Why I chose Burna Boy for World Cup anthem, Shakira

Global pop star Shakira has revealed her choice of Nigerian Afrobeats singer Burna Boy for the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem, "Dai Dai," citing a need for a strong masculine voice to complement the song's Afrobeat-inspired sound. In an interview on July 8, the Colombian singer explained that Burna Boy's contribution was essential to capture the "big male energy" she felt the World Cup carried.

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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?

Shakira described the song as primarily Afrobeat, with influences from Caribbean music and R&B. She had long admired Burna Boy's work and expressed a desire to collaborate, stating, "I always loved Burna. I always wanted to do something with him." The process involved Shakira reaching out to Burna Boy, who initially took about 20 days to send his contribution, leading Shakira to briefly worry the collaboration might not happen.

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And I always loved Burna. I always wanted to do something with him.

However, Burna Boy eventually delivered his verse, which Shakira found to be "absolutely perfect" and uniquely suited to the track. "I couldn't imagine anybody else on it, actually," she said, emphasizing her determination to secure his participation. "I was so obsessed about having Burna on this track. I’m so glad that I got him."

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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.’ But then he sent his magic and it was just absolutely perfect.

"Dai Dai" served as the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Shakira and Burna Boy performed the track during the tournament's opening ceremony on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City. They later reunited for a performance during the halftime show of the FIFA World Cup final on July 19, 2026, in New Jersey, joined by Uganda's Ghetto Kids dance group. This collaboration marks Shakira's return to FIFA World Cup music after her hit song "Waka Waka" for the 2010 tournament, and it highlights the growing global influence of Afrobeats.

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I think his voice is just… It works so well on this song. So well. I couldn’t imagine anybody else on it, actually.