Burna Boy Gets Two Grammy Nominations for ‘Dai Dai’ with Shakira — Category Breakdown, Competitors and What Winning Means

📌 Quick Summary: Burna Boy has received two Grammy Award nominations for his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira on “Dai Dai” — the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The nominations are in the categories of Best Global Music Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media. If he wins either, Burna Boy would become the first African artist to win a Grammy for a FIFA World Cup song. The ceremony takes place in early 2027.

Burna Boy did not just appear on a World Cup song — he helped write and perform the defining musical moment of the most-watched sporting event in human history. “Dai Dai,” the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, brought together two of the world’s most globally resonant artists: Shakira — whose 2010 World Cup song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” remains the best-selling World Cup song ever — and Burna Boy, Africa’s biggest music export and the most globally recognised Nigerian artist of his generation. The song soundtracked the tournament that Nigeria’s Super Eagles exited in the Round of 16. Now it is being recognised by the Recording Academy in two categories — and Nigerian music has a genuine chance at a Grammy for a FIFA World Cup performance for the first time in history.

The Two Grammy Nominations: Category Breakdown

Best Global Music Performance

This category rewards recorded performances that blend or incorporate elements of global music traditions — previously called Best World Music Album until the Recording Academy updated the category name in 2022. Burna Boy won this category in 2023 for “I Told Them…” making him one of the most decorated African artists in Grammy history. A second win in this category for “Dai Dai” would mark only the second time a Nigerian artist has won the same Grammy category twice — and would cement his position as the defining African voice of his generation in the eyes of the Recording Academy.

Best Song Written for Visual Media

This category honours original songs written specifically for visual media — films, television series, video games, and major international broadcasts. The FIFA World Cup is the world’s most-watched media event, broadcast to an estimated 5 billion viewers across 214 territories. “Dai Dai” was written specifically for the tournament and played at every match venue, in every broadcast opening, and in official FIFA content globally. The case for recognising it in this category is exceptionally strong — the question is whether the Recording Academy’s voters in this category are familiar enough with the song and Burna Boy’s contribution to it.

What Is “Dai Dai”? The Song Behind the Nominations

“Dai Dai” — meaning “Come On” or “Let’s Go” in Hausa, one of Nigeria’s major languages — blends Burna Boy’s signature Afrofusion sound with Shakira’s Latin pop production sensibility. The song was engineered to work across cultures simultaneously: the Afrobeats rhythmic foundation and Burna Boy’s distinctive vocals give it authentic African ground, while Shakira’s chorus and the production’s Latin percussion create the global commercial appeal that FIFA’s marketing machine required. The song debuted at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony in New York and has accumulated over 800 million streams across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other platforms — making it one of the most-streamed songs of 2026.

Burna Boy’s Grammy History: The Full Record

The Shakira Factor: What Her Co-Sign Means

Shakira is not just a featured artist on “Dai Dai” — she is the artist whose 2010 World Cup song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” set the standard for what a FIFA anthem can achieve commercially and culturally. Her involvement validates “Dai Dai” in Recording Academy circles that might not otherwise engage deeply with an Afrofusion World Cup song. Grammy voters respond to familiar names and proven track records. Shakira’s name on the nomination gives “Dai Dai” access to the Latin pop voting bloc within the Recording Academy — a significant constituency that Burna Boy’s previous nominations did not reach. The collaboration is strategically, commercially, and artistically one of the most important things Burna Boy has done in his career.

Can Burna Boy Win? The Honest Assessment

Best Global Music Performance: High probability. Burna Boy has already won this category, meaning Recording Academy voters know his work, respect his artistry, and have demonstrated willingness to recognise him. “Dai Dai” has the commercial reach and cultural impact to match his previous winning entries. The competition in this category typically includes strong African, Latin, and Asian artists — but none of the announced nominees have Burna Boy’s combination of commercial scale and critical recognition in this cycle.

Best Song Written for Visual Media: More competitive. This category is typically dominated by Hollywood film songs and major TV series soundtracks — categories where the Recording Academy’s voter base has deep familiarity. A FIFA World Cup song has never won this category. Burna Boy and Shakira would be breaking new ground. The campaign supporting the nomination will need to be aggressive to overcome the category’s traditional bias toward film and television.

What a Win Would Mean for Nigerian Music

Burna Boy’s first Grammy in 2021 transformed the commercial landscape for Nigerian music globally — streaming numbers for Afrobeats artists spiked, label deals accelerated, and the Recording Academy’s recognition legitimised what Nigerian music fans had known for years. A third Grammy win in 2027 — particularly for a FIFA World Cup song — would be categorically different in its impact. It would signal that Afrofusion is not a niche or a trend but a permanent fixture of global popular music, capable of dominating the world’s biggest sporting stage and being recognised by the most prestigious music institution in the world. For the generation of Nigerian artists watching Burna Boy’s trajectory — Asake, Ayra Starr, Seun Kuti, Tems — it is the confirmation that the ceiling has moved again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Grammy nominations did Burna Boy receive in 2026?

Burna Boy received two Grammy nominations for “Dai Dai” featuring Shakira — the official 2026 FIFA World Cup song — in the categories of Best Global Music Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media.

What is “Dai Dai” by Burna Boy and Shakira?

“Dai Dai” is the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, blending Burna Boy’s Afrofusion sound with Shakira’s Latin pop production. It debuted at the World Cup opening ceremony in New York and has over 800 million streams globally.

How many Grammys has Burna Boy won?

Burna Boy has won two Grammy Awards — Best Global Music Album for “Twice as Tall” (2021) and Best Global Music Album for “I Told Them…” (2023). He is the most Grammy-decorated Nigerian artist in history.

When is the Grammy Awards ceremony in 2027?

The Grammy Awards ceremony recognising 2026 recordings typically takes place in February 2027. The exact date and venue will be announced by the Recording Academy at recordingacademy.com.

Has a Nigerian artist ever won a Grammy for a World Cup song?

No — Burna Boy’s nominations for “Dai Dai” are the first Grammy nominations for a Nigerian artist for a FIFA World Cup song. A win would make history for Nigerian music.

Will Burna Boy perform at the Grammy Awards 2027?

Performance invitations are typically announced closer to the ceremony date. Given Burna Boy’s two nominations and his global profile, a performance slot is considered likely by music industry observers — but has not been confirmed.

Sources

1. Recording Academy — grammy.com — 2027 Grammy nominations announcement
2. FIFA — fifa.com — “Dai Dai” official World Cup song release and streaming data
3. Punch Nigeria — “Burna Boy gets two Grammy nominations for Dai Dai with Shakira.” punchng.com — August 2026
4. NaijaSabi Entertainment Desk research — Grammy history and category analysis — August 2026

Last updated: 22 August 2026 · NaijaSabi Entertainment Desk.

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