PH
Wizkid, the Nigerian Afrobeats musician, has been named the first African artist to earn the prestigious BRIT Billion Award. This comes on the heels of his record achievement of surpassing one billion digital streams in the United Kingdom.
Wizkid, real name Ayodeji Balogun, was honored by the British Phonographic business music award body for his contributions to the business.
Wizkid just sold out his event at London’s 62,850-capacity Tottenham Stadium, making him the first and only African artist to headline and perform there. This achievement solidifies his standing as a global music titan with a large international fan base.
Wizkid is one of the few African singers with a large following in the United Kingdom, with his songs selling millions of copies and earning many platinum and gold certifications. His song “One Dance,” which featured Drake and Kyla, was certified six times platinum and sold 3.6 million units.
Furthermore, his collaboration with Skepta and Tems on the song “Energy” has been certified platinum. Several of his songs, including “Essence,” “Brown Skin Girl,” and “Made in Lagos,” have amassed over one billion streams in the United Kingdom.
Following his performance at Tottenham Stadium, the Brit Awards praised Wizkid on his breakthrough achievement during his time in London.
Wizkid was born on January 2, 2010, with the release of his first single, Holla At Your Boy. The video was broadcast in 2011 and gained extensive television coverage throughout Africa, making him a household figure. Holla at Your Boy was the first single from his first album Superstar, and it was the first of many songs that elevated the young performer to untouchable status.
