Top Nigerian songs that cracked the border aren’t necessarily the ones that featured foreign artiste(s), most of the songs are pure Afrobeat and created from the root.
For the past few years, Nigerian songs have been rapidly gaining ground on the global stage.
The music of Nigeria includes many kinds of traditional (folk) and popular music fused in one genre as afrobeat or Afropop.
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Afrobeat is a genre that implies the mixture of components or elements of West African musical varieties including highlife and fuji music with western jazz and subsequently funk and soul influences, now stylized as Afropop.
These are songs from Nigerian artiste that travels beyond boundary
2Baba – African Queen
African Queen is a song by 2Baba, it was released in 2004 as a supporting single to his debut album that launched him as a viable solo artist.
It cracked the border and became an international, in 2006, African Queen was used in the soundtrack for the film ‘Phat Girlz’, which was released internationally.
D’Banj – Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist is a song by D’banj, it was released in 2012, as a supporting single from DB Records’ compilation album titled D’Kings Men
Oliver Twist debuted at number nine (9) on the UK Singles Chart becoming the first-ever Nigeria song to debut on the chart, the visual also had the cameo appearance of Kanye West.
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Wizkid – Ojuelegba
Ojuelegba” is a song by Wizkid, it was released in 2014, In 2015 as a supporting single self-titled second studio album Ayo
Drake was the first mainstream artiste who jumped on the wave, remixing Wizkid‘s Ojuelegba song and from then established a relationship that birthed his hit single ‘One Dance‘
Davido – Fall
Fall is a song by Nigerian singer Davido, it was released in 2017.
It debuted in US Billboard Hot R&B Songs at #25 becoming the longest-charting Nigerian pop song in Billboard.
Burna Boy – Ye
“Ye” is a song by Burna Boy, it was released in 2018,
It peaked at #26 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and #31 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts
Rema – Iron Man
Iron is a song by Rema, it was released in 2019.
The song appeared on Barack Obama‘s 2019 summer playlist
Wizkid & Tems – “Essence”
Essence is a song by Nigerian singer Wizkid, released on 30 October 2020 as the 11th track from his fourth studio album, Made in Lagos.
It features Nigerian singer Tems, who wrote the song alongside Wizkid. “Essence” was produced by P2J and Legendury Beatz.
The “sensual” song sees the duo express their desire for each other. A music video was released on 9 April 2021, shot in Accra, Ghana.
“Essence” is the first Nigerian song in history to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200.
Another version with an additional feature from Canadian singer Justin Bieber was released on 13 August 2021.
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