Recorded 2010 Length 3:39 | Genre Pop, dance Composer(s) JP | |
Label Sony Music Entertainment Writer(s) Misia, JP, Francis Jocky | ||
"Maware Maware" (lit. "Spin Spin", stylized as "MAWARE MAWARE" in the Japanese markets) is a song by Japanese R&B recording artist Misia featuring M2J (a duo of Japanese DJ Muro and American singer-songwriter John Paul "JP" Lam) and French-Cameroonian singer Francis Jocky. The song is Misia's contribution to the official soundtrack of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album, released on May 31, 2010. It was the first song by a Japanese artist to be included on the standard version of a FIFA album.
Overview
"Maware Maware" is primarily sung by Misia in English. Jocky sings the bridge in Duala, one of the various languages of Cameroon. The chorus features Misia incorporating six greetings from various languages: "Hello" (English), "Konnichiwa" (こんにちは, Japanese), "Jambo" (Swahili), "Hola" (Spanish), "Bonjour" (French), and "Sawubona" (Zulu). The music video also features this greeting motif and other greetings such as "Boa Tarde" (Portuguese) and "Nǐ Hǎo" (你好, Chinese) are shown in 3D art.
The first performance of "Maware Maware" was held at a Sony "make.believe" showcase in Roppongi Hills in Tokyo on May 10, 2010. The song was later performed in another Sony showcase held in South Africa, before the Japan vs Cameroon match on June 14, 2010. The music video, filmed in 3D, premiered the following day.
"Maware Maware" was the opening song on each stop of Misia's Hoshizora no Live VI Encore 2010 International Year of Biodiversity tour. A remix by DJ Gomi is featured as a bonus track on the first pressing of Misia's twenty-fifth single "Kioku" and was digitally released as a standalone track in Japan on May 25, 2011. Misia also performed the song as one of the closing numbers on her "The Tour of Misia Soul Quest" concert tour.
In 2013, Misia released a new version of the song featuring Doudou N'Diaye Rose, used as the theme song for TICAD V.