Fans go loca for Shakira

Abu Dhabi: Colombia's favourite pint-sized warbler wowed crowds in Abu Dhabi Friday night with her unique South American blend of pop, Middle Eastern influences and raunchy and risqué dance moves.

After her first appearance in 2008, Shakira was back in the UAE, playing to a packed arena at the Yas Arena. Her hips didn't lie as she drove her fans wild with routines that combined moments of pure cheese together with more sensual moves.

And yet this too was a more mellow Shakira. Although she burst onto the stage with two upbeat crowd-pleasers, she then eased into flamenco-inspired numbers backed by violins and guitars, including her celebrated song Gypsy.

This was a conscientiously more intimate concert too, with an extended stage designed so that Shakira could perform in the heart of the arena. This also hinted at a return to the style of Shakira's early albums, with a series of ballads in her mother tongue.

However, with Shakira, the tranquillity can never last long. Predictably, underneath her clothes was a different story. The flowing, gypsy skirt was ripped off to reveal a provocative bra-top and tight black leggings, as she belly-danced her way through tracks from her newest album, Sale el Sol.

And the top didn't last long either, as it was popped open mid-sway to reveal a tight garment that matched her skin tone. Her eye-catching costumes were matched by background visual effects that left the crowd not knowing quite where to stare.

It is easy to see why she already has two Grammy awards to her name, along with countless others, and is said to have sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. She may just have turned 34, but she has lost none of her energy. She powered through one-and-a-half hours on stage of pure entertainment.

If any criticism were to be levelled, it might be a nagging suspicion that some of the vocals were pre-recorded. However, no one could perform with that enthusiasm and pace for 90 minutes and be guaranteed to hit each note live.

Fans want Shakira for the whole entertainment package. Which is unquestionably what they were treated to on Friday night.

And for those who left before her encore, they missed the best of the show: Two spectacular versions of Hips don't lie and Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

This was Shakira showing that she has a huge repertoire, that she has a new direction for her music with new hits like Loca, but equally that she hasn't forgotten her past successes that still have the power to electrify a packed stadium.

This was a dazzling show that was hard to fault.