Raptors tap pianist Tony Ann for playoff videos - BERITAJA

The Toronto Raptors are backmost successful the playoffs, and their hype videos are doing things a small otherwise this time.

There’s nary thumping bass aliases blaring thumps successful the promotional reels connected societal media. Instead, a much emotional, piano-driven people accompanies Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett dunking and hitting fadeaways.

The man down that sound is Toronto composer Tony Ann, whose pop-leaning neoclassical style is quickly winning complete the city’s sports teams.

“I show truthful galore group my biggest inspirations and heroes are athletes. I grew up watching Vince Carter pinch the Raptors and Michael Jordan pinch the Wizards — I cognize that wasn’t his premier anymore, but it was still beautiful cool,” says the 32-year-old, speaking from Antwerp, Belgium.

He’s midway done a European circuit that’s taken him from mini towns successful Switzerland to ornate performance halls successful London.

“You could really spot the diligence, the difficult work, the dedication, information — you know, each the training that they request to endure. I return that into my believe and the measurement I effort to transportation retired my career.”

The Beijing-born, Toronto-bred pianist was besides tapped by the Toronto Blue Jays for a pump-up video during their post-season tally past autumn — a clip that opens pinch him playing the acquainted “Charge!” taxable astatine the Rogers Centre earlier drifting into thing much intricate and meditative.

He’s not conscionable scoring the infinitesimal — he stars successful the videos arsenic well. The Raptors’ hype reels show Ann successful a jersey astatine centre tribunal successful Scotiabank Arena, hammering retired his melodramatic way “Rush of Life” connected the keys.

The Raptors statesman their playoff tally Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I sewage to sprout immoderate free throws. I missed each of them, but it was really cool,” Ann chuckles. “It really was a bucket database point for me.”

He says the collaborations grew retired of a speech pinch his explanation Universal Music Canada about his passion for sports. That led first to a business pinch Paris Saint-Germain Football Club successful 2023, pinch a video wherever he showcased his soft chops astatine Parc des Princes stadium.

Raptors genitor institution Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment says it collaborated pinch Ann to thief excite fans “no matter their language, their property aliases their culture.”

“We besides saw a synergy betwixt Tony’s communicative of determination and difficult activity to cleanable his trade and the dedication and passion the Raptors proceed to perpetrate to this post-season,” says Sherry Jean, the company’s elder head of integer contented strategy.

His monolithic online beingness whitethorn person been a factor, excessively — he boasts much than 3 cardinal Instagram followers. Ann collapsed retired successful 2017 aft a video screen of a Chainsmokers opus caught the EDM duo’s attraction and earned him a spot successful their touring band. Since then, he’s built an world pursuing via a modernized return connected classical euphony and an instinctive consciousness for what lands online.

“I would ne'er categorize my euphony successful the aforesaid world arsenic 1800s artists for illustration Beethoven and Chopin. That’s existent classical music. I’m really person to the world of popular music,” he says.

“The harmonies are very simple. The melodies are a spot easier to understand and digest. I’m not really trying to impressment musicians by throwing a bunch of chords successful my euphony conscionable to sound smart.”

He notes his much accessible attack appeals to a younger crowd: “When I look retired astatine the stands, I spot a batch of kids aliases group my age.”

Being fluent successful societal media besides helps.

Ann’s #playthatword bid routinely goes viral connected TikTok and Instagram, pinch the pianist improvising original melodies based connected words suggested by fans. Next week, the Raptors will merchandise a video featuring him taking connected the situation pinch the connection “Raptors.”

He says the squad gave him immoderate guidelines for the piece: “They wanted it to beryllium energetic, exciting, thing that was optimistic, thing that sounded hopeful.”

What Ann ended up creating, he adds, is “something fast-tempo, uplifting and benignant of for illustration EDM.”

“Raptors hoops has a batch of high-paced strength …. I conscionable wanted to create thing that matched pinch the ambience. I didn’t want to create thing that felt for illustration a breakup ballad.”

Ann had a conscious uncoupling of his ain a fewer years agone — aft years of surviving successful Los Angeles pursuing music, he decided to move backmost to Toronto.

“I missed the seasons,” he says.

“Toronto’s ever going to beryllium a very typical spot for me. When I spot a Canadian emblem there’s decidedly immoderate feelings of emotions, because this is my home.”

As for his feelings connected the Raptors’ matchup versus the Cavaliers?

“Raptors successful six,” he says.

This study by BERITAJA was first published April 18, 2026.