Joshua Aleph On ‘The ANFM Project’ by Vssl37

Exporters of Culture. Football as a Religion. Audacity as a Propeller.

One conversation with Joshua left my mind buzzing with some very real theological questions about my own heritage and so much more.

‘The ANFM Project’ created by VSSL37, featuring The Spirituals gospel choir, does more than just honour participating nations ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. This Project celebrates heritage within the UK Black Diaspora and, true to the company's name, positions itself as a ‘Vessel’ spearheading the exporting of culture and fostering progressive unity.

 In our conversation, Joshua poetically articulates the bond akin to the feeling of family ties that knits football enthusiasts and casual fans alike regardless of heritage. This is what sports such as football do best. 

He touches on the intricate ties between sport and music. Imagine finally going to a concert to hear the album or song you’ve been zealously listening to by yourself and having the shared experience of singing those songs with your favourite artist as well as other like-minded fans. Joshua points out this is the same shared emotion as progressing from watching a match by yourself to suddenly standing side by side with fellow fans in a stadium.

There’s a shared characteristic in this space that makes you feel seen, part of the family. A confidence that says, “during this tournament, here in this stadium, at this parade; I have your back”. A sentiment that closely reflects the teachings of brotherly love articulated throughout many religious beliefs. 

The Jamaica National Anthem sung by The Spirituals. Paying tribute ahead of the World Cup, this is “The ANFM Project” created by VSSL37 and gospel choir The Spirituals.

Here are some snippets to further bring to life the emotive conversation I had with Joshua about this campaign.

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Where better to start from than the beginning. Can you talk to me about what sparked this project?

As a team there’s a shared conviction that we need to do the work we want to see. We can’t be dependent on verification from brands or partnerships before we start working. Let’s put our resources where our mouths are if we truly believe in the message we’re sharing.

Looking specifically at the Afro-Caribbean diasporic culture, we take up so much space within the sporting and wider ecosystem but we often don't get to see that expressed in all its glory. The facts and stats show that by 2050, one in four people globally will be of African heritage. In my generation, I’m seen as an enigma when I say I’m from Jamaica and Sierra Leone, (always have people asking me how that happened!), but fusions such as this will be normal in the next generation. The UK Black diaspora identity is being redefined.

We wanted to create something that was completely unapologetic, that demanded attention whilst we explore themes around unity and belonging through the Black diaspora lens. Since we are going to be taking up more space physically, we need to start realising that we can take up space and do this unapologetically. That is pivotal. 

Why did you choose anthems over national hype songs that countries are creating for themselves? Do you think there’s a place for both?

One thing our research showcased is that a national anthem is an important time where individuals come together. Regardless of your ethnicity, singing in unity matters to people. Interestingly, there’s been a rise of ‘hype’ anthems such ‘Imbattables’ in support of the French team, and many others released before our campaign. Professional football teams have also adopted these types of songs - like Arsenal, my beloved team (moment of celebration for our Premier League champions of 2026- London is RED). 
Both National anthems and ‘Hype’ anthems bring an unrepentant energy creating a synergy that captures the celebratory cry of the fans. Both highlight a space for all of us to be fearless in our expression. We choose to utilise national pride by using national anthems to bring that emotion to the forefront of our campaign. 

People often talk about football as a religion; the identification of fans in a stadium reflecting the same characteristics of a choir, especially the ultras (the most passionate fans). The violence and rage within their passion had parallels with what I saw and experienced in a Gospel choir's vocal expression; their vocal range, the riffs and runs that echo their belief. Hence, partnering with ‘The Spirituals’ gospel choir to capture that ideology and bring this sacred yet aggressive juxtaposition to life.

Looking at the visuals you used in the shoots, take us behind the scenes. You used flashes of white and blue, sparks of fire … what does this all mean? 
Starting with the colour palette, we are called VSSL37 which operates at the intersection of sports and culture by utilising data and creativity to bring solutions. A vessel by literal name is a ship at sea. We see ourselves as being exporters of culture – navigating the waters from the shallow to deep end. That informs the very aquatic colour palette you're seeing in the white and the blue used. 

In the Congo shoot, we focused on the sparks flying from the shoes to highlight the ‘La Sape’ philosophy and culture within Congo. There’s a pride in dressing well and using high fashion to reinforce identity. I learned that to show their shoes were the real deal, they would kick their foot against the floor – the same movement we had our talent replicate for the shoot. 

