Wyclef Jean Talks 2026 World Cup Performances, Upcoming 7-Album ‘Quantum Leap’ Series & Bringing Haitian Carnival to the World: ‘Feels Like We’re Chosen’
Categoria: Musica
The Grammy winner also reveals his favorite soccer player of all time.
Por Billboard | 16/06/2026
Few artists feel as synonymous with the FIFA World Cup as Wyclef Jean. Related Caribbean Up-And-Comer of the Month: Lu City Is Shaking Up the Worlds of Pop & Hip-Hop With a Saint Lucian Twist Masicka to Headline Reggae Fest 2026 Runkus Shoots for the Stars With New ‘Supernova’ Album: ‘I Started Scoring My Music Instead of Making It’ The three-time Grammy-winning hitmaker returned for his third major appearance at the global tournament, playing a pair of shows to help kick off this year’s festivities. On June 11, he teamed with Canadian folk singer-songwriter AHI to perform their new “Chosen” collaboration at the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Toronto. Less than a week later (June 15), Jean jetted to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, for a bombastic set celebrating his landmark 1997 LP, Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival . “The World Cup is an arena where we can all meet, and it’s all about the game,” Jean tells Billboard the morning after his performance (June 16). “None of the World Cup records I do are intentional; they just end up being World Cup songs. People who watch football are more into the songs that are not the big anthems, so it’s a really matter of making a song that is an anthem but doesn’t feel like one.” “Chosen” joins Jean’s two other all-time World Cup anthems: “Hips Don’t Lie,” which he performed alongside fellow World Cup staple Shakira at the 2006 closing ceremony, and “Dar um Jeito,” the official 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem he crafted alongside Carlos Santana, Alexandre Pires and the late Avicii. For Jean, someone who’s “obsessed with football” and names Pelé as his “favorite player of all time,” “Chosen” naturally meets the energy of the moment — from Cape Verde’s shocker draw with Spain to this year being Haiti’s first World Cup appearance since their 1974 debut. “It’s the year of the underdog,” he proclaims. For his NYC performance, Jean looked to the colors and characters of Haitian Carnival, bringing his culture to the world stage. Donning a New York Knicks jersey — in celebration of the team’s incredible 2026 NBA Finals victory the prior weekend — and flanked by stunning dancers dressed in eye-popping Carnival attire, Jean provided a history lesson that doubled as an all-out celebration. After beginning as a DJ set and bringing out North Carolina MC Rapsody (who appears on his forthcoming Clef Notes album) as a special guest, Jean eventually closed his performance by jumping into the crowd and performing in the middle of the euphoria. “When we talk about the world stage, we mostly talk about Trinidadian Carnival and Brazilian Carnival; Haiti’s rarely mentioned,” Jean explains. “The most unique part about Haitian Carnival is the historical figures, like the Bawon Samdi. It’s literally Haiti’s history through the form of a celebration. You can pinpoint different tribes and events like the [1791-1804] Haitian Revolution.” The Carnival theme of Mond