WILL BALOGUN RECORD ANOTHER WAR VICTORY WITH MORAYO?

“Wizkid, Nigerian Entertainment Industry, gbogbo won lo n ki e o…” These iconic lyrics by Fuji and Highlife legend King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) open Wizkid’s sixth studio album, MORAYO, named after his late mother.

The 16-track LP, featuring guest appearances from Asake, Brent Faiyaz, Tiakola, Jazmine Sullivan, and French-Gabonese vocalist Anaïs Cardot, serves as both a musical exploration and an homage to his mother. Pre-release, Morayo had an impressive run, with tracks like “Piece of Me” featuring Brent Faiyaz breaking records by garnering 1.016M streams on Spotify Nigeria on its opening day — setting the highest-ever opening day streams on the platform. Just a month later, “Kese (Dance)” surpassed this record with 1.5M opening-day streams. These milestones made Wizkid the African artist with the most opening day streams on Spotify Africa, further solidifying his “Machala” status.

From my perspective, this album reinforces the narrative of Wizkid’s versatility and range. It blends genres such as Reggae/Dancehall, R&B, Afrobeats, and Highlife. Take, for instance, the opening track, “Troubled Mind,” produced by P2J — this song samples KWAM 1’s live performance at Morayo’s funeral, seamlessly fusing Fuji, R&B, and Highlife into a heartfelt reflection on grief — a brilliant way to set the tone for the album.

However, Morayo isn’t without its shortcomings. Track 4, “Bad Girl,” featuring Asake, fell short of expectations. Their second collaboration, following “MMS” from Asake’s Lungu Boy, lacked the chemistry many anticipated. Fans had high hopes, believing the Asake feature would carry the album, but I’m sorry to say, “this lazy effort doesn’t stand out and feels uninspired”.

On a positive note, the album’s A&R deserves recognition for exceptional strategic planning. Featuring Anaïs Cardot, who previously provided vocals for Asake’s “Mood” on Lungu Boy, was a brilliant way to showcase rising talent. Additionally, Tiakola’s inclusion broadens appeal to Francophone Afrobeats audiences, while the Asake, Brent Faiyaz, and Jazmine Sullivan collaborations strengthen the album’s PR leverage.

One area where Morayo might disappoint is its title—naming the album after his late mother sets certain expectations. While some tracks touch on love, grace, and lifestyle, the track titles and themes don’t consistently align with the intended eulogy. This disconnect may leave listeners wondering if “Morayo” refers to a romantic interest (one of his babes) rather than his mother.

Overall, Morayo builds on the momentum set by its lead singles and solidifies Wizkid’s place as an Afrobeats legend. However, whether this album is powerful enough to cement further victories in his career is another question entirely which leaves me with “Is Morayo a weapon enough to give Balogun any victory at war?”

Written by: Elemoh