The underrated triumph of Wizkid’s ‘Sounds from the Other Side’
An defining moment often attacked for forgetting its 'roots'
There was palpable anxiety around Wizkid’s trajectory in 2017. On the heels of the behemoth success of “One Dance”, the Drake-headlining chart-topper – and a milestone major label deal in the tuck – the world had become Starboy’s domain, and in typical Nigerian fashion, we asked: What next?
The task ahead of Wizkid was monumental. On the one hand, he had to live up to the hype and package himself in a musical context that would be digestible by global audiences. On the other hand, he was also meant to appease us – the fans back home who had helped catapult him to global stardom. Nigerian audiences over the past two decades have been spoilt for choice by the proliferation of Afropop back home, and despite supporting his evolution, we just wanted Wizkid to continue churning out the trademark hits we had grown accustomed to.
Having established himself as the most prominent voice in African pop music with his classic debut album, ‘Superstar’, and a subsequent overflow of smash singles, Wizkid’s sophomore LP, ‘Ayo’, wasn’t received too kindly. It was panned by many for being unimaginative, with critics pointing at a lack of depth and citing the anthemic juggernaut, “Ojuelegba”, as the album’s main saving grace.
In all honesty, Wizkid’s second go-around was indeed bloated, but pop albums are designed to spawn hit singles and keep listeners talking—‘Ayo’ was successful on both these fronts. The album had its undeniable hits in “Jaiye Jaiye”, “In My Bed” and “Show you the Money”, and it was clear Wizkid had masterfully side-stepped the much dreaded sophomore slump.
Treading an experimental path with his third project, the reception to Wizkid’s ‘Sounds from the Other Side’ was similar to his previous LP. Much like ‘Ayo’. Wizkid expanded upon his musical influences from highlife, reggae, contemporary and electronic dance music, fine tuning the alchemy and partnering with a diverse range of heavyweights to present a well-aggregated blend. ‘SFTOS’ found the singer embracing the full range of his voice, from Highlife projections on “Sweet Love”, to the Afro-R&B schemes of “One For Me”, and minimalist tropical synths on “Picture Perfect”.
Most Nigerians imagined that given the support of a major label, Wizkid would use this opportunity to fully present an authentic ‘Nigerian pop album’ to the world, however, the only problem with that was he had already established himself within that sonic realm with his two full projects that came before. The status of ‘Superstar’ as arguably one of the five greatest Nigerian pop albums is undisputed; ‘Ayo’ was interestingly met with mixed reviews but its legacy has endured; for ‘SFTOS’, Wizkid sought to chart new territory whilst maintaining his Nigerian roots.
Critics, who constantly yearn for ‘substance’ from Wizkid, raised the case once again upon the release of ‘SFTOS’, a classic case of critics expecting an artist to do what they expect, instead of allowing artists refine what they are best at. While Wizkid has had introspective and affecting cuts reflecting on his background, the labours of his Mum and brief insights into Nigerian society, his strongest inclination wasn’t toward personal exploration and social commentary, and it didn’t need to be.
An artist’s role is to express themselves in the best way they deem fit, some people can ride trends to great effect, others focus on examining society and articulating their perspective. The variance and infinite possibilities have been one of the reasons why music remains one of the most popular mediums of entertainment. In the case of Wizkid, it would be safe to say he viewed ‘SFTOS’ as an opportunity to test his vocal dexterity, and experiment with blending sounds that have most likely influenced his musical palette all his life, in a unique and all-encompassing way. From salsa spurts, thumping house production, to R&B melodies, ‘SFTOS’ ambitiously draws inspiration from across Africa and the diaspora to present perhaps the most comprehensive blend of ‘African Sounds’. This is most likely what the ‘Other Side’ represents for Wizkid; the eclectic harmonies of African pop rhythms.
In the aspect of collaborations, Wizkid assembled a diverse cast to create one of the most seamless pop albums in African music. In stark contrast to the out of place international collaborations on his sophomore, ‘SFTOS’ pools the expertise of producers and song writers from around Africa and the world, validating Wizkid’s place as the Ambassador for African pop music, like on the hypnotic “All For Love” featuring Bucie, where DJ Maphorisa grounds light salsa tones in the dense rhythms of South African house. On “Nobody” Wizkid fully embraces his R&B alter ego, whilst maintaining his Caribbean inflections for one of his most emotive cuts, returning to his trademark Starboy style on the album’s closer “Gbese” – a cut which paints the image of a grand end of year beach party, assisted by a killer verse from Trey Songz.
