Johannesburg – In a bid to rally behind the Springboks at the 2023 Rugby World Cup currently under way in France, Spotify has launched rugby and sports-focused playlists.
The global music streaming platform’s rugby-focused playlist is titled Rugby Musiek and its description translates to ‘Here comes the ref’.
“Only the best rugby songs consist of rugby-themed and patriotic songs while the pan-African sports playlist Locker Room consists of South African sports and rugby classics, as well as international sports anthems,” Spotify explained.
It added that the creation of the playlists comes as rugby has always had a special place in South African hearts. The Springboks won their first Rugby World Cup in 1995, as a newly formed democracy under its first black president, the late Nelson Mandela. Meanwhile, François Pienaar, the captain of the Springboks at the time, and Mandela set a precedent for race relations in South Africa and beyond, when the former president presented the William Webb Ellis trophy to Pienaar with the world watching at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, Spotify said.
The historic moment is depicted in the film ‘Invictus’, starring Tony-nominated actress Leleti Khumalo.
In addition, years prior to the Rugby World Cup, Ellis Park Stadium played host to one of the most historic music concerts staged at the stadium,
“The Concert in the Park featured white and black performers, which was not a norm in those days,” Spotify said.
The late musician, Johnny Clegg, whose song ‘Impi’ is part of the two newly launched Spotify playlists, was part of the line-up.
“(The) Rugby Musiek cover features prominent Afrikaans music artists Ruhan du Toit, Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth’s wife Anlia Star, Robbie Wessels, and Karlien Van Jaarsveld,” Spotify said.
“Their song, ‘Saam Suid-Afrika’, a song dedicated to the defending champions, leads the Rugby Musiek playlist. Springbok star Makazole Mapimpi covers the Locker Room playlist led by Early B and Justin Vega’s ‘Back Die Bokke’.”
Spotify added that the Rugby Musiek and Locker Room playlists include the well-known and most popular Rugby song, ‘Hie’ Kommie Bokke’ by the decorated South African filmmaker Leon Schuster, and ‘Siya Kolisi’ by Robbie Wessels, in a fitting ode to the current South African national rugby team captain.