JULY 20, 2009
Carla Bruni Sings For Mandela
First Lady Of France Performs At NYC Mandela Day Event
by Tom PryorWatch Carla Bruni & Dave Stewart's Mandela Day Performance Here
Former model Carla Bruni is best-known these days as the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, but Bruni recently reminded the world that she's more than just diplomatic arm-candy with her musical performance at a birthday celebration for Nelson Mandela, held this Saturday at New York's Radio City Music Hall.
The all-star gathering paid tribute to Mr. Mandela's 91st birthday, and included performances from such luminaries as Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Cindy Lauper and Josh Groban. While African artists Suzanna Owiyo, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Sipho Mabuse, and the Soweto Gospel Choir were on hand to represent for the motherland.
Bruni, whose career as a pop ingenue spans two surprisingly good albums, held her own against all this starpower. Paired with Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart, the first lady of France turned out a rousing version of Bob Dylan's classic "Blowin'
In The Wind" - referring to it as a song by "Another Famous Activist".
Though the "Mandela Day" event was a benefit for Mandela's 46664 Foundation, which seeks to harness the power of music for activism and education, Mandela himself did not attend, as he no longer travels internationally due to health concerns.