Jennifer Lopez explains the confusion over her World Cup … – The Globe and Mail
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Singer Jennifer Lopez arrives at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 26, 2012LUCY NICHOLSON/Reuters
Jennifer Lopez has blamed her «anxious» handlers for prematurely saying she wasn’t going to perform at this week’s World Cup opening ceremony.
It turns out Jenny from the Block is en route to Brazil after all.
Scarcely two days after the singer and American Idol judge announced she would not be performing the official World Cup song We Are One (Ole Ola) at Thursday’s opening ceremony, Lopez has done a complete turnaround and announced that she will sing at the event.
«I’m coming, I leave tonight,» Lopez told The Associated Press on Tuesday. «I think people get anxious, especially with me and my schedule when I’m like, ‘Ah, okay, I can leave this day, that day. I don’t know if we can make it’.»
Monday’s announcement claiming «production issues» would prevent the 44-year-old singer from appearing at Thursday’s opening ceremony in São Paulo first originated from a Lopez spokesperson and was quickly corroborated by FIFA, the World Cup organizing body.
«People get nervous and I think it was a little bit premature to announce anything,» said Lopez in the AP interview. «But we are definitely going.»
We Are One holds true to the longstanding tradition of each World Cup tournament having an official song. Lopez recorded the track with Pitbull and Brazilian pop star Claudia Leitte and the trio performed the song at last month’s Billboard Music Awards.
Lopez gives all credit for the bouncy soccer anthem to Pitbull, with whom she’s previously collaborated on the hit singles On the Floor and Dance Again.
«This was one of Pitbull’s call-ins,» Lopez told the Associated Press on Tuesday. «He had this record and he’s like, ‘I think this record could be great for the World Cup.’ He’s like, ‘Will you do it with me?’ And I go, ‘Yeah, of course.’ I’m so lucky he gave me this opportunity.»
Some online media outlets are linking J-Lo’s cancelled appearance to her recent breakup from boy-toy boyfriend Casper Smart.
But as the schedule currently stands, Lopez will be performing We Are One with Pitbull and Leitte along with the Brazilian drumming troupe Olodum midfield at Arena Corinthians on Thursday, shortly before Brazil takes on Croatia in the World Cup opening game.
Of course, that’s more than 24 hours away, so anything could happen.
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