David NeedlemanAvril Lavigne and “Despacito” star Luis Fonsi are among the singers tapped to perform the official anthem for the Special Olympics World Games 2109, which get underway March 14 in Abu Dhabi.
The song, titled “Right Where I’m Supposed to Be,” was co-written by OneRepublic‘s Ryan Tedder and songwriter and producer Greg Wells, who’s worked on hits for Kelly Clarkson, Adele, Pink and dozens more.
“We have spent a lot of time on the lyrics and the track as we wanted it to be uplifting and inspiring without being too preachy,” Ryan says in a statement. “This is the kind of stuff I would want to hear, sitting in a stadium full of people. Fingers crossed that everyone will like it.”
During the March 14 opening ceremony, Avril and Luis Fonsi will be joined by several Arab stars to perform the song.
In a statement, Fonsi said, “When I heard this track was being done by an amazing and talented group of people, I decided I wanted to be part of it. All we want to do is have a song where people smile, dance and have a good time. At the end of the day, to me that is what Special Olympics is all about.”
More than 7,500 athletes from 190 countries will compete in the Special Olympics World Games, featuring 24 Olympic-style sports. The games are described as “the largest sports and humanitarian event of the year.”
Avril’s song “Fly” was previously the official anthem for the 2015 World Games.
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