Wizkid's music for beginners — songs, eras, and what to skip
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, known globally as Wizkid, has transformed from a teenage pop sensation to the cornerstone of Afrobeats on the global stage. Since 2001, Wizkid's music has evolved from national street anthems such as Ginger to international chart dominance with hits like Essence, Ojuelegba, and Joro.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Wizkid's music, which includes six studio albums, has amassed over 10 billion Spotify streams as of January 2026
- Starting his career at the age of 11 in 2001, Wizkid progressed from a choir singer as a child to a teenage pop star, especially after releasing his debut album Superstar.
- From the Superstar album, Wizkid evolved through album based-eras: EME/Ayo, Starboy/SFTOS, Made in Lagos, and Morayo that together paint a picture of his rise into a global phenomenon.
- In 2016, Wizkid became a Guinness World record holder for the first song to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify, One Dance.
A guide to Wizkid's music eras
Born and raised in a musically inclined family in a small Nigerian suburb, Surulere, Wizkid's talent emerged early. With time, he evolved from choir performances in church to recording music at a local music studio in Surulere.
He became a recording artist at the age of five as a member of the Glorious Five before going solo and signing with a Nigerian record label, Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E) in 2009. This initial album, set in the Superstar era, introduced the world to Afro-beat sounds.
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Today, Wizkid is globally recognised for Billboard charting albums and songs as well as international collaborations such as the 2019 hit Brown Skin Girl alongside Beyonce, SAINt JHN and Blue Ivy Carter.
The Superstar era (Early 2010s)
In 2010, Wizkid released his smash hit, Holla at Your Boy. In the following year, he sealed his position as a teenage pop prodigy with the release of his debut album, Superstar, ushering in the Superstar era.
With these releases, the Nigerian singer and songwriter spearheaded the rise of Afrobeat as a genre. Have a look at some of the tracks in the hour-long album.
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- Say My Name
- No Lele
- Scatter the Floor
- Slow Whine
- Love My Baby
- Gidi Girl
- Oluwa Lo Ni
- Tease Me Bad
- Eme Boys
- What You Wanna Do?
- For Me
- Wad Up
- Shout Out
- Wiz Party
The EME/Ayo era (Mid-2010s)
In 2013, Wizkid left the Empire Mates Entertainment to form his own label, Starboy Entertainment. At this point, he transformed from a national sensation to a continental and international star.
He also released his second self-titled album, Ayo (Joy), in September 2014. This era featured continental anthems, such as Jaiye Jaiye and On Top Your Matter, and later Ojuelegba, which got an early release. Here are more of the songs included in the album;
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- Show You The Money
- In My Bed
- Mummy Mi
- Kind Love
- In Love
- For You
- Dutty Whine
- Kilofe
- Omalich
- Bomba
- One Question
- Celebrate
- Show You The Money
- Murder
- Jo
The Starboy era (Late 2010s)
The Starboy era, also known as the Sounds from the Other Side (SFTOs) era, is primarily characterised by Wizkid's transition from a dominant African artist to an emerging global star. In March 2017, Wizkid signed a record deal with RCA Records, leading to his third studio album, Sounds from the Other Side.
This growth also included the expansion of his own label, Starboy Entertainment, to represent international African artists such as Efya, Mr Eazi and R2Bees. Have a look at the songs in the studio album that featured guest contributions from Drake, Major Lazer, Chris Brown, Ty Dolla Sign, Efya, Bucie, and Trey Songz.
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- Sweet Love
- Come Closer
- Naughty Ride
- African Bad Gyal
- Daddy Yo
- One for Me
- Picture Perfect
- Nobody
- All for Love
- Dirty Wine
- Gbese
The Made in Lagos era (Early 2020s)
From 2020 to 2022, the world was treated to Wizkid's growing career through the longest-charting albums on the Billboard World Albums chart. Made in Lagos was released on 30 October 2020 under the Starboy and RCA labels.
