While Sachem North graduate Joe Scally was grabbing headlines for the United States on the pitch at this year’s FIFA World Cup, another Sachem alum is helping shape the tournament’s soundtrack.
Singer, songwriter and producer Jon Bellion, a 2009 graduate of Sachem North, is among the acclaimed writers behind “Dai Dai,” one of the official anthems of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The song, performed by global superstars Shakira and Burna Boy, also features contributions from Ed Sheeran and has become the first FIFA World Cup song ever to reach No. 1 globally.
Bellion recently celebrated the milestone on social media, sharing a photo of himself fishing with Sheeran while reflecting on the journey behind the project.
“Thank you to Shakira for trusting me to be a part of this record, and to Burna Boy for bringing it to life alongside her,” Bellion wrote. “Writing this alongside Shakira, Ed Sheeran, Ahmed Saghir, and Alexander Castillo Vasquez has been a very full-circle moment for me. It’s also hard to express my excitement around everything we’ve been working on the past few months together.”
Bellion has long been recognized as one of the music industry’s most respected songwriters and producers. Throughout his career, he has written and co-produced music with an impressive list of artists, including Katy Perry, Eminem, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, Maroon 5 and many others.
Congratulations to Jon on another remarkable career achievement. Keep making Sachem proud!