SOUTH AFRICA: Grammy-winning artist Estelle kicks off month long music festival in Cape Town in celebration of World Cup

Record ID: 453317

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Grammy-winning artist Estelle kicks off month long music festival in Cape Town in celebration of World Cup
  • Date: 14th June 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GRAMMY-WINNING ARTIST ESTELLE SAYING: "This time around, it's been an eye-opener. People have been roaming the streets from like, eleven o'clock this morning, so you know, I don't even what to feel about that - I thought I was a partier, but they get down."
  • Embargoed: 29th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABVL11ADXJ5PLTZKIWTC3M6R5V
  • Story Text: Grammy-winning artist Estelle kicked-off a month long music festival in Cape Town on Friday (June 11) to celebrate the World Cup.
    The British R&B songstress headlined the first day of the "Cool Britannia" fest in the 'Mother City' which also hosted the evening match on the first day of the world's biggest sporting event.
    "I'm a big football fan from London, obviously, so -- I'm a ? - so it was like hell yeah, I'll be out there. Let's go do it," Estelle explained about the decision to fly to South Africa and sing for only one night.
    Performing her first ever concert in the country, the singer was impressed by the stamina of the fans and revelers in the city.
    "Insane. The energy's all electric. People are all losing their minds. The streets have not stopped blowing their horns," Estelle said about the football fever in the city.
    The singer, no stranger to sporting events, also performed on night in Canada during the Winter Olympics this year.
    "It's good, though. I mean I love it. It's great to see it come to a country like South Africa, and it's great to see people so united and so happy in the same vein."
    It's good, though. I mean I love it. It's great to see it come to a country like South Africa, and it's great to see people so united and so happy in the same vein."
    The concert series provides an indoor venue for fans to watch all the games of the World Cup and then jam to musical acts into the early morning hours. Thousands packed Cape Town's exhibition center after the France-Uruguay match to hear the artist perform her award-winning music, as well as new material from an upcoming album.
    Estelle, an avid football supporter from London, felt swept away by the spirit and energy of the tournament.
    "This time around, it's been an eye-opener. People have been roaming the streets from like, eleven o'clock this morning, so you know, I don't even what to feel about that - I thought I was a partier, but they get down," she described.
    Though born in the U.K., the artist currently lives in the United States. However, one day ahead of one of the biggest games of the group stage, USA versus England, Estelle confirmed her sporting heart has but one loyalty.
    "I'm England all day. That's my allegiance. I can't say . . . I've seen the USA play. As much as I love you guys. I'm going for England. I have to root for England."," she declared, before happily breaking into a supporters chant.
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