‘Why I Chose Burna Boy for 2026 FIFA World Cup Anthem’ — Shakira Reveals

• Global music icon Shakira has opened up on why she selected Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy for the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, Dai Dai.

Global pop star Shakira has explained why she chose Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Burna Boy to feature on the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, Dai Dai, describing the Grammy-winning singer as the perfect fit for the song’s Afrobeat sound.

Speaking during an interview aired on the Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill on July 8, the Colombian superstar said she specifically wanted a strong male voice to balance the record’s energy.

“Well, once I had the song, I felt that I really needed a male vocal, a male voice in the song,” she said.

“I don’t know, because the World Cup carries a big male energy, you know? And so I was like, who can give me that, you know, very masculine voice that I want in this sort of like Afrobeat setting?”

Shakira explained that while the song incorporates multiple musical influences, Afrobeats forms its foundation.

“Because this song is very Afrobeat-y, but it also has some Caribbean sounds and a little bit of, like, R&B-ish, but it’s mostly Afrobeat,” she said.

The singer revealed that Burna Boy was her first choice because she had admired his music for years and had long hoped to collaborate with him.

“And I always loved Burna. I always wanted to do something with him,” she said.

According to Shakira, she personally reached out to the Nigerian star, who immediately expressed interest in the collaboration.

“So I called him. I’m like, ‘Hey, are you down to do this?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, why not?’”

However, she admitted she became uncertain after waiting nearly three weeks for Burna Boy to send his verse.

“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.’”

Despite the delay, Shakira said Burna Boy eventually delivered a performance that exceeded her expectations.

“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.”

The global music star also admitted she was determined to have Burna Boy on the record from the very beginning.

“I was so obsessed about having Burna on this track. I’m so glad that I got him,” she added.

Dai Dai served as the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Shakira and Burna Boy debuting the song during the tournament’s opening ceremony on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The pair later reunited for the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show on July 19, 2026, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where they were joined by Uganda’s Ghetto Kids dance group.

The collaboration marked Shakira’s latest contribution to FIFA World Cup music following the global success of Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the official anthem of the 2010 tournament, while further cementing Burna Boy’s status as one of Afrobeats’ leading global ambassadors.