Organisers of the FIFA pre-kickoff celebration concert, taking place at Orlando Stadium on Thursday, have promised the ceremony will be nothing short of the party of the decade.
This, as some of the top names in the music industry arrived in South Africa this week ahead of the concert.
Several of the top international artists who will be performing were paraded at Soccer City Stadium on Wednesday much to the excitement of the fans who went there to catch a glimpse of the likes of the American band, the Black Eyed Peas. The concert will be broadcast to millions of viewers worldwide and it's the first of this magnitude to be organised by FIFA.
The artists who lined up the pitch at the iconic Soccer City Stadium included popular United States R&B singer John Legend, Nigeria's Angelique Kijo, the Black Eyed Peas, South Africa's own Vusi Mahlasela, Freshly Ground, Lira, the Soweto Gospel Choir and rock band the Parlotones. Alicia Keys and Hugh Masekela could not make it to the field as they were still busy with their rehearsals.
Legend, known among female fans as "The love legend" described the feeling of performing at the concert associated with Africa's first soccer world cup as "a dream come true" for him. "I'm very excited. Iit's hard to describe the feeling, you know. The great thing about music is that it brings people together. Music is a universal language and sports are universal and it's only fitting that we do this concert," Legend said.
Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas is also thrilled to be in South Africa and the audience is sure to swoon at the stunning Fergie. "We love football and we love music and coming here means so much to us; it means the world," he said.
Freshly Ground's Zolani said the group had been working very hard in the past few weeks and have promised a stunning performance to drive the Orlando Stadium wild. "It's going to be fantastic. We are so looking forward to do the collaboration with Shakira in our own country. It’s going to be wonderful," said Zolani.
Meanwhile, Head of FIFA TV division, Nicolas Maingot said the world football body has commissioned several players who will act as presenters during the concert. The concert starts at 4pm with a live broadcast for television stations worldwide scheduled to start at 8pm. - BuaNews
