Wizkid’s Top 10 Best International Collaborations
In the dynamic world of music, collaborations between artists from different parts of the globe have become increasingly prevalent, breaking down cultural barriers and expanding the reach of artists beyond their home countries. Nigerian superstar Wizkid, often hailed as one of Africa's greatest musical exports, has been at the forefront of this global musical fusion, collaborating with a plethora of international artists to create chart-topping hits that resonate with audiences worldwide.
From his early collaborations with the likes of Chris Brown and Trey Songz to more recent ventures with Drake and Beyoncé, Wizkid's discography is filled with standout international collaborations that have not only showcased his versatile musical prowess but also helped him achieve global recognition. These collaborations have not only brought him commercial success but also critical acclaim, solidifying his status as a pioneer in the Afrobeat genre and a true ambassador of African music on the world stage.
In this article, we take a closer look at Wizkid's top 10 international collaborations, exploring the impact and significance of each collaboration in shaping his career and contributing to the global appeal of Afrobeat music.
Wizkid’s Top 10 International collaborations
- One Dance – Drake ft Wizkid and Kyla
- Essence (Remix) – Wizkid ft Tems and Justin Bieber
- Come Closer – Wizkid ft Drake
- Brown skin Girl – Beyonce, Saint Jhn, Wizkid ft Blue Ivy
- Energy – Skepta & Wizkid
- Mamacita – Tinie Tempah ft Wizkid
- African Bad Gyal – Wizkid ft Chris Brown
- My Love – Wale ft Major Lazer Wizkid & Dua Lipa
- Shabba – Wizkid ft. Chris Brown, Trey Songz and French Montana
- Call me every day – Chris Brown ft Wizkid
1. "One Dance" – Drake ft. Wizkid and Kyla (2016)
Drake's "One Dance," featuring Wizkid and Kyla, stands out as not only the track that catapulted Wizkid to global stardom but also his most successful international collaboration. Released on April 5, 2016, as a single from Drake's album "Views," the song quickly rose to the top of the charts, reaching number one in 15 countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States.
"One Dance" dominated the US Billboard Hot 100 for an impressive 10 weeks and spent a total of 15 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. It emerged as the best-performing single worldwide in 2016 and remains one of the best-selling digital singles of all time, with over 16 million units sold globally.
2. "Essence (Remix)" – Wizkid ft. Tems and Justin Bieber (2021)
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Wizkid's "Essence (Remix)" featuring Tems and Justin Bieber claims the second spot among his top 10 international collaborations. Released on August 13, 2021, the remix made history as the first Nigerian song to chart on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. It received a prestigious nomination at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Global Music Performance.
"Essence" achieved Platinum status in the United States and Canada, marking the first time an African song has accomplished this feat in both countries. Additionally, it received Gold Certification in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The song became a global summer anthem and was hailed as the best song of 2021 by Rolling Stone magazine.
3. "Come Closer" – Wizkid ft. Drake (2017)
"Come Closer," featuring Drake, stands out as Wizkid's third official collaboration with the Canadian rapper and one of his most successful international ventures to date. Released on March 31, 2017, as the third single from Wizkid's third studio album, "Sounds from the Other Side," the song became the album's most commercially successful track.
"Come Closer" peaked at number 58 on the UK Singles Chart and 54 on the Canadian Hot 100, marking Wizkid's first charting single as a lead artist. It also charted in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States. The song was the best-performing African record of 2017, receiving Gold certification in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
4. "Brown Skin Girl" – Beyonce, Saint Jhn, Wizkid ft. Blue Ivy (2019)
"Brown Skin Girl," featuring Beyoncé, Saint Jhn, Wizkid, and Blue Ivy, not only earned Wizkid his first Grammy award but also stands as one of his top international collaborations. Released on July 23, 2019, as the second single from the 2019 soundtrack album "The Lion King: The Gift," the song made a significant impact. It peaked at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the US Rolling Stone Top 100 and the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart.
The track garnered several accolades, including the Soul Train Music Award and the BET HER Award. The music video also received acclaim, winning the award for Best Music Video at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, as well as the Soul Train Music Award for Video of the Year and the MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography.
5. "Call Me Every Day" – Chris Brown ft. Wizkid (2022)
"Call Me Every Day," featuring Chris Brown and Wizkid, is one of Wizkid's most recent and arguably one of his best collaborations. The song generated significant buzz prior to its release on Friday, June 17, 2022, with a snippet making waves on various social media platforms. Serving as the lead single from Chris Brown's 10th studio album titled 'Breezy,' the track made an impressive debut on the Apple Music Top Songs Nigeria Chart, entering at number 2 shortly after its release.
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"Call Me Every Day" has since been dominating charts worldwide, including the Billboard Hot 100, where it debuted at number 76. It has also charted in the UK, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and South Africa, peaking at 53, 16, 10, and 16, respectively.
6. "Energy" – Skepta & Wizkid (2018)
"Energy," a collaboration between Skepta and Wizkid, showcases their exceptional chemistry and musical synergy. Released on June 20, 2018, the song quickly made an impact, debuting at number 73 on the UK Singles Chart. Its popularity soared after the release of the music video in September, propelling it to a peak position of number 59.
The track maintained its presence on the UK Singles Chart for a total of 15 weeks and also charted on the UK Hip Hop/R&B chart, reaching number 37. In addition to its chart success, "Energy" achieved Gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for selling 400,000 units in the United Kingdom.
7. "Mamacita" – Tinie Tempah ft. Wizkid (2017)
"Mamacita," a collaboration between Tinie Tempah and Wizkid, was released on July 8, 2016, as the third single from Tinie Tempah's third studio album, "Youth" (2017). The song achieved moderate success, charting in the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland, where it peaked at 45, 43, and 71, respectively.
The music video for "Mamacita" premiered on July 4, 2016, on Tinie Tempah's official YouTube channel. Directed by Craig Moore, the video was filmed in the Dominican Republic. The track has been certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for selling over 200,000 units in the United Kingdom.
8. "African Bad Gyal" – Wizkid ft. Chris Brown (2017)
"African Bad Gyal," featuring Chris Brown, is indeed one of Wizkid's standout international collaborations. Released as the fourth lead single from Wizkid's third studio album, "Sounds from the Other Side," the track dropped alongside the album's pre-order on June 9, 2017.
The song made a significant impact, spending 43 weeks on the local charts and peaking at number 3 on Nigeria's Radio chart. Produced by Sarz, "African Bad Gyal" is hailed as one of the best international collaborations in the Nigerian music industry.
9. "My Love" – Wale ft. Major Lazer, Wizkid & Dua Lipa (2017)
"My Love," a collaboration between Wale, Major Lazer, Wizkid, and Dua Lipa, stands out as one of Wizkid's top international collaborations. Featured as the fifth track on Wale's fifth studio album, "Shine" (an abbreviation of Still Here Ignoring Negative Energy), the song was released on April 28, 2017.
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While "My Love" may not have achieved the same level of commercial success as some of Wizkid's other collaborations, it still made a notable impact. According to Kworb.net, the song charted in eight countries, including Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at number 87 in the United Kingdom, number 99 in Canada, and number 189 in the United States. Despite its chart performance, "My Love" is regarded as one of Wizkid's most critically acclaimed collaborations.
10. "Shabba" – Wizkid ft. Chris Brown, Trey Songz, and French Montana (2016)
"Shabba," featuring Chris Brown, Trey Songz, and French Montana, was one of Wizkid's early major international collaborations. Released on July 1, 2016, the track brought together these prominent international singers and has since solidified its place as one of Wizkid's best collaborations.
