If Wizkid gives any Nigerian musician tips on how to survive practising abroad, the person had better listen carefully.
The reason is that the tips are a pill he himself has tested and found potent.
He confused many people some years back when he decided to seek a greener musical adventure to the United States.
He was already doing well in his fatherland; yet, he chose to jet out.
Many were scared on behalf of his destiny, based on how many of the country’s reigning artistes who sojourned out amid stardom found things too difficult.
Such people, for instance, recollect that Lagbaja left and things have not been the same since, while Adewale Ayuba also had to almost restart after returning to Nigeria.
But Wizkid got it right in spite of all fears – even if D’Banj could not hide his anxiety for him initially.
Based on the rate at which he (Wizkid) is moving, he has turned the country’s super music export in recent years.
After conquering several fronts at home, he has gone ahead to rule covetous brands like the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards, BET and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) prize.
He has also conquered the likes of the 002 Arena and the Royal Herbert Hall in London, just as he has emphatically won Billboard awards, broken Apple and Itunes charts and pocketed the enviable crest called the Grammys.
Good enough, he has an opportunity to talk about the pill that worked for him.
According to him, one of such is that he was painstaking in the business decisions he took.
While recently unveiling his deal with Tommy Hilfiger, he noted: “It is amazing you said that about the business part of things because I would like to point out, that I think that was one of the most amazing things that I ever did for myself was learning the business side of my music, you know and I was very careful in deals I went into, I was very thorough with my deals, I was very thorough with what I wanted and business was very important.”
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One of the other contracts that worked for him is the one he struck with Sony in 2017.
Hear what Sony Music International president of Northern & Eastern Europe and Africa Adam Granite said then: “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome WizKid to the Sony Music family. This is an incredibly important signing as we look to make Africa a major source of repertoire for the world. Wiz is a key ambassador for this movement and we look forward to helping him conquer the globe.”
For Wizkid, therefore, the story is that of a star at home, superstar abroad.
