She Wolf (Shakira Song) on:
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Shakira performed the song live for the first time on the finale of the season four of ''
"She Wolf" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter
Chart Blog gave it an overall positive review, but criticized Shakira's howling, calling it "half-hearted". Ben Ratliff from ''Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
, taken from her eighth studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
of the same name (2009). It was released on 10 July 2009, by Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
as the lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from the album. Its lyrics were written by Shakira. Its musical composition was done by Shakira, John Hill John Hill may refer to:
Business
* John Henry Hill (1791–1882), American businessman, educator and missionary
* John Hill (planter) (1824–1910), Scottish-born American industrialist and planter
* John Hill (businessman) (1847–1926), Austral ...
, and Sam Endicott
Samuel Bingham Endicott (born August 13, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor and director. He is best known as the lead vocalist of The Bravery with whom he recorded three studio albums.
Career
At age 11 Endico ...
. Shakira and Hill also served as the producers for the song. A Spanish-language translation of the song titled "Loba", which features additional lyrical contributions by Jorge Drexler
Jorge Abner Drexler Prada (born September 21, 1964) is a Uruguayan musician, actor and doctor specializing in otolaryngology.
In 2004, Drexler won wide acclaim after becoming the first Uruguayan to win an Academy Award, which he won for compos ...
, was also released earlier on 6 July. Musically, "She Wolf" is a hi-NRG
Hi-NRG (pronounced "high energy") is a genre of uptempo disco or electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
As a music genre, typified by fast tempo, staccato hi-hat rhythms (and the ...
, synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
and electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
track that details Shakira's boredom due to her uncaring partner, and how she looks for others to please her.
Upon its release, "She Wolf" was met with favourable reception from music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, many of whom praised it for its inventiveness. Commercially, "She Wolf" performed well on record charts
A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include rec ...
. It peaked in the top 10 of charts of countries like Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. In the United States, "She Wolf" peaked at numbers 11 and one on the US ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
and Dance/Club Play Songs
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
charts, respectively. The Spanish-language translation "Loba" peaked at number one on both the Hot Latin Songs
The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, rad ...
and Tropical Songs
The Tropical Airplay chart (formerly known as Tropical/Salsa and Tropical Songs) is a record chart published by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' magazine introduced in 1994. The first number-one song on the chart was "Quién Eres Tú (Luis Enri ...
charts. "She Wolf" was certified double-platinum in Spain and platinum in Italy, Mexico, and the United States.
An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Jake Nava
Jake Nava is a British director, mostly known for his work in music videos for Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones. He also directs TV commercials, notably for Guinness and Levi Strauss & Co.
Early life and ed ...
, and features Shakira dancing in various locations, such as a red cave and a golden cage. Critical reception towards the video was also positive, many of whom praised Shakira's dancing ability. For additional promotion, Shakira performed the song on a number of shows and music festivals. It was also a part of the setlist for The Sun Comes Out World Tour
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (also known as the Sale el Sol World Tour) was the fifth concert tour by Colombian singer and songwriter Shakira, launched in support of her eighth and ninth studio albums, ''She Wolf'' (2009) and ''Sale El Sol'' (2 ...
in 2010.
Background and composition
"She Wolf" was composed by Shakira,John Hill John Hill may refer to:
Business
* John Henry Hill (1791–1882), American businessman, educator and missionary
* John Hill (planter) (1824–1910), Scottish-born American industrialist and planter
* John Hill (businessman) (1847–1926), Austral ...
, and Sam Endicott
Samuel Bingham Endicott (born August 13, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor and director. He is best known as the lead vocalist of The Bravery with whom he recorded three studio albums.
Career
At age 11 Endico ...
. Its lyrics were written by Shakira. Shakira and Hill also served as the producers of the song. It contains a sample of the strings breakdown from "Good Times
''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first African ...
" by Chic
Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick.
Etymology
'' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English diction ...
. In an interview with ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', Shakira said that the idea for "She Wolf" came to her "very mysteriously", revealing "I was in the studio in a bad mood that day, then I got inspired and went to a corner and I wrote the lyrics and the melody in 10 minutes. The image of the she wolf just came to my head, and when I least expected it I was howling and panting". Endicott, musician and lead singer of American post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
band The Bravery
The Bravery is an American rock band formed in New York City in 2003. The band consists of lead vocalist Sam Endicott, guitarist Michael Zakarin, keyboardist John Conway, bassist Mike Hindert and drummer Anthony Burulcich. They are best known ...
