Nigerian recording artiste, Ayodeji Balogun, who is better known as Wizkid, is celebrating his 35th birthday today, Wednesday, July 16.
Wizkid has been described as one of the most influential Afrobeats musicians in the Nigerian entertainment industry, a global superstar. The singer-songwriter is otherwise known as Machala or Star Boy, has remained one of the Afrobeats food chain since his emergence in the 2010s.
Coming into superstardom at only 20, at the age of 35, Wizkid has achieved everything he has set out to achieve in his field and has gone on to attain further prominence.
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In this article, we’ll be discussing the various achievements of the foremost singer-songwriter.
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Wizkid: Early Days of Star Boy
Born in Surulere, Lagos State, Wizkid began showcasing his musical skills at the age of 11. Kickstarting his career as Lil Prinz, it was apparent from a tender age that the youngster was designed to achieve prominence.
In 2009, at the age of 19, he signed with Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment (EME), where he became a prominent member of the record label. His debut studio album, Superstar, in 2011, quickly catapulted him into mainstream success, where he became one of the integral voices in his generation.
Alongside other upcoming artistes such as Olamide, Mo’cheda, and Davido, the burgeoning generation aligned with the baby-faced singer-songwriter from the streets of Ojuelegba, Surulere.
While Superstar served as a seed for greater things to come in the latter part of his career, his sophomore album, Ayo, released in 2014, put him on the global stage. In the coming years, he worked with other notable artistes such as Chris Brown and Drake.
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Awards And Mainstream Success
Wizkid is a recipient of several international awards, including the much-coveted Grammy Award. At the 2021 Grammy award ceremony, the singer-songwriter won the Best Music Video for the Beyoncé collaboration “Brown Skin Girl”.
Further, Wizkid is the most awarded African at the following award ceremonies:
American Music Awards (2 wins, including Favorite Afrobeats Artist 2022)
MTV VMAs (1), Soul Train Awards (3), Billboard Music Awards (3), iHeartRadio Music Awards (2), BET Awards (4), and MOBO Awards (6)
First African to earn three Billboard Music Awards and seven Billboard nominations (2017)
Guinness World Records for songwriting contribution to Drake’s “One Dance” (first song to hit 1 billion+ streams)
Youngest African artist to earn a Grammy nomination
Highly celebrated across Africa: It is important to note that the 35-year-old musician has secured an award at AFRIMA, Headies, and multiple nominations/wins at The Headies (record holder for most wins).
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, better known as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Wizkid is a voice in the emerging Afrobeats movement. His music is a blend of Afrobeats, afropop, R&B, afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, and pop.
