Sanjoy: 'I Want to Take Bangladesh to the Best Place in the World'
Sanjoy Deb, a now part of global icon thanks to Fifa World Cup stage performance. Photo: Collected.
Even though Bangladesh is not on the World Cup football field, young Bangladeshi-origin DJ and music producer Sanjoy Deb has raised the country's profile on the World Cup stage through his music. Last Friday at 11:30 PM Bangladesh time, at the BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, his captivating performance was enjoyed by audiences around the globe. The way he represented Bangladesh on the world stage was also quite unique.
Sanjoy chose a unique concept to introduce Bangladesh to the world — his jacket. He wore a red jacket featuring the red-and-green flag, the Royal Bengal Tiger, and the water lily (Shapla) flower design. Although his original plan was to wear a Bangladesh jersey on the World Cup stage, he came up with this creative idea after discussions with his team to present the country differently. The outfit was styled by Jasmin Patel, designed by Chhaya Kumar, and the embroidery was done by John Kim.
In a recent interview about representing Bangladesh uniquely on the world stage, when asked what kind of cooperation he received from FIFA, Sanjoy said: "I have received a lot of support from FIFA. They have been very helpful. They loved my story, and they love the people of our country."
When asked how he reached the World Cup stage, Sanjoy replied: "We wanted to make a song. Around that time, I was introduced to Nora. We were working on the song 'Titimaa.' Nora asked me what kind of music I like. I told her I really like sports anthems. After hearing everything, Nora said, 'We could make a song for the World Cup.' That's where it started. We made a song for FIFA, sent it to them, and FIFA really liked it." And that was how his journey to the global stage began.
When asked whether he would be seen at any event in Bangladesh, Sanjoy said: "Definitely. I always want to support Bangladesh. I want to take Bangladesh to the best place in the world."
When asked, "Argentina or Brazil?" Sanjoy skillfully avoided the question, as he didn't want to create division among his fans.
After representing Bangladesh on the world stage, Sanjoy is overwhelmed by the love from his fans back home. Expressing gratitude to everyone, Sanjoy said he wants to move forward together with everyone.
It is hoped that this journey, which began on the global stage, brings Sanjoy even closer to fulfilling his dreams.
Sanjoy produced and released the official World Cup soundtrack song. During his live performance, he went viral by wearing a custom jacket embroidered with the Royal Bengal Tiger and the national flag colors to proudly showcase his Bangladeshi heritage "SIIR SIIR" alongside Bollywood star Nora Fatehi and French hip-hop artist Vegedream.