In terms of being Nigerian, besides Wizkid’s expanded vocal range and slight tonal alterations, there’s very little about his vocals that should strike familiar audiences as being peculiar. Very few artists can vary their styles, or imagine themselves on genre textures that are unfamiliar to their musical origin whilst maintaining their original essence. It’s interesting how Nigerian audiences continue to endorse Wizkid’s trademark Afropop style, despite how repetitive they claim it is, yet seemingly shunned ‘SFTOS’.
Commercially, ‘SFTOS’ was not the international success it could have been. Besides having a nonexistent ground game in Nigeria, the fact that a lot of tracks had leaked prior to release killed the element of surprise, effectively harming the album’s momentum. Videos were not shot, and while we could endlessly speculate how far the E.P. could have gone, we will just have to settle for the influence it has had on overarching pop-culture, with mainstream chart toppers like Swae Lee embracing the sound, and ex-rapper/commentator Joe Budden even chiding (a bit erroneously) other artists for jacking Wizkid’s sound without openly admitting the singer as a major influence.
In this era of stat analysis and chart positions, we forget that, though numbers don’t lie, they can be manipulated. The true value of art is in its uniqueness and lasting history. It is very hard to imagine the current dominance of Afropop, through artists like Rema, Santi and others, on the global scale without the boundary shaking ideal of Wizkid’s third album. D’banj laid the initial blueprint with “Oliver Twist”, and while ‘experts’ called it a flop and some Nigerians did not appreciate the ‘Jamaican’ flavours, the underrated triumph of ‘SFTOS’ is integral to the frame work for Nigerian pop music’s global evangelism.
In a world of infinite choices and instant access, we all enjoy things we are familiar with because sorting through the noise can be difficult. Having invested time, hype, and sometimes money in the careers of our favourite artists, we’ve earned some say in the direction they take, but at the same time, the most crucial aspect of support is in trusting the artistic vision of our creative geniuses. Wizkid is Nigerian Afropop’s ambassador, and ‘SFTOS’ was his passport to the world. We wonder what planet no. 4 will take us to.
Featured Image Credits: Web/ Wizkid
Djaji is a creative Vagabond, send him your takes on music and African culture @djajiprime
ICYMI: Essentials: Of “SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE” And The Place Of Wizkid In African Music
Maya Amolo Is Committed To Giving You The Sweetest Time
There’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the...
“Sweetest Time,” Maya Amolo’s latest single, is a soothing, lovesick confessional that mixes intimate, heartfelt lyricism with wistful production courtesy of Ugandan musician and producer SOULCHYD aka MAUIMØON. Alongside fellow Kenyan singer Ywaya Tajiri, the self-acclaimed sweetest girl delivers a lustrous duet that sees her soft vocals, which perfectly complement Tajiri’s more robust voice, skip and flit across moody synths, intensifying the spotlight on her wholehearted delivery. “I can feel you rushing through my system / Every single day it’s my religion,” she sings passionately halfway into the record. The whole thing sounds like the aural equivalent of a warm blanket; a truly affectionate record that immerses and envelopes its listeners in its warmth. This is the brand of vulnerable, understated R&B music that has been helping Amolo gain significant attention since she debuted in the pandemic year.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Amolo always had an affinity for music. The singer and producer, who took on piano and guitar lessons as a child, has previously credited acts like Brandy, Erykah Badu, Prince, and Kenyan musical icon Eric Wainaina as her early influences – and it’s easy to see how Amolo’s style draws from this strong lineage of musicians whose music is equally expansive, soothing and vulnerable. After years experimenting with different styles, recording covers to beats she ripped from YouTube and posting them on her Soundcloud page, Amolo released her debut project ‘Leave Me At The Pregame’ in 2020.
The EP, which quickly soared up the charts in Kenya, served as a brief but emphatic introduction to Amolo’s minimalistic take on R&B. Standouts like the emotive opener “Puddles,” “Lush Green”, and “Jokes” showcase her clever and poignant lyricism that reflects on themes of love, depression, and self-healing. Along with sparse, melancholic production and the icy sensuality of her voice, Amolo delivered a remarkable debut that made her one of the most promising figures in Nairobi’s alternative music scene. Two years after ‘Leave Me At The Pregame,’ the Kenyan rising star released her debut album, ‘Asali.’
‘Asali,’ which translates to “honey” in her native Kiswahili, showcased Amolo’s progression as both an artist and a human being, as she swapped out the sad-girl tunes that filled her debut EP for more vibrant and intricate records – thanks in part to Sir Bastien and Kenyan producer and rapper Lukorito – that explore themes of growth and the complexities and rich luster of love. The album’s lead singles, “Foundry” and the self-produced “Can’t Get Enough,” found relative success on streaming platforms, placing Amolo as one of the continent’s most exciting new R&B voices. About a year after the release of ‘Asali,’ Amolo updated the album with 8 new songs on a deluxe version that featured Kenyan stars like Bensoul, Xenia Manasseh and Zowie Kengocha.
