Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)

"Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" is a song by Colombian singer Shakira, featuring the South African band Freshlyground. Co-written by Shakira and Co-written, composed and produced by John Hill, it was released on 7 May 2010 by Epic Records as the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which was held in South Africa. Released in English and Spanish (with the title "Waka Waka (Esto es África)"), the song samples the original Cameroonian song "Zamina mina (Zangaléwa)" by Golden Sounds and the lyrics encourage one to aim for their goals like a soldier on a battlefield. It received generally favourable reviews from critics. However, the selection of Shakira to sing the song generated controversy after numerous South Africans expressed disappointment in FIFA's decision, arguing that a native artist should have been assigned the role. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" peaked at number one on the record charts of numerous countries worldwide and was the most successful song of 2010 in seven countries. In the United States, it peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over one million units in the country. The single attained multiplatinum certifications in several countries, including diamond certifications in Brazil, France, Germany and Sweden. As of 2019, "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" had sold 15 million downloads worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time. "Waka Waka" is considered the anthem of the World Cup. The music video for "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was directed by Marcus Raboy and shows Shakira and a group of dancers and children dancing to the song together. It features cameos by various footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. It became popular on YouTube, receiving more than 3.4 billion views as of February 2023 and becoming the 21st-most-watched video of all time on the site. Shakira performed the song at the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony on 10 June as well as at the closing ceremony on 11 July. It was also included on the set list of her The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–11) and El Dorado World Tour (2018). Background and release