SONY MUSIC AND FIFA ANNOUNCE LIVE IT UP AS THE OFFICIAL SONG FOR 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP RUSSIA™
WILL SMITH, DIPLO, NICKY JAM AND ERA ESTREFI
COLLABORATE FOR FIFA WORLD CUP SINGLE
Toronto, ON – May 23, 2018 – Today, Sony Music and FIFA announce Live It Up as the Official Song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, set to be released on multiple streaming platforms on Friday, May 25th. Live It Up sees the biggest names in global music collaborate, for the biggest event in the world of football, where the sport’s most celebrated stars from across the world will come together in Russia for the tournament commencing on June 14th.
World-renowned Grammy Award-winning actor, songwriter and rapper, Will Smith, has teamed up with one of Latin’s most iconic names, and Latin Grammy Award winner, Nicky Jam, and the rising pop sensation, Era Istrefi, for the Official FIFA World Cup Song. The record has been produced by songwriter, DJ and Grammy Award winning producer Diplo, commenting, “I’ve never made a song this international, so many stars have come together to make a strong vibe.”
The Official Song will be performed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final on July 15th in Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to an expected TV audience of more than one billion. The Official Music Video will be available worldwide on June 7th.
About the collaboration, Will Smith commented, “It’s an honour to be asked to perform at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This global event brings people from all over the world together to cheer, laugh and experience magic. Collaborating with Nicky, Diplo and Era on this track represents harmony, eclectic flavours and genres coming together. At the end of the day, we just want to see the world dance!”
Nicky Jam, Will Smith and Era Istrefi recently filmed the official music video in Budapest, where Smith is currently shooting his latest film.
Istrefi says, “Being part of the Official Song 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ has been an incredible and exciting experience so far. Working alongside the super talents that are Diplo, Will Smith and Nicky Jam, all of whom I have huge admiration for, has been amazing and so much fun! I’m a huge football fan too and I can’t wait for the games to begin.”
Reggaeton heavyweight Nicky Jam shared his excitement on set, stating, “To record the Official Song for the FIFA World Cup is a lifetime achievement. Not many artists have the privilege of being able to say they’ve been part of this. I’m so proud and happy, I can say to my grandkids ‘I’ve made it’.”
Philippe Le Floc’h, FIFA Chief Commercial Officer, says, “The synergy between football and music is striking, both stirring up fans’ emotions across the globe. This song – featuring a world-class line-up worthy of the greatest show on Earth – embodies the excitement, the celebration and the unity that people all over the world will share during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.”
Afo Verde, Chairman & CEO Sony Music Latin Iberia, says, “Sony Music has had a longstanding relationship with FIFA spanning well over one decade. When discussing the Official Song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the objective that both organisations agreed on was a great record supported by an all-star line-up. We are very excited that Will Smith, Nicky Jam, Diplo and Era Istrefi are part of the song and working hand in hand with FIFA and our artist community in providing the soundtrack for the biggest event in the world.”
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalogue that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.
About Nicky Jam
Nick Rivera Caminero, known as Nicky Jam, is recognized around the world as a pioneer of Latin urban music. Born in 1981 in Boston, as a boy he moved with his family to Puerto Rico. At the age of 11, he recorded his first album Diferente a Los Demás (Different From the Rest), which attracted the attention of DJs and artists on the island. As a young adult, Nicky Jam quickly rose to the top of his genre with radio hits including Yo No Soy Tu Marido (I'm Not Your Husband), Me Voy Pa’l Party (I'm Off to the Party), Fiel A Tu Piel (Faithful To Your Skin) and La Combi Completa (The Complete Combination) among others. He toured the world and became one of Latin urban music’s first international stars.
Just as he was enjoying his hard-earned accomplishments, his life took a 180-degree turn. Finally, after three years out of the limelight, Nicky Jam performed a show in Colombia. With discipline and hard work he began to make up for lost time. He soon decided to move to Colombia to rebuild his career. In 2012, he created a low-budget music video that went on to rack up over 15 million views on YouTube. In 2013, he debuted his renewed persona and returned stronger than ever. He notched five radio hits: Piensas en Mí (You Think About Me), Curiosidad (Curiosity), Juegos Prohibidos (Forbidden Games), Voy a Beber (I'm Going to Drink), and the global hit, Travesuras (Mischief). Travesuras was Nicky’s international comeback hit after a 10-year absence from the charts. It peaked at #4 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs. His social-media following grew 3,000 percent by late 2014, making him one of the genre's most talked-about and respected artists.
In February 2015, Nicky Jam teamed up with Enrique Iglesias to release El Perdón (Forgiveness), his most internationally acclaimed single to date. Tallying over 1 million YouTube views on the day of its release, El Perdón was #1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs charts for 30 weeks (second longest-running single in the chart’s history). In January 2016, Nicky released Hasta el Amanecer, which also became the biggest Latin song of the year. The single was #1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs for 18 weeks, which was the longest run of 2016. The official music video reached 100 million views in the first month, averaging over 3 million views per day. In fact, the top Hot Latin Songs Track of 2016 belongs to Nicky Jam’s Hasta El Amanecer. It also scored the No. 1 year-end spot on the Latin Airplay, Latin Pop Airplay, Latin Rhythm Airplay, Latin Rhythm Digital Song Sales, and Latin Digital Song Sales charts. 2017 became another remarkable year for Nicky with the release of his single, El Amante (The Lover), his first album in 10 years titled Fénix, and his big-screen debut on Vin Diesel’s film XXX: Return of Xander Cage.
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