Gospel Life

South African gospel group Soweto Gospel Choir has teamed up with international rockers U2 on a world cup project. The Grammy Award-winning groups have recorded music that will be used on sports channel, ESPN, during the FIFA World Cup.

“ESPN is thrilled to bring U2 and Soweto Gospel Choir together to tell our FIFA World Cup stories,” said Seth Ader, ESPN senior director, sports marketing.

This is not the first time the choir has worked with the popular rock band – they first sang together at the inaugural 46664 concert in 2003.

Their ESPN collaboration, which also features a live concert footage from U2’s record-breaking concert in October 2009 – will premiere on ESPN on June 11.

Ader said the collaboration will appear on every program throughout ESPN’s presentation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including soccer highlights, match and studio coverage.

ESPN’s executive producer for the month-long World Cup,Jed Drake, also said “The inspiring creative project with U2 and Soweto Gospel Choir will provide a distinctive, original voice to our coverage of the first FIFA World Cup to take place on the African continent.”

The collaboration comes hot on the heels of the choir ’s highly publicised collaboration with American platinum-selling musos , Akon and Kerri Hilson.

“By integrating this content throughout both our production and marketing efforts, we will more fully engage fans and enrich their experience of this great event,” added Drake.