Lyrics and music composed for the anthem of the African Football League
The Africa of football creates its own champions teams cup, the African Football League, and chooses Henoel Grech to compose the anthem.
Text and music are completely the creation of the Turin artist. The result is a fresh, innovative, danceable work, with traits of that 7/8 so dear to the composer and a mix of voices and instruments all of the highest level.
The hymn starts solemnly with the choir sung by the Pro Ars Choir directed by maestro Sasho Tatarchevski, then the entry of typically African sounds and rhythms, masterfully expressed by the FAME’S Project orchestra directed by maestro Oleg Kondratenko: a hundred elements for a group based in Macedonia that includes the best musicians in the world and is often involved in the realization of the soundtracks of the best film. The parts are joined by the splendid solo voice of Spirit-T, Cameroonian singer, born Rinus Ngwang Nformi: young and mature voice, powerful and delicate, traditional and modern at the same time. The text is articulated along the hymn in three different languages: Swahili, French, English.
Fundamental in all phases the orchestration and arrangement of Stefano Proietti, precious in the electronic parts and in post-production the work of Giovanni Cannarozzo. The contractual aspects were taken care of by a legal team – composed of lawyers Emanuele Tedesco and Lorenzo D’Attilia – coordinated by lawyer Francesco De Sensi who, in the interest of Henoel Grech, also took care of the discussions with the CEO of AFL.
The anthem, entitled “African Football League Anthem”, transports the listener on an emotional journey through the challenges and victories that characterize the spirit of the participants in the competition: it was conceived, right from the start, with the aim of creating something that could merge European cultured symphonic music with the percussive and melodic art of the African tradition: solemn themes and electronic music, inserted in an orchestral and rhythmic context that finds its roots in the twentieth century and in the contemporary.
The energy of the choir, the melodic-harmonic strength and the dancing rhythm have the ambition to overcome any type of label, hoping to excite and bring the listener into a language understood by all, trying to give the right direction to the players who will participate in this competition: the result is an engaging melody, combined with powerful lyrics, which is destined to become a real anthem of enthusiasm and determination.
“AFL sports competition represents one of the most important moments in the African sporting landscape, and it has been an honour for me to have the opportunity to create the official anthem – said Henoel Grech -. I tried to capture the energy and passion surrounding this event in every note and in every word and for this reason I looked for young, fresh collaborators, full of the typical energy of the African continent. The recording in Macedonia in early September, in particular, was a unique emotion for me: working with an orchestra of this level and taking care of the details for each musician was an exciting challenge and at the same time a great personal satisfaction. I hope that the anthem can become a symbol of strength and determination for all those who will participate and follow this competition”.
The anthem will be available at digital stores around the world.
Savi Carlone – Press Office Henoel Grech
