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Colombian pop star Shakira has revealed that she was obsessed with having Nigerian Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy collaborate with her in the release of Dai Dai, the official soundtrack for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Shakira revealed this in a recent interview with PEOPLE magazine, saying that she waited nearly three weeks for Nigerian Grammy winner Burna Boy to deliver his verse on Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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According to her, Dai Dai blends Afrobeats with Caribbean influences and elements of R&B, making Burna Boy the ideal collaborator.
“Once I had this song, I felt I really needed a male vocal in the song because the World Cup carries a big male energy,” she said. Shakira explained that she had long admired the Nigerian singer and seized the opportunity to collaborate with him on the project.
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“I’ve always loved Burna. I always wanted to do something with him, so I called him. I asked, ‘Are you down to do this?” And he was like, “Yeah, why not?”
Uncertainty
Despite Burna Boy agreeing to the collaboration, Shakira admitted she became uncertain about the project after waiting about 20 days for his contribution.
She said she initially feared the collaboration might not materialise before the Nigerian singer eventually submitted what she described as the “perfect” verse.
“It took a while. I waited about 20 days for him to send something, and I was like, ‘Okay, maybe he’s not going to do it.’ But then he sent his magic, and it was just absolutely perfect”, she said.
The ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ singer added that Burna Boy’s vocals transformed the record, describing his contribution as “the cherry on top”.
“I was so obsessed with having Burna on this track. I’m so glad that I got him,” she added.
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Dai Dai
Shakira unveiled Dai Dai on 15 July 2026 as one of the official songs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first artist to perform songs connected with four different FIFA World Cups.
The singer previously recorded ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’, the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which became one of the tournament’s most enduring anthems. She also performed ‘La La La (Brazil 2014)’ during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. She was featured at the closing ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, thanks to her longstanding association with FIFA’s global football campaigns.
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