Katy Perry releases ‘Rise,’ a new Olympic television anthem
Those familiar timpani drums and blaring horns — the opening lines to “Bugler’s Dream” — will have to make room for another sort of Olympic anthem.
NBC has announced that a new song written by Katy Perry will be used “at strategic times” during its 6,755 hours of multi-platform coverage at the 2016 Summer Games.
“This is a song that’s been brewing inside me for years, that has finally come to the surface,” Perry said in a statement. “I was inspired to finish it now, rather than save it for my next album, because now more than ever, there is a need for our world to unite.”
The song, titled “Rise,” makes its debut online, in television ads and in theaters during the weeks before the opening ceremony on Aug. 5.
“Her music and message speak directly to the spirit of the Olympics and its athletes,” said Jim Bell, an NBC executive producer.
“Bugler’s Dream” and a John Williams composition have been predominant Olympic anthems on American television for decades. NBC said both will still be used in telecasts from Rio de Janeiro next month.
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