Global music icon Shakira has revealed why Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy was her preferred choice for the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, Dai Dai, saying she wanted a powerful masculine voice to complement the song’s Afrobeat-inspired sound.
Speaking during an interview on the Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill, aired on July 8, the Colombian singer said Burna Boy’s vocal style perfectly matched the energy she envisioned for the record.
According to Shakira, she knew the song required a male vocalist capable of balancing its vibrant sound and reflecting the masculine energy associated with the FIFA World Cup.
She explained that Dai Dai is primarily rooted in Afrobeats, while also incorporating Caribbean influences and elements of R&B, making Burna Boy the ideal collaborator.
Shakira also disclosed that she had admired the Grammy-winning Nigerian singer for years and had long hoped to work with him.
Recalling how the collaboration came together, she said Burna Boy agreed to feature on the song after she personally reached out to him. However, she admitted she became uncertain after waiting about 20 days for him to submit his verse.
Despite the delay, Shakira said Burna Boy eventually delivered what she described as the perfect contribution.
She praised his performance, saying his voice blended seamlessly with the track and that she could not imagine anyone else on the record.
The singer further admitted she was determined to have Burna Boy on the anthem, describing herself as “obsessed” with securing his participation.
Dai Dai served as the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Shakira and Burna Boy first performed the track during the tournament’s opening ceremony on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The duo later reunited for the inaugural FIFA World Cup final halftime show on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, alongside Uganda’s Ghetto Kids dance troupe.
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 Burna Boy’s appearance underscored the growing global influence of Afrobeats.