Award-winning producer Boi-1da says he feels “like a kid in a candy store” as some of Canada’s biggest musical names — including The Tragically Hip, Alessia Cara, Charlotte Cardin, Loud Luxury, Nelly Furtado, and Zeds Dead — join him on an ambitious FIFA World Cup-themed project designed to showcase Canadian talent and support youth soccer.
The initiative, called Perfect Pitch, will produce a special World Cup album with proceeds going to the Canada Soccer Foundation, helping fund programs that promote youth participation in soccer across the country.
“It’s going to be amazing,” said Boi-1da (real name Matthew Samuels), who is leading the project from his Pickering studio. “I’m very excited to work with all these people. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”
The Hip Give Full Access to Their Catalogue
Legendary rock band The Tragically Hip has gone all in on the project, granting Boi-1da unrestricted access to their entire music catalogue — a rare and generous gesture.
Guitarist Rob Baker said the group gave Boi-1da “carte blanche” because of their shared belief in the cause. “It’s for something we really believe in — promoting soccer in Canada and celebrating this global event coming to Toronto,” Baker said.
The Hip’s contribution could see their iconic sounds transformed in creative new ways. “He can take the guitar riff from ‘New Orleans Is Sinking’ and put it to a Jamaican dance hall track with a rap over it,” Baker joked. “Our music becomes a flavour, an ingredient — whatever he’s going to cook up.”
An All-Star Collaboration for a Global Stage
The album, scheduled for release ahead of the June 2026 World Cup kickoff, will feature original tracks, reimagined classics, and cross-genre collaborations from a who’s who of Canadian music.
Boi-1da said the creative process has been “collaborative and experimental,” with artists combining familiar Canadian sounds and global influences. “Taking something classic from The Hip and remaking it into something modern and new is one of my ideas,” he said. “It’s been an honour and a pleasure to work with them — they’re legends where I’m from.”
Music, Family, and Soccer
Baker, a longtime soccer fan and coach, said his love for the sport runs deep. His son Boris Baker, bassist for the band Kasador, played semi-professionally for Kingston United SC, and the two have attended matches together around the world — from Canadian World Cup qualifiers to European leagues.
“These days, I’m cheering for Juventus because I love Canadian striker Jonathan David,” Baker said.
Boi-1da, meanwhile, shares that passion as a soccer dad, with his teenage daughter playing in the Ontario Player Development League for Markham.
A Star Producer with Global Reach
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Toronto, Boi-1da has become one of Canada’s most successful producers, with 19 Grammy nominations and credits on global hits like Drake’s “God’s Plan” and Rihanna’s “Work.” Earlier this year, he received the 2025 Juno International Achievement Award for his contributions to Canadian and international music.
A Project that Blends Music, Sport, and National Pride
The Perfect Pitch project is a partnership between Canada Soccer and Infinity &, a Toronto-based entertainment agency. “Together, they’re helping us tell the story of our sport in a new way, one that’s truly representative of Canada,” said Samantha Rogers, Canada Soccer’s vice-president of philanthropy.
For The Tragically Hip, lending their music to support young athletes is nothing new — the band previously partnered with Rugby Canada to raise funds for the women’s national team ahead of the Rugby World Cup in England.
“This is a beautiful thing for Canada and Canadian soccer,” Baker said. “We’re proud to be part of it.”