Shakira says file sharing is just fine

Latinas sometimes have a way of explaining to you in short, telling words just how things stand.

So it is something of a bracing breeze in the desert to hear Shakira, the rather wily Colombian singer, declare herself to be in favor of file sharing.

If you've ever seen Shakira perform, as she did very recently on "Dancing with the Stars," you'll know that she is the kind of woman who would be rather upset if she didn't make your body move and your mind slip a little from its normal axis.

So please try to keep still when I tell you that for this pulsating performer, who has sold 50 million albums worldwide, file sharing represents "a democratization of music."

According to the Daily Mail, Shakira is rather fond of the somewhat piratical idea that downloads might be illegally shared amongst her fans.

The lady doth not protest at all.

(Credit: CC KindofaDraag/Flickr)

"I like what's going on because I feel closer to the fans and the people who appreciate the music," she told the Mail. "And music is a gift. That's what it should be, a gift."

Unlike singers such as Lily Allen who appears, in a philosophically similar vein to John Kerry, to have been for file sharing before she was against it, Shakira has an instinctive feel for the fact that the practice cannot be stopped.

The relentlessly positive conclusion she takes from this is that the more people hear her insistent, consistent tones, the more people are going to like them and the more people will pay substantial sums to go to her concerts. At these concerts, they will sweat to the verge of passing out, after which they will need a clean Shakira T-shirt in which to go home in.

Naturally, it is easy for Shakira to support file sharing when she is so colossally, deservedly and humongously wealthy.

However, sometimes people get wealthy by appreciating precisely the mood of the people.

And Shakira, which happens to mean "thankful" in Arabic, is a woman who seems to know just how people's minds, bodies, and pockets truly work.

[talking poo]

First I find out Shakira went to UCLA and now this intelligent comment. She's shooting to the top of my list.

[perfectblue97]

The big labels don't seemed to have learned that the way to a fan's heart isn't to spend millions making music tracks and videos that are so polished that the life has been sucked right out of them, and then weighing them down with DRM before selling them for a small fortune.

Music companies need to take a leaf out of the book of companies that make kids' TV. Make your product give your product away and and make your money on the merchandise.

The big labels need to forget about fancy videos and month long post production sessions in studios that cost millions. Make the videos simpler, cheaper, have artists who can sing without the need of fancy gizmos to spice up their voices, and get them out on stage wherever possible.

If they are marketed well a singer can build a large loyal fan base by giving away their music online, or by changing cost price, and can make their real money selling merchandise during tours.

If you put on a free show in a mall you can attacked a full house who will all want to eat and drink and buy the gig T-shirt. Do this once a week and you'll be a millionaire.

[Sausagebiscuit]

Adding Shakira to the list of bands/performers who 'get it'. Not a fan of this genre, but you got my respect.

You don't even have to be famous already. Many stars have been born from YouTube alone. Chocolate Rain anyone? ;P

[mfranzwa]

Chocolate Rain?
Isn't that an album by Prince from the 80s?

[bluemist9999]

@mfranzwa
I think the song is called Purple Rain.

Although Chocolate Rain does sound a lot more delicious :-)

[ferricoxide]

@mfranzwa and @bluemist9999:

I'd suggest you go to YouTube and plug in "Chocolate Rain" into the search bar. One (or more) of your hits will be of the "Chocolate Rain" video. It's one of those videos which you likely won't understand how it became as popular as it did. Think the guy actually manage to get on one or two of the latenight talk shows because of it.

[dascha1]

Would someone please get an objective point of view from a sr. veteran. Ask Geddy Lee please. A young girl, artist, no less, for some reason, who appears to have burned millions still gives her rational, not empirical, perspective. Besides, Geddy's voice is in the Spirit of the Radio.

[erock1974]

what?

[dbargen]

I'd like to see how fan appreciation pays the bills when no one's paying you anymore.

Just sayin'.

[man_w_balls]

typical musicians make the bulk of their money from concerts, duh...
most artists get pennies on the dollar for their cds, mp3s, etc, anyway

[Sausagebiscuit]

Yea, it's rough when the RIAA etc stop paying you.

[themusicvoidcom]

Shakira and Lily Allen should have a cat fight: Pro file-sharing vs. Anti file-sharing!!
http://bit.ly/12VGZN
http://bit.ly/xycC4

[the1macnerd]

I disagree. I believe piracy is stealing and obviously file-sharing is stealing not only music or an artists' hard work but is stealing copyrights from the U.S. government, which is a federal offense. The FBI, RIAA, and other organizations would disagree with you. Apple of course condones piracy with iTunes Store but has since removed DRM from their store. So even though some of you people think it's ok to pirate music and other media to connect with the artists' then I would hate to be you when the FBI raids your houses with a warrant and takes your computers as evidence. As well as fines up to $250,000 and up to 5 years in federal prison as a felony. Imagine prisoners asking everyone, "What are you in for?" and you're in for stealing music. Not something to be proud of and a charge like that stays on your record for the rest of your life unless you change your identity but not your DNA.

[UnlabledMilk]

@the1macnerd
Lolwut

[tylrwnzl]

Its not illegal if the artist has said you can file share it am I correct?

[isralimon]

What kind of upside down world do we live in, where the pop stars defend the fans and the ex-indie acts defend the status quo? Lilly Allen is getting what she deserves, her whole career was built on the internet, for those that don't know she made herself known through MySpace, so it's infantile of her not to expect a backlash from her fan base.

when artists blame the file sharers they are blaming FANS, and when they do that, they break the bond that exists between said fans and the artists (Lars Ulrich learned that the hard way).

What is the most intriguing is how NOBODY blames the record companies, the artist sign over the rights to their music, they should expect the record company to protect it by all means necessary, what good are they if they can't even do that?

The most hypocritical thing of all for example is a company like Sony, that signs and distributes music, supports the RIAA, but also makes computers, cd burners and blank cd's which is all people need to copy and distribute music illegally in the first place, don't blame the fans, because that's all they are, blame the fatcats who are just waiting on the sidelines, while the artists and the fans tear each other to pieces.

[MrBoomshadow]

Guess I'll be buying some Shakira music* in the very near future. Right on!

*Most likely in video form. *grin*

[mangoman07981]

Shakira is HOT HOT HOT !

[syltelabb]

Remember that the artist isn't the only one contributing to the albums being downloaded. Sometimes their contribution is a small one - more like a karaoke singer who's been fortunate to work with a large team of talented and hard-working composers, lyric writers, arrangers, studio technicians, musicians, etc. By downloading the music and buying a t-shirt instead you're ripping off the whole production team.

[Take the Red Pill]

"Naturally, it is easy for Shakira to support file sharing when she is so colossally, deservedly and humongously wealthy."

I'd like to point out that she still managed to become "humongously wealthy" despite her own music being pirated as soon as she hit the scene. So lets not pretend that she only supports file sharing because she hasn't been a 'victim' of it, when obviously she has. It just didn't send her to the poor house like so many other artists believe, incorrectly, will happen.

[patddymac]

"philosophically similar vein to John Kerry"? How passe? And do your homework, Chris. Regarding your flip-flop analogy, John Kerry has never wavered from his support for giving Bush authority to use force in Iraq, nor has he changed his position that he, as President, would not have gone to war without greater international support. Do the right thing by not perpetuating disgusting Karl Rove tactics "if you say it enough times, people will believe it". Be original. Be fair.