Who is Purahei Soul? Meet the Paraguayan national anthem singer for 2026 World Cup opening ceremony

The national anthem is a storied tradition that every country treats a little differently. Some fans silently salute while others cheer and sing along with glee. 

For Paraguayan fans, watching on as their team faces a host country in the United States, they'll have Purahei Soul singing the anthem. They will be opposite Dan + Shay, performing the anthem for the United States. 

The announcement was made on June 9. Many Paraguayan fans speculated that Mailina and Mili Hicks may be performing the anthem, but these two were unable to participate, according to the Asuncion Times.

Here is what to know about the Paraguayan duo's appearance on a global stage. 

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Who is Purahei Soul?

Purahei Soul is a music duo consisting of Jennifer Hicks Enciso and Miguel Narvaez, who originally formed the group while they were college classmates in a jazz seminar. The group's musical style combines Latin folk with soul and jazz. Many of their songs also incorporate Guarani, the traditional language of a local Indigenous group in Paraguay. 

While the core group is a vocalist duo, they often add extra band members for larger performances. Their top song, Desapego, has over five million listens on Spotify. 

Many Americans watching the game may not be familiar with Purahei Soul, but they have gained national acclaim in Paraguay. At the 2026 Propya Awards, Paraguay's awards ceremony for the national music industry, Purahei Soul won the top award, Artist of the Year. 

Purahei Soul released their debut album in 2018, with songs in Guarani, Spanish and English. Since their debut, the group has toured across the world, including stops in the United States, Japan and Germany, among others. 

Now, the Paraguayan group gets the chance to show their music on an international stage. 

MORE: Full list of World Cup 2026 opening ceremony performers, from Shakira to Katy Perry

Purahei Soul net worth

There is no information currently known on the duo's net worth, due to a lack of public records for private artists. 

Lyrics to Paraguayan national anthem

The national anthem is in Spanish, primarily focusing on the nation's overcoming of oppression.

Lyrics in English:

The peoples of the Americas, unfortunately,
Were oppressed for three centuries by a scepter
But one magnificent day surging forth,
"Enough!", it said, and the scepter was broken.
Our fathers, grandiose in battle,
Showed their martial glory;
And after smashing the august diadem,
The triumphal cap was raised.

Paraguayans: Republic or Death!
Our spirit gave us liberty
Neither oppressors nor slaves exist
Where union and equality reign,
Union and equality

.A new Rome, the Fatherland shall proudly display
Two leaders of name and valor
Who, rivals, like Romulus and Remus
Divided government and power.
These long years when, during which Phoebus in the clouds
Saw darken the pearl of the South,
Today a grand hero appears
Raising up again her glory and virtue...

Europe and the entire world to her
Gives salutes and also acclaimations
To that invincible bastion of heroism,
The magnificent Eden of riches.
(But) when discord rumbled all around
Which fatally devoured other Peoples,
Paraguayans, the sacred ground
Was covered by an angel with its wings.

Oh, how pure, of laurel girded
Sweet Fatherland, in this manner you show yourself.
In your ensign one sees the colors
Of sapphire, diamond, and ruby.
In your coat of arms, which the Sun illuminates,
Under the cap, one sees the lion.
Double image of the strong and the free,
And of glories, the memory and crest.

From the tomb of vile feudalism
The national Deity rises free;
Oppressors, bend your knees!
Compatriots, entone the hymn!
Sound the cry, "Republic or death"!
Our breasts exhale it with faith,
And the mountains repeat its echoes
Like giants arising in the land.

Our Fatherland defends liberty and justice;
So tyrants: listen!
The laws in its sacred charter
Will sustain its heroism in the fight.
Against the world, if the world opposes it,
If the world dares to insult her security,
Battling to avenge we shall know her
Or die embracing her.

Arise, oh People, your splendid sword
That strikes with sparkles of God,
There is no middle ground between free or slave
And an abyss divides the two.
In the gentle breezes the Hymn resounds,
Repeating with triumphal echo:
For the free, renowned glory!
For the Fatherland, immortal laurel!

Lyrics in Spanish:

A los pueblos de América, infausto
tres centurias un cetro oprimió,
mas un día soberbia surgiendo,
"¡Basta!" —dijo, y el cetro rompió.
Nuestros padres, lidiando grandiosos,
ilustraron su gloria marcial;
y trozada la augusta diadema,
enalzaron el gorro triunfal.

Paraguayos, ¡República o Muerte!
nuestro brío nos dio libertad;
ni opresores, ni siervos alientan
donde reinan unión e igualdad,
unión e igualdad.

Nueva Roma, la Patria ostentará
dos caudillos de nombre y valer,
que rivales —cual Rómulo y Remo—
dividieron gobierno y poder.
Largos años —cual Febo entre nubes—
viose oculta la perla del Sud.
Hoy un héroe grandioso aparece
realzando su gloria y virtud...

Con aplauso la Europa y el Mundo
la saludan, y aclaman también;
de heroísmo: baluarte invencible,
de riquezas: magnífico Edén.
Cuando entorno rugió la Discordia
que otros Pueblos fatal devoró,
paraguayos, el suelo sagrado
con sus alas un ángel cubrió.

¡Oh! cuán pura, de lauro ceñida,
dulce Patria te ostentas así
En tu enseña se ven los colores
del zafiro, diamante y rubí.
En tu escudo que el sol ilumina,
bajo el gorro se mira el león.
Doble imagen de fuertes y libres,
y de glorias, recuerdo y blasón.

De la tumba del vil feudalismo
se alza libre la Patria deidad;
opresores, ¡doblad rodilla!,
compatriotas, ¡el Himno entonad!
Suene el grito: "¡República o muerte!",
nuestros pechos lo exhalen con fe,
y sus ecos repitan los montes
cual gigantes poniéndose en pie.

Libertad y justicia defiende
nuestra Patria; tiranos, ¡oíd!
de sus fueros la carta sagrada
su heroísmo sustenta en la lid.
Contra el mundo, si el mundo se opone,
Si intentare su prenda insultar,
batallando vengar la sabremos
o abrazo con ella expirar.

Alza, oh Pueblo, tu espada esplendente
que fulmina destellos de Dios,
no hay más medio que libre o esclavo
y un abismo divide a los dos.
En las auras el Himno resuene,
repitiendo con eco triunfal:
¡a los libres perínclita gloria!,
¡a la Patria laurel inmortal!