{"id":14236,"date":"2026-06-11T17:08:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T17:08:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14236"},"modified":"2026-06-11T17:08:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T17:08:26","slug":"the-secrets-behind-a-memorable-world-cup-anthem-from-shakira-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14236","title":{"rendered":"The secrets behind a memorable World Cup anthem, from Shakira and more"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By MARIA SHERMAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 What makes a memorable World Cup anthem? Is it a song that best reflects the host countries? Is it a global banger, incorporating multiple languages and genres? Or should it simply value a chant-along chorus above all?<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s an argument to make for each \u2014 or perhaps all. To get to the bottom of it ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, The Associated Press asked a few of the performers behind World Cup songs past and present. It\u2019s a list that includes Shakira \u2014 who, alongside Afrobeats star Burna Boy, is responsible for the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, \u201cDai Dai\u201d \u2014 as well as Colombian singer J Balvin, Wyclef Jean and newcomer Nora Fatehi.<\/p>\n

Shakira unites cultures<\/h4>\n

Before \u201cDai Dai,\u201d the Colombian superstar co-wrote and performed \u201cWaka Waka (This Time for Africa)\u201d featuring Freshlyground, the official anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cF\u00fatbol is a thing that unites so many cultures and people of different walks of life,\u201d she told the AP. \u201cThe big responsibility of making a World Cup song is that you\u2019ve got to make a song that represents people\u2019s feelings, emotions, and passion.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019ve got to write that song, in a way, understanding that it has to be global. It has to encompass so many cultures and represent so many in one tune,\u201d Shakira continued. \u201cThat, in a way, has helped me craft those songs in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

But beyond those conceptual ideas, Shakira has some specific sonic suggestions as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like a good World Cup song needs to definitely have rhythm. It has to be rhythmic. It has to make people want to dance. And it has to be an anthem as well. It has to make people want to sing along in unison, sing out loud at the top of their lungs. It also has that kind of energy,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s a must.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

J Balvin makes the case for a hook<\/h4>\n

Colombian singer J Balvin is one-fourth of Coca-Cola\u2019s official song for the FIFA World Cup 2026, a reimagination of Van Halen\u2019s \u201cJump\u201d that also features drummer Travis Barker, pop\/R&B singer Amber Mark and guitarist Steve Vai. He says any song \u2014 not just a World Cup anthem \u2014 must engage listeners right off the bat.<\/p>\n

\u201cNowadays, with the music and every type of music \u2014 it doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s the World Cup, if it is a reggaeton or hip-hop (song) \u2014 you know, people\u2019s attention (span) is only like five seconds. And that\u2019s the reality. I\u2019m not judging \u2014 you\u2019ve just got to do it with all the love,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

But a World Cup anthem specifically? That should match the intensity of a soccer game. \u201cF\u00fatbol brings us together, with all different highs and lows,\u201d he says. \u201cAll these different emotions happen in one game.\u201d The song should have the same energy.<\/p>\n

Newcomer Nora Fatehi thinks World Cup anthems are for winners<\/h4>\n

The Canadian Moroccan singer-songwriter Nora Fatehi is featured on the official 2026 FIFA World Cup album with \u201cSiir, Siir,\u201d a collaboration with French artist Vegedream and Bangladeshi American DJ Sanjoy.<\/p>\n

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\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt needs a great beat because we\u2019re here to dance and we need to celebrate,\u201d she says of a World Cup anthem.<\/p>\n

But beyond that, Fatehi, who is best known for work in Bollywood films, says that when you hear it, \u201cYou feel like you\u2019re winning, or you\u2019re gonna win, or you won. That\u2019s the emotion it needs to evoke.\u201d<\/p>\n

For \u201cSiir, Siir,\u201d she says, \u201cwhat we were after was finding an emotion. So, the minute you hear that song, it should make you feel like you\u2019ve conquered the world. It should make you feel motivated. It should be aspirational. That\u2019s what it should feel like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wyclef Jean aims for unity<\/h4>\n

Wyclef Jean, the Fugees multi-hyphenate, co-wrote and performed \u201cDar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)\u201d for the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, with guitar guru Santana, the late EDM icon Avicii and Brazil\u2019s beloved singer-songwriter Alexandre Pires.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe topline? It has to electrify the stadium,\u201d Jean says. \u201cYou literally have to feel the entire stadium shaking.\u201d If you don\u2019t \u2014 the anthem won\u2019t fly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know any World Cup song that don\u2019t have amazing rhythm and amazing movement,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Though many nations are represented in the identity of his song\u2019s performers \u2014 Brazil, Sweden, Haiti, Mexico and the U.S. \u2014 Jean says he doesn\u2019t \u201cthink like necessarily you need to have five different artists to make a global anthem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether they come from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, America, any part of the world, the Caribbean \u2014 people gravitate towards culture,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd what I love best about World Cup is that before it has a language, it has an energy and a vibe. It has absolutely nothing to do with a language.\u201d<\/p>\n

A good hook, a strong melody that anyone can sing along to \u2014 that\u2019s what\u2019s key.<\/p>\n

But \u201cDar um Jeito\u201d has a strong message of unity, adding to its anthemic quality. \u201cResilience is a very important word,\u201d he says of the song\u2019s message. Jean says it was written for \u201cboys and girls all over the world,\u201d particularly those in rural areas.<\/p>\n

The aim was a Bob Marley-style \u201cGet Up, Stand Up,\u201d \u201cwhere the messaging in the song is not being preachy, but it\u2019s a message of hope,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you keep fighting the good fight, you\u2019re gonna get to that stadium. And ain\u2019t nobody gonna stop you.\u201d<\/p>\n

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AP World Cup coverage: <\/em>https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/fifa-world-cup<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What makes a memorable World Cup anthem?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14235,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer"],"yoast_head":"\nThe secrets behind a memorable World Cup anthem, from Shakira and more - Silicon Valley Moving Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14236\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The secrets behind a memorable World Cup anthem, from Shakira and more - Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What makes a memorable World Cup anthem?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14236\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-11T17:08:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=14236#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=14236\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7\"},\"headline\":\"The secrets behind a memorable World Cup anthem, from Shakira and more\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-11T17:08:26+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=14236\"},\"wordCount\":1006,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=14236#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/6dbe14a498517977d9f942d04b104cd1.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Soccer\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=14236#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=14236\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=14236\",\"name\":\"The secrets behind a memorable World Cup anthem, from Shakira and more - 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