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Rabat – Congolese-French rapper Gandhi Bilel Djuna, known by his stage name Maitre Gims, has been chosen to produce and perform the official anthem of the upcoming 2022 Qatar World Cup, according to Booska-P magazine.
The famous singer and writer of French pop music has already produced the World Cup anthem, with the song also featuring the Puerto Rican artist Ozuna. FIFA World Cup posted on Twitter a teaser of the song titled “Arhabo,” meaning welcome in Arabic.
A former member of the hip-hop group Sexion d’Assaut, Gims is a hit-making solo artist who has topped the French singles charts four times. He will become the first French-speaking artist to produce and perform the World Cup anthem.
Since the inaugural edition of the World Cup in 1930, every edition to date has produced an official anthem that is used in the advertising campaigns for the global tournament. The chosen songs are typically multilingual and include English, the official language of the organizing country, and other languages.
The World Cup’s official songs and anthems are an important part of the competition, as they unite and bring together football fans from across the world.
Read also: FIFA Pushes for Changes to Qatar World Cup Schedule
Most World Cup anthems were met with great success, including the “La Copa de la Vida,” meaning “The Cup of Life,” performed by Ricky Martin during the 1998 World Cup, and Carlos Santana’s 2014 World Cup anthem, “Dar um Jeito,’ meaning “We Will Find a Way.”
But the greatest success of them all has to date gone to Shakira’s Waka Waka – This Time for Africa, which has garnered more than three billion views on Youtube. Shakira’s song was the official anthem of the 2010 World Cup, which took place in South Africa.
Last April, FIFA unveiled “the first single of the multi-song FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.” Titled “Hayya Hayya,” the song was performed by singers Trinidad Cardona, Davido, and Aisha.
