around a single passion. It represents an event that has the power to unite and integrate, and that’s what this song is about.”

Shakira continued, “African music is so inspiring and is poised to take its place on the global pop culture stage. I was proud to be able to work with one of South Africa’s most acclaimed groups, Freshlyground.” The song was co-produced by Shakira’s frequent collaborator, John Hill.

Check out Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka (This Is The Time For Africa)’ –

Jessica Simpson Releases New Song ‘Who We Are’

With the upcoming premier of her new reality tv series ‘The Price of Beauty’, Jessica Simpson has recorded the theme song to the show and premiered it on Ryan Seacrest’s KIISfm morning radio show.

Simpson told Seacrest:

“I was inspired to write whenever I got back from traveling the world. It’s about the discoveries I found within myself and realizing that I defined my own beauty for myself. We all struggle with the same issues. We all battle self-esteem. It’s just about being good enough for yourself.”

The Price Of Beauty premieres @ 10PM ET/PT on March 15 on VH1.

Musicians Unknowingly Involved In Guantanamo Torture

A coalition of artists outraged that music, including theirs, was cranked up to help break uncooperative detainees at Guantanamo Bay is joining retired military officers and liberal activists to rally support for President Barack Obama’s push to shutter the Navy-run prison for terrorist suspects in Cuba.

The music may have been used in controversial interrogation methods (aka torture) in which detainees are forced to listen music at extreme levels for hours on end.

Pearl Jam, R.E.M, and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails are among the musicians who have joined the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo, which launched Tuesday.

“At Guantanamo, the U.S. government turned a jukebox into an instrument of torture,” said Thomas Blanton, executive director of the archive, an independent, nongovernmental research institute.

Based on documents that already have been made public and interviews with former detainees, the archive says the playlist featured cuts from AC/DC, Britney Spears, the Bee Gees, Marilyn Manson and many other groups. The Meow mix cat food jingle, the Barney theme song and an assortment of Sesame Street tunes also were pumped into detainee cells.

“We have spent the past 30 years supporting causes related to peace and justice. To now learn that some of our friends’ music may have been used as part of the torture tactics without their consent or knowledge is horrific,” said R.E.M in a statement. “It’s anti-American, period.”

“It’s very scary to think that you might go crazy because of the music, because of the loud noise,” said Ruhal Ahmed, a former detainee who is suing the government for the abuse.