Shakira Explains Why Burna Boy Was Perfect for FIFA World Cup Song

Colombian music star Shakira has revealed why she chose Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy for their collaboration on the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Dai Dai.

Speaking during an appearance on the Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill, the global pop icon said she wanted a strong masculine voice on the track and believed Burna Boy’s distinctive energy made him the perfect choice.

Shakira also disclosed that she had long wanted to work with the Nigerian superstar.

“I have always loved Burna. I was obsessed with getting him on the track, so I called him,” she said.

She added that the collaboration exceeded her expectations, insisting she could not picture anyone else delivering Burna Boy’s part on the record.

“I couldn’t imagine anybody else on it, actually,” she added.

Since its release, Dai Dai has recorded several global milestones. The song became the first to top Spotify’s newly launched Global Music Video Chart and also propelled Burna Boy to the number one spot on Apple Music’s Global Top Songs chart, making him the first African artist to achieve the feat.

The collaboration also pushed Burna Boy to record-breaking streaming numbers, making him the African artist with the highest monthly listeners in history on both Spotify and YouTube Music, with 53 million and 600 million monthly listeners respectively.

The Nigerian singer also made history as the first African artiste to perform at the newly introduced FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show.