, explained how he and Hill began working with Shakira, saying she "contacted him (Hill), asking if he had any stuff. We never had her in mind. We just made the thing independently of her, and then she liked it a lot, and she sang over it. She used some of the melodies we put in there and then wrote these crazy lyrics about being a werewolf. And that's how it happened". "She Wolf" was described by Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
as a "sleek, hi-NRG/Italo throwback that's drenched in disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
strings" and "sleek electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
". Mikael Wood from ''Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' identified the song's genre as synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
. Shakira also howls and pants at various times during the song. It is written in B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative major is D major and its parallel major is B major.
The B natural minor scale is:
:
Changes neede ...
key and is a fast dance
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
groove with a tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
of 122 beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
. Shakira's vocal range on the song spans from B3 to D5. One of the lines of the song, in which Shakira sings "I'm starting to feel just a little abused, like a coffee machine in an office", is often cited as an example of the unusual lyrics present in Shakira's songs.
The song was released by Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
as the lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from the album of the same name. "She Wolf" was made available for digital download on iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
on 10 July 2009. It was released as a CD single later on 21 September. A Spanish-language translation of the song titled "Loba", which features additional lyrical contributions from Jorge Drexler
Jorge Abner Drexler Prada (born September 21, 1964) is a Uruguayan musician, actor and doctor specializing in otolaryngology.
In 2004, Drexler won wide acclaim after becoming the first Uruguayan to win an Academy Award, which he won for compos ...
, was released on 6 July 2009.
Critical reception
The song was well received by mostmusic critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. David Balls from Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
gave the song a positive review and said that the song "manages to be fresh and quirky while still sounding like a smash". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
labelled "She Wolf" as a "sleek, hi-NRG/Italo throwback" and said that its lyrics "walk a fine line between campy and really campy". Michael Cragg from MusicOMH
MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.
History
MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...
called it "three minutes of delicious pop, as camp as it is clever", and concluded that the song is "the kind of wonderfully bizarre couplet we’ve come to expect from Columbia’s shrinking violet". Jonathan Goss from ''Sabotage Times
James Brown (born 26 September 1965 in Leeds) is a British former journalist, author, radio host and media entrepreneur. His first book, ''Above Head Height: A Five-a-Side Life'', was published in 2017 by Quercus and received positive reviews in ' ...
'' praised its lyrics and commended Shakira's use of the word "lycanthropy
In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...
". He summed up the review by calling "She Wolf" a "modern classic". ''Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' critic Mikael Wood complemented it as "lovably bonkers." Fraser McAlpine from BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', however, gave it a negative review, saying that the song is "undercooked and overwritten" and that it "reaches a special class of fascinating-awful".
At the 2009 International Dance Music Awards
The International Dance Music Awards or IDMAs is an annual awards ceremony held in Miami Beach, Florida, United States as a major part of the Winter Music Conference. The awards have been held every year since the conference's creation in 1985 ...
ceremony, "She Wolf" was nominated for "Best Latin Track", but lost to American rapper Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
's song "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
"I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" is a song by American rapper and singer Pitbull released as the second single from his fourth album, ''Pitbull Starring in Rebelution''. The song samples "75, Brazil Street" by Nicola Fasano and Pat Rich, which it ...
". At the 2009 Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica
Premios MTV Latinoamérica (previously known as MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica or VMALA's) was the Latin American version of the Video Music Awards. They were established in 2002 to celebrate the top music videos of the year in Latin Ameri ...
awards ceremony, the song was nominated in the category "Canción Del Año" ("Song of the Year"). At the 2009 Premios 40 Principales
LOS40 Music Awards, formerly known as ''Premios 40 Principales'', is an award show by the musical radio station LOS40. It was created in 2006 to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the founding of the worldwide station.
