This year’s Billboard Music Awards had a decidedly Latino feel… Not only did Jennifer Lopez become the first Hispanic artist (and woman) to win the coveted Icon Award, but the show featured several high-octane performances from Latino musicians, including Pitbull.
The 33-year-old Cuban-American rap superstar, joined by la Lopez and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte, kicked off the night with an energetic performance of their new single ‘We Are One (Ole Ola),” the official 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem.
Pitbull kicked off the perforamnce with several scantily clad dancers backing him up, then kicked it over to Lopez, whose gold-fringed outfit sparkled in the lights. Leitte finished out the song.
No surprise, the performance featured strong soccer imagery as this year’s World Cup is right around the corner.
Pitbull, Lopez and Leitte will perform the song at the World Cup opening ceremony in Sao Paulo.
But Pitbull wasn’t the only one to perform a soccer-themed song…
Ricky Martin brought a little life to the BBMAs by performing “Vida,” one of the 2014 FIFA World Cup theme songs.
The upbeat track was written by fellow Puerto Rican singer Elijah King, as part of Sony’s “Supersong” 2014 World Cup song contest.
Looking stylish in all black amongst his team of white-clad dancers, Martin tore through the soccer-themed banger, shouting out its stadium-worthy cries of ole! In between, he showed off some dance moves of his own, leaving little doubt that he’s still livin’ la vida loca.
This isn’t the first time Martin has performed a track for the World Cup. His song for the 1998 competition, “La Copa de La Vida” (The Cup of Life),” propelled him into the global spotlight, taking off after he performed it on the Grammys. It charted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, and reached No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Jennifer Lopez, meantime, proved why she’s a living icon…
The “I Luh Ya Papi” singer returned to the BBMA stage once again, this time to debut her new single “First Love,” the latest track from her upcoming album A.K.A.
JLo not only looked haute in a one-shoulder, sparkly black jumpsuit, but she belted out the tune with gusto and showed the world just how well she can dance.
Last but certainly not least, Shakira performed her latest single “Empire.”
The Colombian singer and The Voice coach lit up the Billboard Music Awards stage with a sizzling rendition of the latest single from her recently released self-titled album.
Dressed in a sheer, sparkling dress and thigh high black boots, Shakira stalked the stage complete with a cathedral-like stage set and flames blasting on stage behind her.
By song’s end she had walked into the audience chanting the song’s luminescent refrain “and the stars made love to the universe,” pausing before a blast of steam with the mic stand held high above her head.