'We Stand for Africa': the music behind Africa Cup of Nations

The tournament features reigning champions Algeria and traditional favourites Egypt

Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations 2021 football tournament in Cameroon on January 9, 2022. AFP

The Africa Cup of Nations kicked off on Sunday to a new rhythm.

Held in Cameroon and featuring reigning champions Algeria and seven-time champions Egypt, the tournament has two official songs to soundtrack the event.

By the time the 28-day football bonanza is finished, viewers at home and on the stands won't be able to get the tunes out of their heads, such is the frequency they are played on the stadium speakers on match days and daily television broadcasts.

With so much exposure at hand and the risk of annoyance high, let’s take a look at the songs and whether they measure up.

‘Fous de Foot’ by Africa Smile

The competition surrounding this track began well before the tournament commenced.

Instead of directly commissioning a specific artist, the Cameroonian football authorities opened submissions to the public in order to discover fresh new voices.

The music and dance collective Africa Smile was chosen with Fous de Foot, an English and French track loosely translating to "crazy about football".

Sunny and vibrant, the song does the neat trick of highlighting the cultural diversity of the continent by showcasing Cameroon's own multiculturalism as an example.

The music video features dance performances linked to Cameroon's various ethnic groups including the Duala and Beti.

“Inside and outside the stadiums in unison we celebrate a proud people... admiring all the prowess that are made in Cameroon,” the group sing.

The song was performed at the Africa Cup of Nations opening ceremony on Sunday.

‘We Stand for Africa’ by Salatiel

When it comes to sporting anthems, the message is as important as the melody.

The track not only needs to sound great, but represent the values associated with the tournament.

The Africa Cup of Nations not only celebrates the continent’s sporting dynamism on the pitch, but its sheer diversity through the 24 countries in competition.

We Stand for Africa scores a goal in achieving both aims.

A whopping 24 artists, representing all competing countries, collaborated on a multilingual track including English, French and Arabic, with the last supplied by Egyptian singer Hakim.

Produced by Cameroonian singer-songwriter Salatiel, the lilting melodies are joyous while undercut with weariness.

We are in a pandemic, after all, and Africa suffered significantly as a result.

The power of We Stand for Africa lies in its clear-eyed tribute to the continent’s resilience and optimism in the face of hardship.

Sierra Leonean crooner Emmerson Bockarie sums it up best when he sings the verse: “With a heritage and spirit that never dies, the African dream will always survive.”