 This parallels the same moves I’d do when playing football back on the block. On the way to the grass, I'd walk on concrete and realised that when I kicked the floor sparks would fly off the bottom of my studs. This was an opportunity to bring together the culture with the nostalgic memories that football brings. 

Finally, one of the details you’ll see in the film is that sometimes the talents are holding uncomfortable and stretching poses. This speaks to the tension of navigating what it means to belong in our current countries without wandering too far from our countries of heritage all while still being seen as foreign by both camps. How we have to hold ourselves. These poses also showcase the peacocking nature of the La Sape culture with the elongated limbs whilst seamlessly crossing over to the stretches we see football players make during the pre-match warmups.
Moving on to our Jamaica shoot, the symbolism here explores some of the tensions between perception and reality. By reclaiming and reframing the notion of being “unruly”, we translate it into something else entirely: audacity. The audacity of a small island to have such a cultural impact which continues to transcend its geographic boundaries. As we like to say; likkle but tallawah. 

  I went home to Jamaica for the first time in 2024. I was there at Uptown Monday, Weddy Weddy Wednesday and the flamethrowers were going off! It felt like being in a football stadium amongst the ultras and experiencing them launching smoke grenades and flares. We used the flamethrowers as the Jamaican version of a flare essentially. 

Finally, at the centre of the visual world stands a solitary football goal, its traditional net replaced entirely with a delicate white lace curtain. The lace is a direct ode to a familiar semiotic found in Afro-Caribbean and African living rooms across London. An experience of the game where the living room was the arena. By reimagining the net through lace, the goal becomes a symbol of access and reframes football through the lens of memory, culture, and diaspora identity. This surreal piece sits against a textured, coloured backdrop, designed to create tonal contrast with the white lace and goal frame. 

At this moment, this is not just a set. It is a reclamation of space.

The Congo National Anthem, sung by The Spirituals. The ANFM Project, created by VSSL37 and gospel choir The Spirituals, celebrates the heritage of the UK Black Diaspora.

You’ve spoken about the heritage of those around you, your own heritage, going to Jamaica and how you've embedded some of the culture. Did creating this campaign teach you anything new about culture and heritage?

For instance, with the Congolese, they're such beautifully expressive people. I didn't realise that they hadn't made it to the World Cup since 1974. I thought ‘how is that even possible? They are such a big nation!’ I didn’t understand how much it meant to them. I also didn’t realise how big the community is. I think there are amazing opportunities to build up the connections between the Congolese diaspora communities across the channel aka between the UK and France.

Thinking about my own Jamaican heritage, this campaign helped me explore what it means to truly be unruly. It made me think about how we can turn that stigma on its head. Growing up, and even now, I thought about how Jamaica can sometimes get quite a bad rap by being seen as not having manners, when we’re honestly a people built on manners. We’ve had to develop a tough skin to some of these external opinions which made me reflect on the importance of having a firm foundation in terms of your identity. This is something I had affirmed for myself previously but now had the opportunity to celebrate during the development of this campaign. 

I never realised the ridiculous amount of similarity there is between Jamaican and Congolese people. My wife is from North London, and I've heard about the intermingling in that area; from friendships, relationships to marriages etc. Working on this shoot really opened my eyes to this even more, the strong chemistry between both communities makes more sense to me now! There's a certain pride in their presentation, OTT on purpose, and on a different level. I'd say both nations are the cream of the crop when it comes to peacocking; Eccentric. Pure sauce. The stuff you can't teach. The ingredients you don't measure but feel. The seam in the trousers would cut you type vibes. It's just … unparallelled!  Working on this campaign really allowed me to appreciate this more.

And finally, I have to ask you, who are you backing in this World Cup? 

Obviously, I support England! I also support France, for a European team they represent the diaspora well in their team makeup. Of course, Congo! I now have loads of Congolese friends including my business partner, one of the inspirations for selecting Congo as our focus.

… and Ghana, naturally because I also have a Ghanaian best friend! Can’t forget Brazil and Senegal of course.

Honestly, more than anything, I’ll be watching all the present Arsenal players and praying they come back home in good condition ready for the next season! CYOG.

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We love a supportive and inclusive entrepreneur.

You can follow Joshua Aleph (@josh.aleph) and VSSL37 (@vssl.37) on Instagram to see more of the ANFM Project, including their England shoot, and keep up with the other exciting immersive work they have in the pipeline.

Who are you supporting this World Cup?

What symbols of unity can you see being displayed?

#ComeonEngland!!!