Shakira explains why Burna Boy is the voice for World Cup anthem

Global pop star Shakira has shared why she picked Nigerian Afrobeats artist Burna Boy for the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, titled Dai Dai. She wanted a strong male voice to match the song’s Afrobeat vibe.

In an interview that aired on July 8 on Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill, the Colombian singer said the song's energy and style made Burna Boy the best fit for this project.

"Well, once I had the song, I felt that I really needed a male vocal, a male voice in the song.

"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?" she explained.

Shakira said the song mixes different musical styles but is mainly Afrobeat.

"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 added.

The Grammy-winning artist mentioned that she has admired Burna Boy’s music for years and always wanted to work with him.

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

Shakira revealed that Burna Boy took about 20 days to send in his part, but she kept hoping the collaboration would happen.

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

"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 the wait was worth it after Burna Boy finally sent his verse.

"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."

Shakira also said she was very keen to have Burna Boy on the track.

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

PUNCH Online reports that Dai Dai is the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Shakira and Burna Boy performed the song at the tournament's opening ceremony on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The duo also performed again during the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show on July 19, 2026, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. They were joined by Uganda’s Ghetto Kids dance group.

This collaboration is Shakira’s latest addition to FIFA World Cup music after the success of Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), which was the official song in 2010. Burna Boy’s role also shows how Afrobeats is growing on the global music scene, with Dai Dai becoming one of the tournament's biggest hits.