World Cup Glory: Who Is EJAE?
From K-pop composer to Netflix animation star to World Cup official anthem performer—meet EJAE, the Korean-American artist who just made history singing alongside Andrea Bocelli at FIFA's 2026 opening ceremony in Mexico City.
Who Is EJAE?
Ahead of the Mexico vs South Africa game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Korean pop sensation EJAE, whose real name is Kim Eun-jae, performed alongside famous Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli for the World Cup's official song.
As a songwriter and record producer in the Korean entertainment industry, the talented K-pop artist is known for creating hit songs and albums for some of the biggest artists, including Red Velvet, Aespa, TWICE, and others.
In the past year, she became widely recognized for taking up lead roles in the groundbreaking movie K-POP: Demon Hunters and singing several songs featured in the popular movie, most notably "Golden," which got EJAE several Academy, Grammy, and Golden Globes nominations and awards.
"DNA": Genre-Fusion Official World Cup Anthem
At the FIFA World Cup 2026, "DNA," which was created by Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Grammy Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion, global DJ and producer David Guetta, and Korean-American singer-songwriter EJAE, will be used as the official anthem.
The song incorporates various styles of music, similar to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where three nations serve as hosts (the USA, Mexico, and Canada), with 48 teams competing in 16 cities.
EJAE wrote lyrics in Korean, which are an unusual feature of the FIFA World Cup official songs, but still very popular among K-pop fans.
A Historical Performance At Estadio Azteca
EJAE joined Andrea Bocelli at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony at Estadio Azteca stadium in Mexico City in performing the official anthem "DNA."
The opening ceremony started with the parade of flags representing each of the 48 participating nations ahead of an entirely occupied Estadio Azteca.
EJAE commented on the historic event saying: "It is an honor to be one of the performers of the Official FIFA World Cup Anthem. Even more, it was an honor to create Korean lyrics for this amazing song. Representing South Korea on this platform means everything to me."
