Starboy singer, Ayodeji Balogun (Wizkid), and another Nigerian artiste, Faridah Seriki, get Grammy nominations, AKEEM LASISI writes
Not long after he kissed stardom with
the song, Holla at your Boy, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly called Wizkid,
prematurely left the university he was attending. It was a decision that
caused a stir as some people felt that he was being dangerously
exuberant.
But Wizkid followed his instinct and
dream. Perhaps he saw what many did not see ahead. Perhaps it is a
gamble ‘come true’. What is obvious now is that he has made a huge
success of his career to the point that only a few can remember that he
once had to drop out of the university.
After several breakthroughs that include
some three major international awards this year alone, the artiste has
zoomed back to the consciousness of the Nigerian music scene and beyond,
with a Grammy nomination he just secured.
With the development, Wizkid has entered
another ‘hall of fame’ following the likes of King Sunny Ade and Femi
Anikulapo Kuti, who have been nominated for the Grammy two and four
times, respectively.
The nomination did not directly come to him, say for his own work, but for featuring in Drake’s hit single One Dance.
The track is from Drake’s hit album, Views, which makes the Album of the Year category at the 2016 Grammy.
It, however, has a long way to cover as it is competing with the works of huge stars, such as Adele, Beyonce and Justin Bieber.
A nomination is not as sweet as outright
win, but many people see it as a giant stride. A few years ago, Wizkid
decided to go international by seeking collaborations abroad and
promoting his works far beyond his fatherland.
That, again, is a gamble that has failed
several Nigerian artistes who sought the greener pastures at what can
be described as the peak of the careers. For instance, observers believe
that the foreign adventures that the likes of Lagbaja, Adewale Ayuba
and D’Banj embarked at various times caused major setbacks for them.
Indeed, D’Banj warned his colleagues against such moves a few months
ago. For Wizkid, however, it seems to be so far so Grammy – sorry, so
good.
Wizkid is raising Nigeria’s flag alongside Faridah Seriki, daughter of a politician, Demola Seriki.
This is more surprising to many people as the singer, whose stage name is Kah-Lo, is not yet popular in the country.
The graduate of Hofstra Journalism in
the United States of America was nominated for ‘Best Dance Recording
Rinse & Repeat – Riton, Featuring Kah-Lo’.
To buttress the song’s popularity, it
has been streamed 5 million times on Spotify and played 1.5 million
times on YouTube less than a month after its release.
Ultimately some Nigerian artistes – even
if of mixed descents — have won the Grammy. They include SEAL (Olusegun
Samuel) an R&B , singer born to a Nigerian mother and Brazilian
father. There is also Sade (Folashade Adu), Chamillionaire (Hakeem
Seriki), Sikiru Adepoju and Kelvin Olusola.
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