As the countdown until the Esports World Cup 2025 Opening Ceremony gets closer and closer, more news is trickling in about what the massive event will feature. The latest news is the artist line-up and the Song of the Year for the Esports World Cup 2025.
The Song of the Year is ‘Til My Fingers Bleed,’ a collaborative song featuring Dino from Seventeen, Duckwrth, and Telle Smith from The Word Alive. The song is a blend of genres and cultures, bringing in sounds and energy to represent the world’s largest esports events.
Many of the artists have previous ties to esports events and gaming collaborations, including Telle Smith’s work on the 2018 League of Legends Worlds anthem with The Word Alive’s ‘Rise.’
Fans can listen to the song now, with the official lyric video already up on YouTube:
The song itself was written and produced by T.Ma, Alex Karlsson, G.E.M, Ateez, and Jared Lee (Duckwrth). Alex Karlsson and T.Ma are known for their work with BTS.
‘Til My Fingers Bleed’ is a part of EWC Music, a new initiative from the Esports World Cup Foundation to create a new musical identity for the esports event. This includes original tracks, live performances, and more.
Others featured with EWC Music are ‘Ascension (Alesso Remix), which is a remix of the Esports World Cup’s orchestral theme.
The artists featured on the Song of the Year will all be a part of the Esports World Cup Opening Ceremony, including the previously announced headliner, Post Malone. Several of the artists and other people at the Esports World Cup Foundation shared their thoughts. The first of these is Mike McCabe, the Chief Operating Officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation:
“At its heart, the Esports World Cup is a global celebration of community – where gaming, creativity, and culture converge on the world’s biggest stage. EWC Music, our official song, and the Opening Ceremony help define the identity of the tournament. They reflect the spirit of shared passion and the connective power of music and esports, setting the tone for an unforgettable summer and celebrating how music can elevate competition and deepen fans’ emotional connection to the sport.”
Ariel Horn, the Executive Producer of the Esports World Cup Foundation, shared in the excitement:
“From day one, the Esports World Cup has been created as a global stage for gaming culture across all genres. Each artist on ‘Til My Fingers Bleed’ brings a unique sound that connects with players, whether they’re into sports, fighting, or action games. We’re excited to see how players and fans pick this track up around the world and hope they will embrace it.”
Telle Smith shared thoughts on ‘Til My Fingers Bleed’:
“Gaming has been a part of my life for as long as music has, so getting to bring a genre bending song to a global stage like this feels surreal. I’m honored to share the moment in Riyadh with Duckwrth and Dino, I think fans all over the world will love ‘Til My Fingers Bleed’.”
Additionally, the Executive Creative Director at EWC Music, Viranda Tantula, shared a bit about the vision of the track:
“Music is a universal language, and this is something it shares with gaming. What inspires us at this intersection of music and esports is the opportunity to shape new sounds for a truly global audience. We’ve always been drawn to creative experimentation, and with ‘Til My Fingers Bleed’, we wanted the collision of genres and international artists to reflect the same global mix of games and players that defines the Esports World Cup. The whole team has poured their hearts into this project, and we hope the community, k-pop, hip-hop, and rock fans feel the energy in both the track and the show.”
The Esports World Cup 2025 Opening Ceremony will take place on July 10, 2025.
