Shakira shares her wait for Burna Boy's verse on 'Dai Dai'

Colombian pop star Shakira has shared how much she wanted Nigerian Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy to work with her on the song Dai Dai, which is the official soundtrack for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In a recent chat with PEOPLE magazine, Shakira said she waited almost three weeks for Burna Boy to send his verse for Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Shakira described how Dai Dai mixes Afrobeats with Caribbean sounds and R&B. This made Burna Boy the perfect choice to collaborate with her.

“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 mentioned that she has long been a fan of Burna Boy and was excited for the chance to work with him.

“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?’

But even after Burna Boy agreed to join her, Shakira said she started to worry when she waited around 20 days for his part.

She expressed her fears that the collaboration might not happen before Burna Boy finally sent in what she called 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 changed the song, calling his contribution “the cherry on top.”

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

Shakira unveiled Dai Dai on 15 July 2026, making it one of the official songs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This makes her the first artist to perform songs related to four different FIFA World Cups.

She had previously recorded ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’ for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. That song became one of the tournament’s most popular anthems. Shakira also performed ‘La La La (Brazil 2014)’ during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. She was part of the closing ceremony for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, thanks to her long-standing relationship with FIFA’s global football campaigns.