After a year delay, the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony was held Friday (July 23). During the ceremony, musicians from around the world joined together for a pre-recorded performance of the John Lennon and Yoko Ono classic "Imagine," including John Legend and Keith Urban.
The song began with several children's choruses from Asia, who took to the middle of the mostly empty stadium, per Billboard. Several popular artists from different world regions followed for their own takes, like Angelique Kidjo representing Africa and Alejandro Sanz who was tapped for Europe. Next, it was Legend's time to represent the Americas followed by Urban for Oceania.
Sanz shared a video on Friday featuring the different performers explaining the significance of the song, especially after the last year.
"These Olympic Games are already history," he wrote on Twitter. "A cry of hope for the world we imagine, TOGETHER."
The official Twitter account for the Olympics also pointed out that this isn't the first time "Imagine" has been featured in an opening ceremony, sharing a "trip down memory lane" from several Olympic ceremonies over the years. The video includes clips from the opening ceremonies for 2012 in London, 2018 in PyeongChang, 2006 in Torino, and concludes with Stevie Wonder serenading during the 1996 Games in Atlanta.