"A Tale of Two Voices: The Unwanted Transformation of Tate McRae into Shakira"

In the summer of 2024, the vivacious Canadian artist, Tate McRae, finds herself in a bewildering event. Born on the 1st of July, 2003, Tate, at the age of 21, stands at 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. Her hair blocked in bluish-grey hues slides down to her shoulders in easy waves, reflecting her cool and edgy personality. Her piercing green eyes, always brimming with emotions, stare out nervously into the thousands of spectators sitting in front of her. Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she’s the daughter of Tanja Rosner and Todd McRae. She is dressed in a chic black ensemble: a simple, fitted balmain t-shirt tucked into an Alexander McQueen leather pencil skirt with metallic Doc Martens boots, indicative of her alternative style. On the other side of the stage, there mysteriously appears the Columbian sensation, Shakira. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, born on February 2, 1977, is a representation of agelessness at 47. She stands 5 feet and 2 inches tall, with a healthy weight of around 119 pounds. Her trademark blonde hair rests past her shoulders, her eyes a brilliant sparkling hazel. Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira is the only child of Nidia Ripoll Torrado and William Mebarak Chadid. Dressing in line with her iconic 2006 fashion, she is seen in a characteristic mini sequined skirt paired with a haltered metallic top, and her feet are adorned in a set of strappy golden Sergio Rossi heels. The opening chords of Tate's song, "You Broke Me First", begins to echo through the stadium. Her voice, generally holding an information-rich pop alto tone begins to drift into the distinctive timbre of Shakira’s contralto. Mid-verse, her voice slips from the lyric, "Maybe you don't like talking too much about yourself..." and morphs into Shakira’s hit, "Beautiful Liar”, where Tate continues, “I trusted him, but when I followed you, I saw you togeter…” Her voice resonates Shakira’s melody, while her Canadian accent salt-and-peppers the tune with a new flair, often nudging the words in a playful Colombian tinge. Suddenly, the audience around her starts to morph, their outfits and hairstyles reflecting that of a 2006 crowd, overwhelming Tate with confusion and nostalgia. The beats of “Beautiful Liar” augmented as Beyonce, in her full glory and glamour, materializes on stage. The crowd lets out a euphonious cheer, while Tate glances around, swallowed by confusion and fear. Deep inside, her longing to revert, swells. She isn’t Shakira, nor does she want to be. She is Tate McRae, a unique and distinctive artist herself. But the music continues. As she helplessly spouts out the next lines, “I diden't know about you then 'til I saw you wit him when, yeah…,” her words drip with Shakira’s accent, adding a Colombian flavor to the unfolding spectacle. In shock, Tate covers her mouth with her hand, her green eyes shining with an unspoken plea. "I'm not comfortable being Shakira," she mumbles, hoping there might be a way to turn back into her true self, the wildly talented Tate McRae.