ALSO THE FIRST AFRICAN ARTIST TO HAVE A SHOW AT
LONDON’S TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM
“A great night out.” – The Evening Standard
“Wizkid’s stage presence keeps the crowd energised.” – The Independent
“Thousands of devotees united in their adoration for a star who signifies a new era of African prosperity.” – The Telegraph
“To see Wizkid perform is to comprehend his prowess as an entertainer.”– Vogue
[New York, NY – August 2, 2023] This past weekend, GRAMMY Award-winning and multi-Platinum-selling Nigerian global superstar, Wizkidwas presented a BRIT Billion Award commemorating his surpassing of one billion streams in the UK to date. He is the first African artist to achieve this feat. Prior to receiving the award, Wiz performed to a packed-out crowd at London’s monumental Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which also makes him the first African artist to do so, as well as being one of only three artists to perform at the stadium this year – next to Beyoncé and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Supported by a trio of spectacular opening sets from DJ Skyla Tylaa, The Cavemen and Masego – the show consisted of the Starboy performing tracks from his latest album More Love, Less Ego before going into a rendition of his timeless classics – setting the audience ablaze. Last night’s show marked Wizkid’s return to London after his historic three-date sold-out run at the O2 Arena in 2021 and did not fail to further raise the bar.
Last month, Wizkid stunned audiences while headlining The Other Stage at music’s biggest festival, leaving fans full of anticipation for his monumental London tour date next month. Of the performance Wiz shared “Being able to headline The Other Stage and delivering Afrobeats to Glastonbury on this scale was an honour, and another special moment for me to share with my fans. I can’t wait to bring the full show to London this July – it’ll be one for the books”. Stream his full set here.
About Wizkid:
Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (aka Wizkid) began his career in music when he was just 11 years old in Lagos, Nigeria. His first record, Lil Prinz, was recorded in 2001 in collaboration with Glorious Five, a group consisting of Balogun and his friends from church. In 2006, he started pursuing music full-time, at first collaborating with various Nigerian pop acts including OJB Jezreel, Naeto C, and Banky W. By 2011, he was ready to record his debut studio album as a solo artist: Superstar was released via Empire Mates Entertainment to great critical and public acclaim across Africa, propelling him to stardom in his home country. After multiple delays and label disagreements, Balogun released his sophomore album titled Ayo in 2014. This second studio album had a multitude of guest appearances, including a spot from Femi Kuti. It also featured Balogun’s global breakthrough track “Ojuelegba.” Not only did the single cement his status as one of Nigeria’s biggest pop acts, it was also picked up and remixed by Drake and Skepta, thrusting Wizkid into the international spotlight. In return, Wizkid appeared on Drake’s 2016 smash single “One Dance.”
In March 2017, it was announced that Wizkid had signed a major deal with RCA and Sony International, which released his third LP, Sounds From the Other Side, later that year. A handful of singles appeared in advance of the album, including “Daddy Yo”, “Sweet Love” and “Come Closer”, and were successful; the latter is certified Gold in the USA and the UK .
Following his impressive international campaign, Wizkid refocused energy on his Starboy imprint in Africa. From releasing viral records like “Soco” with his affiliate acts to securing partnerships with brands such as Puma, Wizkid has solidified himself as a millennial pioneer for African entertainment. As an ode to his hometown, Wizkid released his fourth full-length project titled Made in Lagos in 2020 with guest appearances from Burna Boy, Skepta, Damian Marley, H.E.R, Ella Mai, and more. The album is the highest charting Nigerian album on the Billboard 200 of all time, the longest charting Nigerian album of the century on Billboard World Albums chart, and the first and only African album to be RIAA certified Gold in the US with half a million in sale units. Hit single “Essence” became the first Nigerian song to feature on the Billboard Hot 100 and peak #1 on US urban radio. Made in Lagos, along with his Grammy award winning feature with Beyonce and five sellout shows at the o2 Arena, prove Wizkid’s movement to be one of lasting global impact.
Follow Wizkid:
INSTAGRAM – TWITTER – FACEBOOK – YOUTUBE
