TMU alumna behind the new Toronto remix for FIFA World Cup 26™

When Toronto takes the global stage as a FIFA World Cup 26™ host city, it will do so to the sound of music created by one of its own. Hill Kourkoutis, Image Arts ’10, an award-winning producer, songwriter and filmmaker, was chosen to remix the official FIFA World Cup 26™ theme to reflect Toronto’s vibrant, multicultural spirit.

“It was an exciting project,” Kourkoutis said. “I love this city immensely. Toronto has been a muse of mine throughout the years with its many neighbourhoods and ethnic enclaves.”

Kourkoutis drew inspiration from the city’s diverse music scene and the globally recognized “Toronto Sound,” blending grit and vibrancy to capture the city’s energy. The result is an anthem that reflects Toronto’s multiculturalism and community spirit, which Kourkoutis says is key to its identity.

Her impressive resume doesn’t stop there. In 2022, Kourkoutis became the first woman to win the JUNO Award for Recording Engineer of the Year. She’s worked as a producer, mixer and songwriter with artists like Aysanabee and Digging Roots, and has accompanied artists like Serena Ryder and The Weeknd as a multi-instrumentalist. She has also written and produced songs for children’s TV shows like Remy and Boo and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, while mentoring and teaching audio production on the side.

Reflecting on her time at TMU’s The Creative School, Kourkoutis said it played a key role in shaping her career.

“It was a valuable time for me to explore and come into myself,” she said. “I quite literally applied the skills I learned in the Image Arts department in my career as a music video director.”

With a career as dynamic as her music, Kourkoutis’ remix of the FIFA World Cup 26™ theme is just another milestone in her journey — and a proud moment for TMU.

Check out the Toronto Theme x FIFA World Cup 26™ (external link, opens in new window)  by Hill Kourkoutis on FIFA’s YouTube channel.