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French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy sings alongside former Eurythmics musician Dave Stewart to commemorate Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday - Source: ONE News
French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy sang at a concert in New
York to commemorate Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday - the first time
she has sung in public since marrying French President Nicolas
Sarkozy.
Dressed in black trouser suit, Bruni-Sarkozy strummed guitar
alongside former Eurythmics musician Dave Stewart as they performed
a duet on Saturday night, singing a slower version of Bob Dylan's
Blowin' in the Wind while the French president smiled and clapped
sitting in the audience.
"It's not very good for dancing but very good for dreaming," the
41-year-old former model said before launching into her French hit
Quelqu'un m'a dit (Someone told me) that left the crowd
whooping.
The concert held at New York's Radio City Music Hall also
featured such prominent artists as Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah
and disco queen Gloria Gaynor as well as African artists, including
Baaba Maal.
Besides Franklin, some of the biggest applause came when Cyndi
Lauper paired up with American rapper Lil' Kim to sing Time After
Time, while Alicia Keys and African artist Angelique Kidjo swirled
their hips singing Afrika.
Stevie Wonder was joined on stage for the finale by all the
concert's performers and actors including Morgan Freeman, Forest
Whitaker and Susan Sarandon singing Wonder's hit Happy Birthday
while the Soweto Gospel choir sang throughout the three-hour
concert.
Mandela, who is very frail, was not at the Mandela Day concert as
he has been advised he should no longer travel internationally but
he delivered a video message.
"Our struggle for freedom and justice was a collective effort.
Mandela Day is no different," he said.
"It is our hope that people will dedicate their time and effort
to improve the conditions within their own community."
President Barack Obama also delivered a message via video, saying
Mandela's life taught people to have courage.
"From New York to Cape Town, people are celebrating this
extraordinary man," Obama said.
"The story of his life can be summed up in Nelson Mandela's own words, 'It always seems impossible until it's done.'"
