The world has 'Dai Dai', we have 'One Arena': Meet the Malayali singer behind this FIFA tribute anthem

For millions of football fans around the world, every FIFA World Cup is more than just a tournament, it's a celebration of passion, unity and dreams. While India is still waiting for its long-awaited World Cup debut, a group of Malayali musicians and die-hard football enthusiasts has come together to create One Arena, a powerful tribute to the beautiful game and a heartfelt anthem that imagines India's place on football's biggest stage.

The voice behind the song, composed by Midhun M and arranged by Vineeth Esthappan, is 18-year-old Rosanne Anthony from Kochi, whose soaring vocals have captured the attention of listeners across the globe. The music video has already crossed half a million views in less than a week, with audiences praising both its cinematic feel and Rosanne's powerful performance. She sings the chorus with the stirring lines: "The world is spinning on a single thread,
Forgetting the tears and the words we said,
Forty-eight heartbeats under one sun,
The whistle blows, and the race has begun."

A huge admirer of Shakira, whose FIFA anthem 'Waka Waka' became synonymous with the 2010 World Cup, Rosanne says she's overwhelmed by some of the comparisons fans in Kerala are making. While she insists she can never be compared to the global music icon, being called ‘Kerala's Shakira’ is a compliment she cherishes."It's a huge compliment. Shakira is definitely an inspiration to me," she says.

A song she couldn't say no to
Rosanne recalls that she was approached by guitarist Durwin d Souza who asked whether she was still doing commercial recordings for advertisements. When she first heard ‘One Arena,’ she knew she wanted to be part of it. "The track completely surprised me. It sounded like something you would hear on an international stage. The blend of melody, rap and orchestration isn't something we often hear. I instantly felt it was a song I wanted to sing." What impressed her even more was the composition itself. "It had an international standard. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but at the same time it was crafted beautifully for a Malayali audience."

Singing India's football dream
More than just a football anthem, ‘One Arena’ tells the story of every Indian footballer who dreams of representing the country at the FIFA World Cup. "The lyrics speak about the hopes, struggles and determination of an Indian footballer. One day, we hope to see our flag on football's biggest stage. That emotion really stood out to me because it speaks to every sportsperson chasing a dream," she said.
Rosanne says she felt the song was tailor-made for her. "After my recording, they apparently tried a few different singers, but the accent shifts and the rap portions were difficult to recreate. Somehow, it all came naturally to me. It almost felt like the song was tailor-made for my voice."
Her effortless transition between accents has also become one of the most talked-about aspects of the track. "People keep asking me to sing Shakira covers now," she laughs. "I've done covers before, but I don't know if I can ever do justice to her voice, so I've held back."

Global response
The team wasn't sure how the song would be received, especially since it was completed after the football season had already kicked off. But the response has exceeded all expectations. "The best part is that people from Latin America and Mexico have been listening to it. We never imagined it would travel so far. We're now hoping it crosses a million views soon."
According to Rosanne, music has always been a part of her life since the age of six, though she only began formal professional training at the age of 13. "My parents wanted me to find the right teacher before taking it seriously. They always supported me, but they waited to know if I was truly passionate about music, though I love martial arts too. By 11, they understood music was ingrained in me,” she says adding that she comes from a family of music lovers. “we grew up listening to '80s music. In many ways, I feel I'm living their dreams too," she says