The East Grinstead musician whose job involves him hanging out with Shakira in The Bahamas (Hossam Ramzy)

HANGING out in a studio in the Bahamas making music while a beautiful Columbian pop star sits cross-legged on the floor singing along will sound like a dream job to many.

But for one East Grinstead musician and composer it is a fantasy he regularly has to remind himself is, in fact, his day job.

From his studio in Eden Vale, Hossam Ramzy continues to make his mark on some of the best-known songs and soundtracks in the world.

The 60-year-old has just provided strings and percussion for pop songstress Shakira's latest single, Empire.

And although he is no stranger to working with superstars – having worked with Led Zeppelin, Sting and Ricky Martin among others – the dad-of-three still has to pinch himself.

Hossam, who lives in Eden Vale with his Brazilian belly dancer wife Serena and youngest son, Amir-Sultan, who goes to Imberhorne School, said: "I have worked with some huge names. I've worked on 12 albums with Peter Gabriel but I still never stop feeling like this. I am always standing there, outside of myself, thinking 'my goodness, look who I'm working with. Thank you universe'."

Speaking about his latest encounter with the hip-swivelling Shakira, Hossam said the half Columbian, half Lebanese singer is the consummate professional.

"She is a terrific artist. A lot of people say 'ooh you are working with Shakira, you are so lucky' but I tell them she is the best brother I have got. She never gives off the slightest impression she thinks she is beautiful. She knows what she wants and she is involved in everything."

Hossam's job is to take songs and "spice them up" with his signature Arabian style by adding extra instruments and accompaniments.

He met up with Shakira in London at the end of last year after she asked to work with him for a second time. He previously arranged the music for her single Why Wait (For Later) in 2009.

He travelled to his other studio in Cairo, which he boasts has "acoustics to rival Abbey Road", in December to record the arrangements for Empire.

When working on their first collaboration in 2009, Hossam spent several days with Shakira in the Bahamas, arranging and recording the music while she sang along.

And it seems his years of simply being the man behind the music may be coming to an end, as Hossam appears to be becoming a household name – in East Grinstead at least.

"When the film Conan came out and The Dictator with Sacha Baron Cohen [which he provided music for] a fan sent me a letter but they didn't know my address. They just wrote 'Hossam, the famous artist in East Grinstead' – and it was still delivered to me. I have finally achieved fame in West Sussex!"

http://www.eastgrinsteadcourier.co.uk/spent-days-Bahamas-Shakira-making-music-sang/story-20794585-detail/story.html#ixzz2vrWRly00