History
LOS40 is the m ...
awards ceremony, "Loba" won the award for "Best International Song in Spanish Language". At the 2009 Premios Shock award ceremony, the song was nominated "Best Radio Song". At the 2010 Premios Juventud
The 7th Annual Premios Juventud (Youth Awards) were broadcast by Univision on July 15, 2010.
Performers
Presenters
* Anahí
* Víctor Manuelle
* María Fernanda Yépez
* Fedro
* Dulce María
* Amelia Vega
* Marlon Moreno
* Eugenio Siller
* ...
awards ceremony, the song was nominated for "Mi Ringtone" ("My Ringtone"), but lost to Tito El Bambino
Efraín David Fines Nevares (born October 5, 1981) known professionally as Tito "El Bambino" is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter who rose to fame as part of the duo Héctor & Tito.
In 2010, his song, " El Amor", written with Joan Ortiz Esp ...
's song " El Amor". At the 2010 Latin ''Billboard'' Music Awards, the song was nominated for "Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year" and "Latin Digital Download of the Year", but lost both. At the 2010 ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
awards ceremony, Jorge Drexler won an award for his composition of "Loba". It was acknowledged as an award winning song at the 2011 BMI Latin Awards.
Commercial performance
In Austria, the song entered and peaked at number three on theAustrian Singles Chart
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
, spending a total of 19 weeks on the chart. In the Dutch-speaking Flanders region of Belgium, the song entered the Ultratop
Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organization ...
chart at number 48 and peaked at 16, spending a total of 15 weeks on the chart. It performed much better in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium, where it entered the Ultratop chart at number eight and peaked at number five, spending a total of 21 weeks on the chart. "She Wolf" was Shakira's second consecutive single to peak at number five in the region, after "Beautiful Liar
"Beautiful Liar" is a song by American singer Beyoncé and Colombian singer Shakira. It was written by Beyoncé, Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench, and Stargate members Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, and produced by Stargate and Beyoncé for th ...
" (2007). In Finland, the song entered the Finnish Singles Chart
The Official Finnish Charts ( fi, Suomen virallinen lista; sv, Finlands officiella lista) are national record charts in Finland compiled and published by Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. The name ''Suomen virallinen lista/Finlands officiell ...
at number 13 and peaked at number 6, spending a total of 13 weeks on the chart. In Germany, the song peaked at number two on the German Singles Chart
The GfK Entertainment charts are the official music charts in Germany and are gathered and published by GfK Entertainment (formerly Media Control and Media Control GfK International), a subsidiary of GfK, on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindust ...
. In Ireland, the song peaked at number two on the Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are bas ...
, spending a total of 12 weeks on the chart. In Italy, "Loba" entered the Italian Singles Chart
The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when major corporate labels left the previously exist ...
at number 12 and peaked at number three, spending a total of 22 weeks on the chart. It became Shakira's first single to receive a record certification
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
in the country after the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana
The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when major corporate labels left the previously exist ...
(FIMI) certified the song platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
for selling 30,000 units. In Norway, "She Wolf" narrowly missed charting inside the top ten of the Norwegian Singles Chart
VG-lista is a Norwegian record chart. It is presented weekly in the newspaper '' VG''. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continents around the world. The data are collected by Nie ...
by peaking at number 11. In Spain, "Loba" entered the Spanish Singles Chart
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
at number 25 and peaked at number two. In this region, it was certified double-platinum by the Productores de Música de España
Productores de Música de España (English: Spanish Music Producers, shortened as Promusicae) is the national organisation responsible for the music charts of Spain. It is a trade association that represents more than 90% of the Spanish recorded m ...
(PROMUSICAE) for selling 80,000 units. In Switzerland, the song entered and peaked at number three on the Swiss Singles Chart
The Swiss Hitparade (german: link=no, Schweizer Hitparade) is Switzerland's main Record chart, music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.
The Swiss charts include:
* ...
, spending a total of 23 weeks on the chart. In this territory, it was certified gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 19 ...
(IFPI) for selling 10,000 units. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and spent a total of 16 weeks on the chart. The British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI) certified "She Wolf" gold for shipments of 400,000 copies.
