Nigerian superstar Burna Boy has reached a historic milestone on Spotify, becoming the first African artist to surpass 47 million monthly listeners on the platform.
The Grammy-winning singer hit an impressive 47.4 million listeners, setting a new all-time record for an African act and overtaking South African star Tyla, who previously held the record at 46.58 million.
The surge in listenership has been largely driven by Burna Boy’s global hit “Dai Dai,” his World Cup collaboration with Colombian icon Shakira. The song has enjoyed massive international success, recently climbing to the number one spot on Spotify’s Global Top Songs chart.
Released as the official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, “Dai Dai” has already amassed over 123 million streams on Spotify. Its wide appeal is amplified by its multilingual composition, blending English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Japanese, while fusing Afrobeats with global pop influences.
The track was co-written by an impressive lineup including Ed Sheeran and Jon Bellion, further contributing to its global appeal. Burna Boy and Shakira also delivered a high-profile performance of the song at the World Cup opening ceremony, boosting its visibility worldwide.
Adding to the momentum, the song has been featured on Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour setlist, while its star-studded music video featuring cameos from football icons Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland has helped expand its reach even further.
Burna Boy’s latest achievement puts him on track to become the first African artist to hit the 50 million monthly listeners mark on Spotify, a milestone that now appears well within reach.
This record adds to an already remarkable run for the artist. In 2025, Burna Boy recorded 1.986 billion streams on Spotify, the highest ever by an African artist in a single year, surpassing previous records held by Wizkid and Tyla.
He also holds the distinction of being the first African artist to have two studio albums individually exceed one billion streams on the platform.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup still ongoing and “Dai Dai” continuing to gain traction, Burna Boy’s numbers are expected to climb even higher in the coming weeks, further cementing his position as one of Africa’s most globally influential music stars.
