There aren’t many artists enjoying as great a moment as BNXN, the artist formerly known as Buju, currently is. Over the past few months, he’s impressively delivered back-to-back hit features on collaborations such as Ladipoe’s “Feeling,” Wizkid’s “Mood,” Timaya’s “Cold Outside” and his debut EP ‘Sorry I’m Late.’

While these songs continue to earn him new levels of recognition, he’s not losing any steam as he’s already doubling down on his impressive streak with the arrival of his latest feature on Nigerian producer, Pheelz’s latest single “Finesse.” The pair are only just sharing the song officially on streaming platforms, but the catchy track has been making its way round direct-to-user platforms such as TikTok, endearing the track to new audiences and creating hype for its eventual arrival.

 

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A post shared by A L P H A G E E K (@pheelzmrproducer)

“Finesse” first began popping off right after Pheelz released a snippet of the chorus was released on TikTok and Instagram on the 5th of February. Asides the song’s catchy production, the song quickly spread like wildfire on social media, particularly TikTok where Nigerians embraced the number for its relatable lyrics. One lyric in particular rang out the loudest. Over the memorable hook, the pair sing “If I broke, na my business/ama shana e go bright o, Folake for the night o,” which speaks directly to many socio-economic issues that Nigerians currently face.

This initial clip from Pheelz quickly became a fan favourite on TikTok, inviting iterations from people around the country who performed dances and skits over the memorable hook. Outside the digital realm, the song was also gaining momentum in the clubs as DJs began spinning snippets of the viral track, all taken from bootleg sites such as NotJustOK and more. Already, many are calling this a contender  for song of the summer and its eventual release now paves the way for this taking form. “Finesse” is currently sitting at #1 on the Nigeria, London and Ghana Apple Music charts.

Held the country down with a snippet 😂❤️

— Benson (@BNXN) March 1, 2022

Produced by newcomer Miichkel, the uptempo track sees both artists performing on their best form as they advise their muses about the dangers of falling in love with them. On the pre-hook, they sing lyrics such as “bad girl say she wan Netflix and chill/You see these feelings, I’m not catching, omo ope just wan dey, ah finesse”. 

Adopting a similar release pattern to Davido and Focalistic smash hit, “Champion Sound”, Pheelz and BNXN played into a tried and tested formula as they let the fans carry the song to new heights. Rather than resorting to traditional marketing techniques, they relied on the power of social media to get the song to the ears of the fans, prioritising their organic reaction to the song above all else.

Snippets have the ability to make a record a hit or a miss. Typically, they’ve helped to elongate the shelf life of a song, paving the way for its eventual release by creating fever pitch hype from fans that translates into streaming numbers and engagement. In this instance, it seems the inverse is the case as many fans have taken to social media to voice their preference for the snippet over the official song. Regardless, it’s only the first day of its release and there’s still plenty of time for this slow burn to find a home again in listeners. If the song’s appearance on the Apple Music charts is anything to go by, this viral moment can be anticipated sooner rather than later.

Listen to “Finesse” here