In Canada, it peaked at number five on the Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
chart, spending a total of 20 weeks on the chart. "Loba" became a success in Mexico, peaking at number one on the Monitor Latino
Monitor Latino (stylised monitorLATINO) is a singles chart founded in 2003 which ranks songs on chart based on airplay across radio stations in Latin American countries and Hispanic radio stations in the United States using the Radio Tracking Data ...
airplay chart and receiving a platinum certification from the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas
Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON) (English: Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms, A.C.) is a non-profit organization integrated by multinational and national record companies in M ...
(AMPROFON). In the United States, "She Wolf" debuted at number 34 on the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
chart, becoming Shakira's highest debuting song on the chart. It later narrowly missed reaching inside the top 10 of the chart by peaking at number 11. "She Wolf" spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart. On the Hot Dance Club Songs
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
chart, it peaked at number one and spent a total of 15 weeks on the chart. "She Wolf" became Shakira's second solo consecutive single to peak atop the chart after "Illegal
Illegal, or unlawful, typically describes something that is explicitly prohibited by law, or is otherwise forbidden by a state or other governing body.
Illegal may also refer to:
Law
* Violation of law
* Crime, the practice of breaking the ...
" (2006). On the Pop Songs
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the Un ...
chart, it peaked at number 11 and spent 12 weeks on the chart. "She Wolf" remained as Shakira's highest-debuting single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 until "Can't Remember to Forget You
"Can't Remember to Forget You" is a song recorded by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira from her fourth English and overall tenth studio album, ''Shakira'', featuring Barbadian singer Rihanna. Shakira began planning to make new music in 2011; w ...
" broke its record in 2014 by debuting at number 28.
The Spanish-language translation "Loba" peaked at number one on Hot Latin Songs
The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, rad ...
chart, spending a total of 22 weeks on the chart. It became Shakira's fourteenth top-ten single on the chart and tied her with American singer-songwriter Selena
Selena Quintanilla Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known mononymously as Selena, was an American Tejano singer. Called the " Queen of Tejano music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mex ...
for having the fifth-most top-ten singles for a female artist. Later in 2010, Shakira became the third-ranking female artist with the highest number of top-ten singles on the chart after the release of " Loca". On the Tropical Songs
The Tropical Airplay chart (formerly known as Tropical/Salsa and Tropical Songs) is a record chart published by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' magazine introduced in 1994. The first number-one song on the chart was "Quién Eres Tú (Luis Enri ...
chart, "Loba" peaked at number one, spending a total of 20 weeks on the chart. "She Wolf" was certified platinum in the United States for digital downloads of 1,000,000 copies by the Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). As of March 2014, "She Wolf" stands as Shakira's second highest-selling digital song in the United States with sales of 1,812,000 units, behind her 2006 hit "Hips Don't Lie
"Hips Don't Lie" is a Latin pop and reggaeton song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released by Epic Records in 2006 as the second single from the reissue of Shakira's seventh studio album, ''Oral Fixa ...
".
Music video
Development and synopsis
The accompanying music video for the single was directed by Jake Nava who had previously collaborated with Shakira on the video for "Beautiful Liar
"Beautiful Liar" is a song by American singer Beyoncé and Colombian singer Shakira. It was written by Beyoncé, Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench, and Stargate members Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, and produced by Stargate and Beyoncé for th ...
". The dance sequences in the video were choreographed by Nadine "Hi-Hat" Ruffin, and are said to incorporate ballet
Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
, popping and locking, tribal dance
"Tribal Dance" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was their sixth single, released in April 1993 from the band's second album, '' No Limits!'' (1993). The UK release omitted the main rap, but left in more vocals from Ray ...
and moves similar to the ones in the eighties drama ''Flashdance
''Flashdance'' is a 1983 American romantic drama dance film directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Jennifer Beals as a passionate young dancer who aspires to become a professional ballerina (Alex), alongside Michael Nouri playing her boyfriend an ...
''. Talking about her dancing in the video, Shakira said, "I start doing all kinds of outrageous stuff and hanging upside down and doing stuff that wasn't planned. But it was kind of an improvisation. I just got caught in the moment." The music video premiered on 30 July 2009, on MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
and was made available for download on iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
a day later on 31 July. The video for the Spanish-language translation "Loba" was released on the same day.
