Colombian music star, Shakira, has explained her decision to feature Nigerian Afrobeats singer Burna Boy on the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, Dai Dai.
The Grammy-winning artiste said she needed a male vocalist whose voice could complement the song’s Afrobeat-inspired sound and bring a strong masculine energy to the track.
Speaking during an interview aired on the Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill on July 8, Shakira said Burna Boy was an obvious choice because of the nature of the song.
“Once I had the song, I felt that I really needed a male vocal, a male voice in the song.”
She added:
“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 Afrobeat setting?”
According to the singer, although Dai Dai draws from different musical genres, Afrobeats remains its dominant influence, with elements of Caribbean music and R&B also incorporated into the production.
“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.
Shakira also revealed that she had admired Burna Boy’s music for years and had long hoped to work with him.
“I always loved Burna. I always wanted to do something with him,” she said.
She recalled contacting the Nigerian singer to ask if he would be interested in collaborating on the song. Although Burna Boy initially took about 20 days to submit his contribution, Shakira said she remained hopeful that the project would come together.
“So I called him. I’m like, ‘Hey, are you down to do this?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, why not?'”
The singer admitted that she began to wonder whether the collaboration would happen as she waited for 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.'”
However, Burna Boy eventually delivered his contribution, which Shakira described as exactly what the song needed.
“But then he sent his magic and it was just absolutely perfect.”
Praising the Nigerian artiste, she added:
“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 further said she was particularly determined to have Burna Boy on the record.
“I was so obsessed about having Burna on this track. I’m so glad that I got him,” she said.
The collaboration brought together two globally recognised artistes, with Dai Dai serving as the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Shakira and Burna Boy performed the song at the tournament’s opening ceremony on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. They later reunited for the World Cup final halftime show on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, alongside Uganda’s popular Ghetto Kids dance group.
The collaboration also marked another World Cup musical milestone for Shakira, who previously performed Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the official song of the 2010 tournament.
Burna Boy’s involvement further underscored the growing global reach of Afrobeats and its increasing presence on major international music platforms.
