Toronto is about to open the World Series with more than baseball fireworks. It’s about to open with joy.
Global music visionary Pharrell Williams will take the stage at the Rogers Centre this Friday to kick off Game 1 of the Blue Jays vs. Dodgers World Series showdown. The first World Series game played in Toronto in 32 years. And joining him is the soul-stirring, powerhouse gospel choir Voices of Fire, bringing a performance rooted in unity, celebration, and cultural connection.
This isn’t just a musical moment. It’s a statement.
Major League Baseball shared that the performance is designed to honour the “unity and togetherness” that baseball inspires. As fans from across Canada and beyond tune in, the energy in the stadium will reflect not just athletic pride, but cultural pride.
Voices of Fire will also perform both the Canadian and U.S. national anthems. For O Canada, the choir will collaborate with a local ensemble of Toronto orchestra members and guest vocalists, blending gospel, classical, and community voices into one powerful moment.
If the choir sounds familiar, that’s because many first met them on Voices of Fire, the Netflix series where Pharrell teamed up with his uncle, Bishop Ezekiel Williams, to build a world-class gospel choir in Virginia.
Their performances move with purpose, uplift, and spiritual resonance. So when they join Pharrell, known for infusing music with hope and joy (“Happy,” anyone?), expect a moment that transcends genre.
Earlier in the postseason, Pharrell and Voices of Fire performed “Are You Ready?” with a full orchestra in an empty stadium—a cinematic anthem to perseverance. Bringing that energy into a packed Rogers Centre? Electric.
And the musical spotlight continues – the Jonas Brothers are slated to appear at Game 2 as part of MLB’s ongoing partnership with Stand Up To Cancer, blending entertainment and philanthropy on baseball’s biggest stage.
Toronto isn’t just welcoming baseball fans. It’s welcoming the world.
This World Series opener is about athletic excellence, but also about cultural connection, shared celebration, and the kind of joy that brings people together regardless of where they come from.
And there’s no better soundtrack for that than Pharrell and Voices of Fire.
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