The video begins with Shakira getting out of bed in the middle of a full-moon night. Her nails begin to grow and she is shown lacing a pair of boots. Shakira then enters a closet, which leads to the inside of a glittering ruby-red cave, where she begins dancing wearing a black asymmetric bodysuit. The next scene depicts Shakira striking different poses inside a golden cage (with the sign "Do Not Feed the Animal" on top), clad in a skin-toned leotard. Shakira explained the usage of the golden cage in the video, saying that "I just wanted to express what it feels like for a she-wolf to be in captivity. To be in a golden cage. I think I've been in a golden cage most of my life. And now not anymore". The setting changes and Shakira is seen performing a dance routine in a club with many back-up dancers. A wolf is also shown walking in the club and transforming into a woman. Near to the end of the video, Shakira dances on a rooftop with a backdrop resembling San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. As the song ends, she falls backwards from the roof and lands in her closet. The video ends with Shakira lying back in her bed and smiling as thunder cracks.
Reception
Critical reception towards the video was mostly positive. Adam Fairholm from the Internet Music Video Database praised Shakira's dance moves and flexibility in the video and complimented Nava's direction. James Montgomery fromMTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
also commended Shakira's dancing, noting that she "even manages to out-Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
". He also complimented Shakira's body, commenting that her posterior is the "breakout star of the video". Anna Pickard from ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' appreciated the originality of the video and noted that "the moves contained in this video are not the kind of thing you see every day". Andrew Bast from ''The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'', however, gave the video a negative review and criticized it for being overly sexual.
At the 2009 Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica
Premios MTV Latinoamérica (previously known as MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica or VMALA's) was the Latin American version of the Video Music Awards. They were established in 2002 to celebrate the top music videos of the year in Latin Ameri ...
awards ceremony, the video received a nomination in the category "Video del Año" ("Video of the Year"). At the 2010 Premios Juventud
The 7th Annual Premios Juventud (Youth Awards) were broadcast by Univision on July 15, 2010.
Performers
Presenters
* Anahí
* Víctor Manuelle
* María Fernanda Yépez
* Fedro
* Dulce María
* Amelia Vega
* Marlon Moreno
* Eugenio Siller
* ...
awards ceremony, the video won the award for "Mi Video Favorito" ("My Favourite Video"). At the 2010 Premios Lo Nuestro
The Lo Nuestro Awards or Premios Lo Nuestro (Spanish for "Our Thing") is a Spanish-language awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by Univision, a Spanish-language television network based in the United States. The awards began in ...
, the video won the award for "Video del Año" (" Video of the Year"). On 28 April 2014, the video reached 100 million views on video-sharing website YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
and was hence marked "Vevo Certified" by video hosting service Vevo
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
. It is Shakira's tenth "Vevo Certified" video.
Live performances
Shakira performed the song live for the first time on the finale of the season four of ''America's Got Talent
''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is a televised American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distribut ...
'', on 16 September 2009. On 17 September, she performed the song at the 2009 ALMA Awards ceremony. She performed "She Wolf" along with " Did It Again", the second single off the album, on 18 September episode of ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...
'' and the 17 October episode of ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
''. On 24 September, Shakira performed "She Wolf" and "Hips Don't Lie" on the BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts black music and urban music, including hip hop and R&B and is a sister station to Radio 1. Launching at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been cod ...
''Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
''. On 28 September, she performed the song on '' T4'', a scheduling slot on Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
. On 25 September, she performed the song on ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' is a British chat show presented by Jonathan Ross and broadcast on BBC One between 2001 and 2010. The programme features Ross' take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews (usually three per show) ...
'', along with her hits "Whenever, Wherever
"Whenever, Wherever" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira from her fifth studio album and English-language debut, ''Laundry Service'' (2001). It was released on 2 October 2001 by Epic Records as the lead single from the album. The son ...
" and "Hips Don't Lie".
On 14 February 2010, Shakira performed "She Wolf" and "Give It Up to Me
"Give It Up to Me" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira featuring American rapper Lil Wayne, taken from the deluxe version of the former's eighth studio album ''She Wolf''. It was released on 19 October 2009, by Epic Records as the ...
", the third single off the album, during the halftime of the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. At the 2010 Rock in Rio
''Rock in Rio'' is a recurring music festival originating in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It later branched into other locations such as Lisbon, Madrid and Las Vegas.
