By Leshi Adebayo
Grammy award winning musician, Wizkid, has said that he featured Tems on his hit single, ‘Essence’ because he loves connecting with new artistes.
‘Essence’ is the 11th track of ‘Made In Lagos’ (MIL), Wizkid’s fourth album released in October 2020.
The hit track has enjoyed global acceptance with prominent entertainers dancing to its rhythm.
Wizkid was recently quizzed in his GQ Magazine feature on why he partnered “a rising star” for the chart-topping song.
He replied, “You know, I’ve known Tems…I can’t even actually remember how we met, but I know I brought her out for one of my shows in Lagos. We had talked about working and I went back home to record.”
“When I record at home, it’s like I have a crazy situation. I’ll be in a room with like 8, 10 producers, everyone’s got their rooms and we’re just making music. She (Tems) came through to the hotel and we laid down the idea.
“It was just effortless. Just lay down the melodies, and she didn’t even think anything of it. She felt like we had to do another record, but I already knew we had magic,” the ‘Ojuelegba’ crooner stated.
Wizkid added, “I love meeting new artistes. When I’m in a room with a new artiste, it feels like, Oh, my God. It feels like I’m right there when the magic is just about to take off and take form. It’s so exciting to me.
“When I get in the room with a new artist, it’s like you’re learning from me, I’m learning from you. I even get more excited about getting in the room with new artists than my peers or my friends that I know. I can’t explain it.”
In July, ‘Essence’ became the first Nigerian song to hit the Billboard Hot 100, and also the third from Africa. Again, it moved up to hit 59th place in the same chart.
Later in August, Wizkid released a remix of the global hit featuring Canadian Popstar, Justin Bieber.
As of September 15, ‘Essence’ had risen to 16th place from 44th on week 6, having spent only two months on the chart.
