Shakira reveals why she chose Burna Boy for World Cup anthem

Global music star Shakira has explained why she selected Nigerian Afrobeats singer Burna Boy to feature on the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying his distinctive voice perfectly matched the record’s Afrobeat sound.

Speaking during an interview on the Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill, the Colombian singer said she wanted a strong male vocal to complement the energy of the tournament and the direction of the song, Dai Dai.

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

According to Shakira, the World Cup carries a masculine energy, making Burna Boy the ideal collaborator.

“I was like, who can give me that very masculine voice that I want in this sort of Afrobeat setting?” she added.

She described Dai Dai as a song rooted primarily in Afrobeats, while also incorporating Caribbean and R&B influences.

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

Shakira revealed that she had admired Burna Boy’s music for years and had long hoped to work with him.

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

The singer recalled that although Burna Boy took about 20 days to submit his verse after agreeing to the collaboration, she remained determined to have him on the track.

“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 said her patience paid off when the Nigerian star eventually delivered what she described as the perfect contribution.

“But then he sent his magic and it was just absolutely perfect. His voice works so well on this song. I couldn’t imagine anybody else on it, actually,” she said.

Shakira also admitted she was determined to secure Burna Boy’s participation.

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

Dai Dai served as the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Shakira and Burna Boy debuted the song during the tournament’s opening ceremony at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City before performing it again at the inaugural FIFA World Cup final halftime show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, alongside Uganda’s Ghetto Kids dance group.

The collaboration marked Shakira’s latest contribution to FIFA World Cup music and underscored the growing global influence of Afrobeats through Burna Boy’s participation.