Will Smith sings with Colombian band Bomba Estereo

Miami, Oct 4 (IANS/EFE) American actor and rapper Will Smith is singing again, this time doing a remix of his number "Fiesta" with Colombian band Bomba Estereo.

Missing from the music world for 10 years, Smith returns with the Colombian band doing an upbeat fusion of electro-tropical sound and rap that reflects "the impact of Latin rhythms" on the international scene.

"Having a personality like Will Smith, who after so many years away from music wants to sing with a Colombian group, says a lot about how Latin rhythms are permeating international entertainment," the founder and instrumentalist of Bomba Estereo, Simon Mejia, told EFE.

The collaboration has been in the works since the "Men in Black" actor visited Colombia with salsa star Marc Anthony last June.

According to Mejia, Smith "fell in love" with the mash of gaitas, African sounds and electronics that identify the Colombian band and "he chose it out of several" as his springboard back into song.

"We still can't believe what's happening. It was not obvious to anyone that Will Smith would decide to return to music," said the Colombian artist, who admitted he had agreed with colleagues Liliana Saumet and Julian Salazar that they wouldn't work with anyone else until they found "an interesting proposal".

With "the vocals and flow of a rapper", the celeb nominated for two Oscars for Best Actor adds "something extra that gave more strength to the number" with his masculine voice, while adding "a global touch" with his vocalizing in English and Spanish, the Colombian artist said.

The Colombian artists have a lot of surprises in store with the video of the "Fiesta" remix filmed in Los Angeles, in which fans can see Will Smith the rapper reappear.

The band pioneering the "psychedelic cumbia" is on an international tour of South America, the US and Europe.

--IANS/EFE

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