In August 2024, a few months after she delivered a splendid Colors performance, Amolo released a new project titled ‘What a Feeling.’ The 5-track EP, which essentially serves as an ode to Amolo’s home city, Nairobi, sees her experimenting with an array of dance sub-genres without straying too far from her R&B roots. While the project still retains much of the melancholy and elegance that defined her earlier work, there’s a hypnotic and pulsating energy that courses through ‘What A Feeling,’ that highlights a shift in the singer’s sensibilities. Amolo’s honeyed vocals gently seep through subtle Dancehall, Electronic, R&B and House-inspired production and the accompanying visualizer, a mashup of camcorder footage of her and her friends in Nairobi, also adequately captures the charming and nocturnal vibe of the tape.
The project produced standout tracks like the sensual “Let It Flow,” the title track and “Take It,” which later got remixed by Ugandan singer Soundlykbb and rapper SGawD. With Amolo’s latest release, “Sweetest Girl,” the Kenyan rising star continues her intricate exploration of R&B music, merging it with varying styles to produce her own distinct and refreshing variant. There’s no telling what Amolo might do next, but with only a handful of releases to her name so far, there’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the genre’s most prominent faces across the continent.
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T.I Blaze Updates ‘Shakur’ EP With Deluxe Version
Following the success of “Trenches Luv,” the street-pop star is back with seven new songs on the deluxe...
Over the last few years, street-pop, a guttural version of afropop, has surged to mainstream popularity, birthing stars like Asake, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi. On the homefront, a generation of younger stars also put unique spins on the sound. Singer, T.I Blaze, has been a notable star in the sub-genre since his 2021 single, “Sometimes,” and a subsequent remix with icon, Olamide, launched him into a different stratosphere.
Since “Sometimes,” Blaze has established his profile as a reliable source for songs that reflect the pulse of the streets while archiving his come-up story across a debut album (‘El Major’) and three extended plays like ‘The Fresh Prince Of Lagos’ and ‘Dangerous Wavy Baby.’ His 2024 EP, ‘Shakur,’ further underscored his evolution as an artist, featuring slippery numbers about escapism, his thoughts on life in the fast lane, and brotherhood with features from rising stars like Tml Vibez and BhadBoi Oml.
In 2025, the singer has picked up where he left off last year, releasing “Trenches Luv,” a balmy February release that examines the dynamics of romance from his point of view as a young adult moulded by the hard realities of life on the street. The success of “Trenches Luv” has led to a deluxe version of ‘Shakur’ with the singer adding seven new songs to the original version of the project. Impressively, on the new version of the project, TI Blaze taps up Ayo Maff and Ghanaian star Arathejay on “My Brother” and “Mario Remix,” respectively.
Led by a galala-inflected opener, “Track 1,” ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ is both raw and complex with the singer sounding refreshed on songs like “My Brother,” “Dodge,” and “Introduction.” In many ways, this project is an invitation for listeners to explore the many facets of T.I Blaze’s artistry as well as a portent to celebrate his roots and offer a glimpse at his evolution.
Listen to ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ here.
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NATIVE PREMIERE: Rigo Kamp Runs Ahead Of The Pack With The Visuals For “Marathon”
Rigo Kamp’s Marathon video is an intimate Afro-juju revival that pays homage to Sir Shina Peters and stamps...
Last Friday, Rigo Kamp, a NATIVE uNder alum and one of the architects of an equal parts nostalgic and refreshing sound released his self-titled debut EP, delivering a propulsive fusion of Alte, R&B, Funk, and Soul-infused rhythms.
Featuring previously released singles “Morning Sun” and “Summer”, the six-track eponymous EP executively produced by Odunsi The Engine sees Rigo lean heavily into his element as a sonic alchemist, jumping from silky falsettos to gritty grooves without losing an ounce of cohesion, and ultimately stamping the Abuja-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter as a mad scientist of sound.
Just last November, Apple Music named Rigo Kamp as its Up Next artist, an acknowledgment that underscored his potential and confirmed what the tastemakers and underground scene already knew. Weeks later, he delivered an exhilarating live set for Spotify Fresh Finds in Lagos, proving he’s just as compelling live as he is in the studio.
On “Marathon”, the refreshing opener to the Rigo Kamp EP, Rigo borrows the bounce and swagger of Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters’ golden-era, fusing nostalgia with re-imagination to birth a vintage performance that feels like a private party for two, where it’s just Rigo, and you.
Get an exclusive first look at the video for Marathon here:
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