ICC Launches All-new Anthem By Grammy-winning Composer Lorne Balfe Ahead Of T20 WC
The three-minute-long anthem will make its debut in next month's T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA during the opening match between the USA and Canada in Texas on June 1.
"This iconic piece of music will serve as the new sonic brand of the ICC to be played at all matches, encapsulating the dynamic spirit of the sport across its diverse formats of Test, One-Day and T20 international cricket. As a strategic brand asset, the aural piece will serve to reinforce the ICC’s identity around the globe," the ICC said in a release.
Recorded at the illustrious Abbey Road Recording Studios in London, the unique score will serve as a unifying, auditory experience for cricket fans across the world. The anthem has been designed to celebrate the rich tapestry of cricket culture, creating a visceral experience for fans across ICC event’s various platforms as well as in-venue and on broadcast, it added.
Emphasis was put on utilising a variety of orchestral instruments, cricket equipment, and in-game sounds, to create a rousing and awe-inspiring soundscape, fostering a sense of anticipation before the start of play, triumph at the end of matches and celebration in the moment of an eventual trophy lift.
Some of Balfe's most recent film and television credits include Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1, Life on Our Planet narrated by Morgan Freeman, Black Adam, Luther: The Fallen Sun, Top Gun: Maverick and Black Widow.
Balfe is delighted to spearhead this landmark project which will be a legacy piece for the game of cricket, he said: “It’s been a great experience working with the ICC and composing the new anthem. It’s an anthem of unity and the goal was to echo the spirit of every boundary crossed and wicket taken in this wonderful, timeless sport!"
ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: "We are delighted to share this special project with the world. This new sonic brand identity has been in the works for some time and the process of getting to the final product has been as intricate as the music piece itself. We are proud to have a sonic logo that matches the visual work that takes place both on and off the field.
"The music will serve as an auditory expression of our sport’s unique nature of nation versus nation competition and the significance of World Cup events. Our objective is for it to bring cricket top of mind whenever it is heard and will take listeners on the journey of highs, lows, anticipation, and triumph that the sport is well known for.
"It has been a delight to partner with COOL Music Ltd who has led on this project to bring the passion of cricket and music together."