This was a busy period for the prominent Afrobeats artist as he released his fifth and sixth studio albums, More Love, Less Ego and Soundman Vol. 2. His hit single, Essence, featuring Tems and Justin Bieber, peaked at position 9 on the Billboard Hot 100™ chart, where it stayed for 35 weeks. Here are some songs from this era.
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- Money & Love
- Balance
- Bad to Me
- 2 Sugar
- Everyday
- Slip n Slide
- Deep
- Flower Pads
- Plenty Loving
- Special
- Frames (Who's Gonna Know)
- Reckless
- Longtime
- Mighty Wine
- Blessed
- Smile
- Piece of Me
- No Stress
- True Love
- Sweet One
The Morayo era
For beginners, the Morayo era represents a period of high-quality sound and visual production. It also marks a personal connection to the Afrobeats artist as the album, Morayo, is dedicated and named after his late mother.
Morayo, which translates to I see joy in Yoruba, was released on 22 November 2024 through his label Starboy Entertainment and RCA Records. Have a look at the songs included in Wizkid's tribute album for his late mother, Juliana Morayo Balogun, who passed away in August 2023.
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- Troubled Mind
- Karamo
- Bad Girl (featuring Asake)
- Time
- Piece of My Heart (featuring Brent Faiyaz)
- Break Me Down
- Bend
- A Million Blessings
- Après Minuit (featuring Tiakola)
- Bad for You (featuring Jazmine Sullivan)
- Soji
- Don't Care
- Slow (featuring Anaïs Cardot)
- Lose
- Pray
The beginner's playlist — 15 Wizkid's songs you must hear first
Over the years, Wizkid's music has featured a blend of high-octane Afropop and soulful neo-R&B sounds. Additionally, his music has been made with a variety of languages, but often features his native Yoruba language and culture. Explore Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun's storytelling skills through this beginner's playlist.
Song | Album | Release year |
Essence | Made in Lagos | 2020 |
One Dance | Made in Lagos | 2016 |
Ginger | Made in Lagos | 2020 |
Pakurumo | Superstar | 2011 |
Holla at Your Boy | Superstar | 2011 |
Ojuelegba | Ayo | 2014 |
Joro | Ayo | 2019 |
Kese | Morayo | 2024 |
Bad to Me | More Love, Less Ego | 2022 |
Jaiye Jaiye | Ayo | 2024 |
Come Closer | Sounds from the Other Side | 2017 |
Ginger | Made in Lagos | 2020 |
Daddy Yo | Sounds from the Other Side | 2017 |
Final | Final (Baba Nla) | 2015 |
Don't Dull | Superstar | 2011 |
At what time did Wizkid start music?
Wizkid started making music at a very young age, around 11 years old, singing in his church and forming a gospel group called the Glorious Five. The Glorious Five released their first collaborative album, Lil Prinz, in 2001.
Which song is WizKid's biggest hit?
The Nigerian artist's biggest hit is One Dance, which took the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2016 for ten weeks. His 2021 song, Essence, became his second-highest charting hit, especially after Justin Bieber's remix, taking the ninth position for about 35 weeks.
What are the first 5 songs of Wizkid?
Wizkid's first five notable songs are all from the Superstar album. They include Say My Name, No Lele, Scatter the Floor, Pakurumo, and Slow Whine. Major hits from the debut album include Holla at Your Boy, Don't Dull, and Love My Baby.
Which song did Wizkid and Tems sing together?
Wizkid and Tems teamed up to create one of Nigeria's highest-charting hits on the Billboard Hot 100, Essence. The success of the song culminated in a nomination for the Best Global Music Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
From humble beginnings in Surulele to breaking global charts and records, Wizkid's music remains a powerful vehicle for Nigerian and African culture. His music blends his Yoruba heritage with modern culture, creating unique sounds that have secured his place as a pioneering giant in the industry.
Legit.ng published an article listing the top artists by Spotify monthly listeners, ranked in order. Streaming stats can be used to understand a musical artist's reach and audience engagement with fans.
Such artists include global icons such as Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and The Weeknd, who have recorded monthly engagement as high as 121 million and 143.9 million. Read on for the full list of top Spotify artists by monthly listeners.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