Nine incarnations of the festival have been held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, ...
festival held in Madrid, Spain, Shakira performed "Loba", the Spanish-language translation of the song. On 10 June, at the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, Shakira performed "She Wolf", "Hips Don't Lie", and the official 2010 FIFA World Cup song, "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)
"Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", also known as "Waka Waka (Esto es África)" in Spanish, is a song by Colombian singer Shakira, featuring the South African band Freshlyground. Written, composed, and produced by Shakira and John Hill, it was r ...
". On 26 June, Shakira performed the song at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...
, which took place in Pilton, Somerset. The song was also included on the setlist of The Sun Comes Out World Tour
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (also known as the Sale el Sol World Tour) was the fifth concert tour by Colombian singer and songwriter Shakira, launched in support of her eighth and ninth studio albums, ''She Wolf'' (2009) and ''Sale El Sol'' (2 ...
in 2010 and 2011. The tour performance began with Shakira letting out a long howl and proceeding to dance with two female back-up dancers. The performance marked the first time back-up dancers were featured in the show. Dave Simpson from ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' commented that Shakira was "howling like a banshee" during the performance.
The song was performed by Shakira during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show.
Track listings
* Digital EP – "She Wolf" # "She Wolf" – 3:07 # "She Wolf" (Moto Blanco Club Mix) – 7:07 # "She Wolf" ( Moto Blanco Radio Mix) – 3:39 # "She Wolf" (Calvin Harris
Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums.
His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
Remix) – 4:46
# "She Wolf" (Deeplick Club Remix) – 7:05
# "She Wolf" (Deeplick Club Remix Radio Edit) – 3:25
# "She Wolf" (Remix featuring T-Pain) – 3:18
* Digital EP – ("Loba")
# "Loba" – 3:07
# "Loba" (Poncho Club Mix) – 3:50
# "Loba" (Poncho Radio Mix) – 3:42
# "Loba" (Deep Mariano Club Mix) – 5:05
# "Loba" (Deep Mariano Radio Mix) – 4:34
* CD single
# "She Wolf" – 3:07
# "Loba" – 3:07
* Digital download ("She Wolf")
# "She Wolf" – 3:07
* Digital download ("Loba")
# "Loba" – 3:07
* Promo single ("Loba")
# "Loba" (Salsa version) – 3:56
Charts
Weekly charts
Monthly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
See also
*Billboard Top Latin Songs Year-End Chart
The year-end charts for the Hot Latin Songs chart are published in the last issue of ''Billboard'' magazine every year. Initially, the chart was based on information provided by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, which collected airplay information ...
*List of number-one songs of 2009 (Mexico)
This is a list of the songs that reached number one in Mexico in 2009, according to Monitor Latino.
Monitor Latino's chart rankings are based on airplay across radio states in Mexico utilizing the Radio Tracking Data, LLC in real time. Charts are ...
*List of number-one dance singles of 2009 (U.S.)
These are the Billboard Hot Dance'' ''Club Play and Singles Sales number-one hits of 2009. The first number-one Dance Club Song of the year was "I Hate This Part" by American pop girl group The Pussycat Dolls, which spent two consecutive ...
* List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Songs of 2009
*List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Pop Airplay of 2009
The ''Billboard'' Latin Pop Airplay chart ranks the best-performing Spanish-language pop music singles in the United States. Published by ''Billboard'', the data are compiled by Nielsen SoundScan based collectively on each single's weekly airplay ...
*List of number-one Billboard Hot Tropical Songs of 2009
The ''Billboard'' Tropical Songs is a chart that ranks the best-performing tropical songs of the United States. Published by ''Billboard'' magazine, the data are compiled by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems based on each single's weekly airplay.
C ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:She Wolf (Shakira song) 2009 singles Disco songs Hi-NRG songs Music videos directed by Jake Nava Monitor Latino Top General number-one singles Shakira songs Songs written by Shakira Songs written by Sam Endicott Songs written by John Hill (record producer) Songs written by Jorge Drexler Song recordings produced by John Hill (record producer) Songs about werewolves 2009 songs Synth-pop songs