FIFA and Sony select Shakira song as FIFA World Cup 2010 Official Song

April 27th, 2010 - 7:45 pm ICT by BNO News  

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) — FIFA and Sony Music Entertainment on Tuesday announced that Waka Waka (This Time For Africa), written and co-produced by global superstar Shakira, has been chosen as the Official Song of the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The song will be performed by Shakira together with South African artist Freshlyground at the Closing Ceremony before the FIFA World Cup Final on July 11 in Johannesburg Soccer City Stadium.

The song combines Afro-Colombian instrumentation and rhythms with a rousing Soca beat and Southern African guitar. The chorus borrows from a favorite Cameroonian marching chant made popular by the group Golden Voices.

The song will be launched on April 28, 2010 and made available for download through digital retail outlets the week of May 11. It also will be included on “Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album” to be released the week of May 31 by Sony Music Entertainment.

A Spanish language version of the track, Waka Waka (Esto es Africa), will be made available in certain markets.

Proceeds from the album will benefit FIFA’s “20 Centers for 2010″ initiative, whose aim is to achieve positive social change through football by building twenty Football for Hope centers for public health, education and football across Africa, and other African charities.

In addition to her performance at the final match, Shakira will be one of the headline performers at the official FIFA World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert on June 10, broadcast from Orlando Stadium in Soweto/Johannesburg South Africa.

The video for Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) will be available in mid-May in standard definition as well as in 3D.

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