The Toronto Raptors are back within the playoffs, and their hype videos are doing things a bit otherwise this time.
There’s no thumping bass or blaring beats within the promotional reels on social media. As an alternative, a more emotional, piano-driven rating accompanies Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett dunking and hitting fadeaways.
The person behind that sound is Toronto composer Tony Ann, whose pop-leaning neoclassical style is quickly winning over the town’s sports teams.
“I tell so many individuals my biggest inspirations and heroes are athletes. I grew up watching Vince Carter with the Raptors and Michael Jordan with the Wizards — I do know that wasn’t his prime anymore, nevertheless it was still pretty cool,” says the 32-year-old, speaking from Antwerp, Belgium.
He’s midway through a European tour that’s taken him from small towns in Switzerland to ornate concert halls in London.
“You possibly can really see the diligence, the labor, the dedication, motivation — , all of the training that they should endure. I take that into my practice and the way in which I attempt to perform my profession.”
The Beijing-born, Toronto-bred pianist was also tapped by the Toronto Blue Jays for a pump-up video during their post-season run last fall — a clip that opens with him playing the familiar “Charge!” theme on the Rogers Centre before drifting into something more intricate and meditative.
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He’s not only scoring the moment — he stars within the videos as well. The Raptors’ hype reels show Ann in a jersey at centre court in Scotiabank Arena, hammering out his dramatic track “Rush of Life” on the keys.
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The Raptors begin their playoff run Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I got to shoot some free throws. I missed all of them, nevertheless it was really cool,” Ann chuckles. “It really was a bucket list thing for me.”
He says the collaborations grew out of a conversation along with his label Universal Music Canada about his passion for sports. That led first to a partnership with Paris Saint-Germain Football Club in 2023, with a video where he showcased his piano chops at Parc des Princes stadium.
Raptors parent company Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment says it partnered with Ann to assist excite fans “regardless of their language, their age or their culture.”
“We also saw a synergy between Tony’s story of determination and labor to perfect his craft and the dedication and keenness the Raptors proceed to commit to this post-season,” says Sherry Jean, the corporate’s senior manager of digital content strategy.
His massive online presence could have been an element, too — he boasts greater than three million Instagram followers. Ann broke out in 2017 after a video cover of a Chainsmokers song caught the EDM duo’s attention and earned him a spot of their touring band. Since then, he’s built a global following via a modernized tackle classical music and an instinctive feel for what lands online.
“I’d never categorize my music in the identical world as 1800s artists like Beethoven and Chopin. That’s true classical music. I’m really closer to the world of pop music,” he says.
“The harmonies are quite simple. The melodies are a bit easier to grasp and digest. I’m probably not attempting to impress musicians by throwing a bunch of chords in my music simply to sound smart.”
He notes his more accessible approach appeals to a younger crowd: “After I look out on the stands, I see a whole lot of kids or people my age.”
Being fluent in social media also helps.
Ann’s #playthatword series routinely goes viral on TikTok and Instagram, with the pianist improvising original melodies based on words suggested by fans. Next week, the Raptors will release a video featuring him taking up the challenge with the word “Raptors.”
He says the team gave him some guidelines for the piece: “They wanted it to be energetic, exciting, something that was optimistic, something that sounded hopeful.”
What Ann ended up creating, he adds, is “something fast-tempo, uplifting and form of like EDM.”
“Raptors basketball has a whole lot of high-paced intensity …. I just desired to create something that matched with the atmosphere. I didn’t wish to create something that felt like a breakup ballad.”
Ann had a conscious uncoupling of his own a couple of years ago — after years of living in Los Angeles pursuing music, he decided to maneuver back to Toronto.
“I missed the seasons,” he says.
“Toronto’s at all times going to be a really special place for me. After I see a Canadian flag there’s definitely some feelings of emotions, because that is my home.”
As for his feelings on the Raptors’ matchup versus the Cavaliers?
“Raptors in six,” he says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press