Nikki Webster performs her iconic hit Strawberry Kisses during Matildas ceremony – as players Sam Kerr and Mackenzie Arnold dance and sing along
Nikki Webster’s 2001 hit song Strawberry Kisses has become the unofficial anthem of the Matildas’ 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup team.
On Sunday the pop star, 36, serenaded the Australian players with her famous song at Riverstage in Brisbane during an official ceremony honouring the team for finishing fourth in the highly-publicised tournament.
Nikki, who shot to fame in 2020 after performing at the Sydney Olympics, was in her element as she got up close with the athletes while belting out the lyrics in front of thousands of fans.
The Matildas were on stage for close to an hour as their enormous sporting success was honoured, when out of nowhere Nikki showed up to perform for them.
The players were thrilled by her appearance and began dancing jubilantly together, with star striker Sam Kerr and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold even sharing the microphone with Nikki at times.
Nikki Webster performed her iconic hit Strawberry Kisses during an official Matildas celebration ceremony at Riverstage in Brisbane on Sunday, following the team’s semi-final loss to Sweden in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. (L-R: Nikki Webster, Sam Kerr)
The Matildas looked over the moon to be able to finally relax after a gruelling finals campaign, which saw them finish fourth after losing to Sweden on Saturday.
Fans quickly took to Twitter to gush over seeing Webster serenade the team.
‘What better way to celebrate the Tillies than a performance by Nikki Webster herself,’ one fan wrote, asanother added: ‘This is so iconic I’m crying’.
Nikki was in her element as she serenaded the Australian players – all of whom got right into the performance by dancing and singing along
It comes after Nikki made a shocking confession about her signature Strawberry Kisses tune.
Last week, the former child star said she receives no royalties for the song, which reached No.2 on the ARIA chart.
Appearing on 2DayFM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin breakfast show on Wednesday, Nikki explained that since she did not write the song she was not entitled to any income from sales.
She also added the memorable music video, which features a 13-year-old Webster dancing with an animated robot – was the most expensive film clip ever made in Australia at the time.
The Matildas were on stage for close to an hour as their enormous sporting success was honoured, when out of nowhere Nikki showed up to perform for them
After host Erin Molan asked whether Webster was entitled to any of the Strawberry Kisses profits, the beloved Aussie star replied: ‘Well, no, it’s recoupable back to the record company for the money they invested in you as an artist.’
Nikki also joked the hit’s song writers were ‘very happy’ with her at the moment, as Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold had recently revealed Strawberry Kisses was one of the team’s favourite tunes.
Released in June 2001, Strawberry Kisses was written by Jeff Franzel, Andy Marvel, and Marjorie Maye, and spent a whopping 14 weeks on the ARIA chart.
It comes after the Matildas goalie, Mackenzie Arnold revealed that Strawberry Kisses was the song the team played before kick off.
‘I don’t know where that’s come from. I think actually it was [Matilda] Steph Catley’s favourite song and now we’ve all jumped on the wagon,’ she said last week.
The players were thrilled by her appearance and began dancing jubilantly together, with star striker Sam Kerr and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold even sharing the microphone with Nikki at times
The Matildas looked over the moon to be able to finally relax after a gruelling finals campaign, which saw them finish fourth after losing to Sweden on Saturday
