Juanes, Shakira & More Rip The 2010 World Cup Concert Stage

By Sharmaine Jones

There are two things sure to unite people: good music and competitive sports! The FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert delivered on half of that equation today (June 10) and will be sure to provide the latter on Friday (June 11), beginning at 10 AM ET on ESPN2!

The worlds biggest stars, including Juanes, Shakira, The Black Eyed Peas, and Alicia Keys filled the 40,000-seat Orlando Stadium in Soweto/Johannesburg, South Africa, giving once in a lifetime performances.

The concert respectfully began with an introduction speech by the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, and FIFA President, Sepp Blatter. Both addressed the fact that this is the first World Cup played on African soil and that the program is dedicated to “1 Goal Education For All”, a campaign using the power of futbol to provide a lasting educational impact.

Then, they exited the stage and the party began!

First up: The Black Eyed Peas. The band didn't disappoint with their futuristic, whimsical costumes and powerhouse set. Hit songs “Where is the Love” and “Meet me Halfway” carried the trio as they stood around for most of their time on stage, but they seemed to gain momentum during “I Gotta a Feeling,” when they seemed to get their second wind. We must admit, we couldn't help wondering if they were able to valet their spaceship outside of the venue!

The second set of performers were Grammy-Award winning, Beninoise singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo and the Soweto Gospel Choir. She graced the stage with her beautiful voice, performing duets with singer John Legend and Vusi Mahlasela.

After their performance came a pleasant surprise: Mahlasela introduced Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu! The revered scholar shared a few messages of unity:

“Africa is the cradle of humanity so we welcome you home! We are all Africans!”

While introducing a tribute to Nelson Mandela, Mahlasela shouted, “Viva Madiba!”

Colombian singer Juanes followed with a duet of "La Paga," featuring fellow Latino Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas. A few “Viva Mexico!”s later, and Juanes premiered his new single, “Yerbatero”! After that performance, he's sure to gain a few thousand more fans!

After his set, Juanes shared this message with fans, via Twitter:

"WOW!! My head and my heart are flying right now, so many many thanks to God and to all of you."

The highly anticipated performance by Alicia Keys was nothing short of spectacular. Her loose fitting clothes, possibly worn to hide a few extra pounds (and baby bump), were quickly forgotten as Ms. Keys transitioned us through her career of smash hits.

Starting with “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart,” she took us back to her first album, Songs in A Minor, singing “Fallin'” with a live band to give it that extra soulful effect. The real crowd-pleaser was “Empire State of Mind Part II” where, a few times, she replaced the word “New York” in the lyrics with “Africa,” “Jo-Burg,” and “World Cup”. Thumbs up for adapting to the crowd!

At the end, she transitioned into a song with Blk Jks and then they took over the stage. It was “Crazzy!,” just as she described it would be on Twitter:

"Check this video of this super sick group BLK JKS - "Molalatladi" http://youtu.be/_p39dhBLK1U I'm performing with them at World Cup. CRAZZY!"

Closing the show was the performance we've all been waiting for: Shakira!!!

She started “Hips Don't Lie” as a ballad and ended it as a dance extravaganza. A Wyclef look-alike assisted on the song and to be honest, we couldn't tell the difference! With dreadlocks, reminiscent of the old Wyclef, and a voice that was a mirror image, we couldn't be certain that Jean wasn't backstage with a broken ankle mouthing the words!

What really brought the roof down was “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” The stage was filled with what seemed like, everyone that won the “Waka Waka” dance contest, and the energy really made the song come alive.

“Jubulani,” translating to “rejoice” in Zulu, is not only the official name of the 2010 World Cup Ball, but describes the emotion evoked from today's ceremony. There were moments of tears from hearing stories of resilience, and moments of joy as we witnessed people from all walks of life come together in celebration.

According to a correspondent for MTV News, the concert closed with an image of worldwide musical solidarity as all the artists came onstage to sing Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People." Fireworks streaked the sky as the stars signed off from Joburg.

Team Blogamole is definitely looking forward to the next World Cup concert! In the meantime, don't miss any of this year's action: follow our very own Carlos Santos' exclusive videos and behind-the-scenes reports!

What was your favorite moment from the 2010 World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags 2010 World Cup, Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, Concert, FIFA, Juanes, recap, Shakira, show