“FIFA really has become a musical sport,” said Corson, a panelist on Gol: the Making and Marketing of the Music for the World Cup at the 25th Annual Billboard Latin Music Conference and Awards in Miami, Fla. “We can’t imagine the game without music. The goal here is to have big hits.”
For Brazilian-born singer/"X factor" finalist David Correy, who has recorded more than 20 versions of “The World Is Ours," Coca-Cola's 2014 World Cup anthem, including collaborations with Latin stars Carlos Vives and Wisin, the song was more than a chance to have a smash hit -- it’s the “greatest opportunity of my life.”
“It’s like this is a ladder and this is just one step,” said Correy, who released “I Am," an album which features Wyclef Jean, earlier this year. “If you believe in me now, I promise you will believe in me 10 to 15 years from now.”
While “One Love, One Rhythm”, the 2014 World Cup official album released next month, stays the course with Brazilian-infused beats reminiscent of the music heard all over the host country. The record includes danceable tunes, such as Shakira’s “La La La," along with a powerful testament to hanging onto hope and believing in yourself: Sony’s “Super Song” contest, conceived by EA Music Group president Steve Schnur, gives a young songwriter the chance to pen a song for megastar Ricky Martin.
“I believe there’s a beautiful message in the music [for the World Cup],” said Colombian pop star Carlos Vives, who recalls using drums as a kid in Santa Marta to liven up the stands at soccer matches.
“At the end of the day, we all speak the same language," he says. "It’s a clear message on how futbol brings us all together, and not even our language barriers can stand in the way of all of us coming together. Futbol is like life, which is why it’s gone global so easily.”
