The Hip, Nelly Furtado collaborating with Pickering producer to create Canada’s World Cup soundtrack

When Canada Soccer went looking for the perfect music ambassador to create the defining soundtrack of the country’s entry in the 2026 World Cup, they looked to a perfect pitch producer from Pickering to unite some of the country’s most celebrated and emerging artists.

The project is called Perfect Pitch, the creative director is Grammy-winner BOI-1da (pronounced Boy Wondah) and the result is an album – What if it all goes right? – set for release this Friday, with proceeds benefiting the Canada Soccer Foundation to fund grassroots programs to ensure “every young Canadian has a place in the game.”

The Perfect Pitch program spans generations, genres and regions, bringing together artists from The Tragically Hip, Nelly Furtado, Alessia Cara, Charlotte Cardin, Jessie Reyez and City and Colour, and many others – 16 in all, with BOI-1da given access to the Hip’s extensive catalogues and provided the opportunity to fulfill his own dreams on collaborations with other music stars like Furtado and Jessie Rayez.

Electric Circus – a collaboration between Furtado and BOI-1da, is the first song from the upcoming album and was released April 10.

Tryna Win (BOI-1da, Northside Benji) was up next on April 17, followed by the release of a brand-new version of the Hip’s classic Ahead by a Century, with BOI-1da, City & Colour and Ruby Waters, on April24.

Three more songs came out this month: We Come to Bleed (BOI-1da, Zeds Dead, Ardn) on May 8, and The Alchemist (Johnny Orlando, Ekkstacy, BOI-1da) and Born Winner (AP Dhillon, FRVR Friday, Joe Gez) – both on May 29.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Boi-1da said earlier this spring. “I’m very excited to work with all these people. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”

Canada didn’t have an official song during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, though Started from the Bottom by Toronto hip-hop legend (and frequent BOI-1da collaborator) Drake became the team’s unofficial locker room track.

The ambitious new music project will be released as Canada Soccer’s official soundtrack for the FIFA World Cup, five days before the tournament kicks off.

Canada opens the tournament June 12 in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina.