Colombian pop superstar Shakira has opened up about her decision to collaborate with Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy on the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying she was determined to have him feature on the track.
Speaking during a recent appearance on the Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill, Shakira said she wanted a strong masculine voice to complement the song, titled ‘Dai Dai,’ and believed Burna Boy was the perfect fit because of his energy and vocal style.
“I have always loved Burna. I was obsessed with getting him on the track, so I called him,” she explained.
The singer said she thoroughly enjoyed working with Burna Boy, adding that she could not picture anyone else on the record.
“I couldn’t imagine anybody else on it, actually.”
Since its release, ‘Dai Dai’ has enjoyed global success, breaking several music records.
The song became the first to top Spotify’s newly launched Global Music Video Chart and also helped Burna Boy become the first African artiste to reach No. 1 on the Apple Music Global Top Songs chart.
The collaboration also saw the Nigerian star set a new record for the highest monthly listeners by an African artiste, reaching 53 million on Spotify and 600 million on YouTube Music.
Burna Boy also made history as the first African artiste to perform at the newly introduced FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show.
