‘We Are The People’: UEFA EURO 2020 anthem is out

It was a well-kept surprise by Dutch DJ Martin Garrix. When Sony Music Netherlands released the official UEFA EURO 2020 song, ‘We Are The People’ by Garrix, featuring Bono and The Edge, on May 14, U2 fans worldwide were elated. This is the closest they could get to the legends’ concert.

After more than a year of anticipation, the track is now available to stream and download via all digital service providers. The song is accompanied by an official music video starring all three artistes which has more than two million views so far on YouTube alone.

The track was in the making for three years, and Garrix had felt from the early stages of the creative process that Bono’s vocals would be the perfect fit for ‘We Are the People’. His vision came to life when both Bono and his U2 bandmate The Edge agreed to feature in the song.

The collaboration evolved further with Bono writing the lyrics and creating melodies and The Edge adding the leading guitar riffs, resulting in a perfect blend of the signature sounds of all three artists.

“Creating the music for one of the biggest sports events in the world together with Bono and The Edge has been an incredible experience. I’m very proud of what we did together and excited to finally share it with the world,” said Garrix in a statement.

‘We Are The People’ reminds us that a song can look at the challenges facing the world at a given time and still attempt a unified response. It is a hymn sheet from which we can all sing wherever we may come from. ‘We Are The People’ hopes to reflect the positivity, hope and determination required for any team to succeed, as well as offer a sense of togetherness that fits the theme of UEFA EURO 2020: Unity.

For the first time in the UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 history, the tournament is being played across the continent in 11 host cities instead of one country. This includes Amsterdam, Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, Saint Petersburg and Seville, with the first match kicking off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on June 11, 2021, where Turkey will face Italy.

The final will take place at Wembley Stadium, London on July 11, 2021. The EURO 2016 was held in France.

Next to the official track, Garrix has also produced the official walkout and broadcast music for the tournament. Released on his 25th birthday on May 14, the song is a testament to his impressive march through the ranks of the music industry so far. Every UEFA EURO Championship since 1992 has had an official song with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Simply Red, and Enrique Iglesias providing the tournament’s soundtrack in the past.

“The long wait is almost over and we are delighted to officially unveil the official song for UEFA EURO 2020 ‘We Are The People’, which features some of the world’s most celebrated artists in Martin Garrix, Bono and The Edge,” said UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.