Kiyoe Yoshioka, the lead singer of pop-rock band Ikimono-gakari, has been chosen to perform the official anthem for Rugby World Cup 2019.
The anthem will be a new version of the song World in Union, which was first performed at Rugby World Cup 1991 in England by the world famous soprano Kiri Te Kanawa. Since then, the song has been featured at every Rugby World Cup, and it is typically performed by a well-known artist or group from the tournament’s host country. It has been sung in a variety of musical styles ranging from classical opera to a traditional South African male vocal ensemble.
Yoshioka stated that she was honoured to perform the theme song for the first Rugby World Cup to be held in both Japan and Asia. She mentioned that World in Union is a powerful song, and that she hopes she has been able to give it a unique Japanese interpretation.
Kiyoe Yoshioka’s version of World in Union will be the eighth consecutive time the song has been performed as the official Rugby World Cup theme song. It will be available for download internationally on October 24th, 2018, and fans can listen to a preview of the song in the official Rugby World Cup 2019 promotional video available below.
