Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Wizkid achieved a groundbreaking feat with a sold-out performance at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on July 29. He marked his place as the first African artist to accomplish this remarkable achievement. The event, which kicked off the “More Love, Less Ego” tour’s European leg, drew an audience of 45,000 fervent fans. Wizkid’s illustrious accomplishment places him in the company of Beyoncé and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, the only other acts to grace the stadium’s stage this year. Following the historic show, Wizkid secured another accolade, becoming the inaugural African artist to receive the BRIT Billion award. This recognition was bestowed upon him for amassing an astounding 1 billion music streams in the UK.
Notably, this isn’t Wizkid’s first foray into record-setting performances in the UK. In 2021, he achieved the unprecedented feat of selling out London’s O2 Arena for three consecutive dates, solidifying his position as the first African artist to achieve such a milestone. The triumph underscores the escalating global recognition of Afrobeats music. The impact is so profound that the Grammy Awards will introduce a novel category in 2024: Best African Music Performance. This category is designed to celebrate recordings that authentically incorporate diverse regional expressions from across the African continent.
Wizkid’s remarkable achievement in London is just one in a series of groundbreaking performances by Afrobeats luminaries this year. Burna Boy notably made history in June by headlining a sold-out stadium show at London Stadium, followed by a similarly impressive feat in July at New York’s Citi Field. The genre also captured the spotlight during the NBA All-Star Game halftime show in February, with Burna Boy, Tems, and Rema delivering a memorable performance.
The momentum in Afrobeats continues with another historic moment on the horizon. Tiwa Savage, often hailed as the “Queen of Afrobeats,” is set to take center stage at the OVO Arena Wembley in the UK on November 26. Her upcoming performance will make her the first female artist from the genre to headline at the esteemed venue. As Afrobeats solidifies its global influence, these trailblazing artists are rewriting music history and cementing the genre’s place on the international stage.
source : cnn
