Shakira Reveals Burna Boy Delayed World Cup Anthem

In a recent interview, Shakira discussed her collaboration with Burna Boy for the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She expressed her admiration for Burna Boy, stating he was her first choice for the song due to its need for a male vocal to match the World Cup's energy.

Shakira reached out to him, and although it took 20 days for him to respond, he eventually sent his contribution, which she described as "magic." The song, released on May 14, has seen immense success, surpassing 500 million views on YouTube and over 230 million streams on Spotify. Following their performance at the inaugural World Cup Half-Time Show, the track reached the top of the Apple Music Global Top 100 chart, making Burna Boy the second Nigerian artist to achieve this milestone.

Additionally, Burna Boy made history as the first African artist to perform at both the opening ceremony and halftime show of a FIFA World Cup.