Who is Burna Boy? Nigeria singer and artist to perform in 2023 UEFA Champions League opening ceremony

2023-06-10
4 min read
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Inter Milan are looking to cause an upset and beat Manchester City to win their fourth Champions League title in the 2023 final.

The Italian side have already won the Coppa Italia this season, but they will be eager to bring another European title back to San Siro.

Pep Guardiola's side on the other hand have become serial winners since he took over in Manchester, but he has not been able to lift the Champions League with the Citizens.

The opening ceremony has become something that fans also look forward to before the final itself. The Sporting News looks at background information on Burna Boy, who will be performing ahead of the 2023 Champions League final.

MORE: Where is the 2023 UEFA Champions League final?

Who is Burna Boy?

Burna Boy, real name Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, is a 31-year-old singer, songwriter and producer from the city of Port Harcourt in Nigeria.

His music is a mix of genres such as dancehall, reggae, pop, and afrobeats. He studied in London, England before returning to Nigeria to launch his music career.

In his announcement, Burna Boy said: "As a huge football fan myself, I know it doesn't get any bigger than the UEFA Champions League! That's why I'm so excited to be performing on the Pepsi stage at this year's final. Music and football are the ultimate combination, so you already know I'll be bringing the vibes and making magic in Istanbul. The world isn't ready for what we have in store!"

Burna Boy has won a Grammy Award for best world music album, giving recognition to his 2020 album 'Twice as Tall.' In October 2022, he was awarded the Order of the Federal Republic, one of the highest merits awarded by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The artist has previously been seen wearing a Manchester United shirt, so he may be supporting Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

MORE: Manager who won most European trophies

What time does Man City vs Inter kick off?

The 2023 Champions League final at Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey kicks off on Saturday, June 10 at 22:00 local time.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

  Date Kickoff time
USA Sat, June 10 15:00 ET
Canada Sat, June 10 15:00 ET
UK Sat, June 10 20:00 BST
Australia Sun, June 11 05:00 AEST
India Sun, June 11 00:30 IST
Hong Kong Sun, June 11 03:00 HKT
Malaysia Sun, June 11 03:00 MYT
Singapore Sun, June 11 03:00 SGT
New Zealand Sun, June 11 07:00 NZST