Shakira Explains Why She Chose Burna Boy for Official World Cup Song
- Shakira opened up about her decision to feature Burna Boy on Dai Dai, the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem
- The Colombian singer said the song's Afrobeat-inspired sound called for a strong masculine voice to complete it
- Shakira admitted she waited 20 days for Burna Boy to send his verse, unsure whether the collaboration would come together
Shakira has opened up on how Burna Boy landed a spot on Dai Dai, the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the answer speaks volumes about the Nigerian star's global standing.
In a recent interview on Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill, the Colombian pop star explained that the song's musical direction pointed her straight to one artist.
Source: Instagram
Why Burna Boy was the only choice
Shakira described Dai Dai as a genre-blending track with Afrobeats at its core, noting that it also draws from Caribbean and R&B sounds.
With that sonic profile in mind, Burna Boy was not simply a convenient option; he was the logical one.
"Once I had the song, I felt that I really needed a male vocal, a male voice in the song."
"The World Cup carries a big male energy, you know? And so I was like, who can give me that very masculine voice that I want in this sort of like Afrobeat setting?"
The Grammy winner revealed she had admired the Afrobeats star's work for years before the World Cup opportunity arose.
"I always loved Burna. I always wanted to do something with him," she said.
Reaching out turned out to be the easy part. After Shakira made the call, Burna Boy agreed without hesitation, but his contribution took nearly three weeks to arrive.
"It took a while. I was waiting for 20 days for him to send something. And I'm like, 'Okay, maybe he's not going to do it,'" she admitted.
The wait, however, paid off in a way that left little doubt about the decision.
"But then he sent his magic and it was just absolutely perfect. I think his voice is just… It works so well on this song. So well. I couldn't imagine anybody else on it, actually," Shakira said.
She added that securing the African Giant's involvement had become a personal mission.
"I was so obsessed about having Burna on this track. I'm so glad that I got him."
Source: Instagram
From Mexico City to New Jersey
Shakira and Burna Boy debuted Dai Dai live at the tournament's opening ceremony on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The pair reunited on stage for the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, this time joined by Uganda's Ghetto Kids dance group.
The collaboration adds another landmark to Shakira's World Cup legacy, following the enormous success of Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the official song of the 2010 tournament.
For Burna Boy, the moment further cements Afrobeats' growing reach on the world's biggest sporting stage.
The song made history as the most-streamed World Cup song globally.
Watch Shakira speak about choosing Burna Boy for the 2026 World Cup song below:
Burna Boy, Shakira's World Cup song makes history
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Burna Boy’s FIFA World Cup 2026 collaboration with Shakira, Dai Dai, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart after climbing two spots.
The track also held firm atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a third consecutive week, marking the first official World Cup song to lead either chart since their launch in 2020.
For Burna Boy, this milestone represents his first-ever Billboard Global 200 No. 1, while Shakira secured her second chart-topping hit.
Source: Legit.ng
