July 24, (THEWILL) — Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has made history by becoming the first African artist to surpass 9 billion total streams on Spotify.
The milestone cements Wizkid’s position as one of the continent’s most influential musical exports, with global hits that have redefined the reach of African sound.
Leading the charge is his 2016 chart-topper One Dance, a collaboration with Drake and Kyla, which accounts for 3.7 billion streams, making it his most-streamed song to date.
The track ranks among Spotify’s Top 10 most-streamed songs of all time and was the first to surpass 1 billion streams on the platform, earning Wizkid a Guinness World Record.
As a lead artist, his Grammy-nominated single Essence featuring Tems remains a defining record of the Afrobeats explosion, with over 303 million streams on Spotify alone.
While Taylor Swift remains the most-streamed artist globally, Wizkid’s achievement marks a landmark moment for African music, underscoring the genre’s growing influence and commercial power on the global stage.
More than a personal triumph, Wizkid’s streaming success is a cultural breakthrough, a signal of what’s possible for African artists in the global music landscape.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
