Shakira
After postponing her El Dorado tour for seven months due to vocal problems, Shakira finally hit the road last week with an athletic, hip-shaking show that encompassed more than 20 years of hits.
It’s the star’s first tour in seven years, after taking time out to start a family with her partner, Spanish footballer Gerard Pique.
Footage from the opening night in Hamburg showed the 41-year-old looking overwhelmed, clasping her hands to her chest as she acknowledged her long journey back to health.
“Last year was one of the most difficult times of my entire life,” she tells the BBC from Amsterdam. “Being back on stage has been so emotional.”
With the tour hitting London next week, the Colombian star took time out from her schedule to chat about how she’s stopped being narcissistic – and whether she understands the offside rule.
You had to postpone the tour because of a vocal haemorrhage. How bad was it?
It was actually more than a haemorrhage. It was like a vascular lesion. So you can imagine, there were times when I doubted I would ever be in front of a crowd again singing my songs.
Did you need surgery?
Miraculously, and contrary to everything the doctors predicted, I recovered naturally. They all foresaw surgery, but the lesion disappeared completely from my vocal cords.
That really is a miracle.
I remember praying. I had forgotten to pray for a while, but when you go through hardship you suddenly recover your faith! I was promising God if I could ever use my voice again, I would celebrate every night – and that’s what I’m doing.
-BBC