Afrobeats star Ayodeji Balogun, known as Wizkid, has officially announced 22 November as the release date for his much-anticipated album ‘Morayo.’
Wizkid confirmed the release date in a post on X on Friday, writing with his signature “biggest bird” emoji, “Morayo pre-save album! Nov 22.”
‘Morayo’, a Nigerian Yoruba word for ‘I See Joy,’ will be released via Starboy/Sony Music International/RCA Records, Billboard reports.
The 34-year-old singer himself has called ‘Morayo’ the “best work” he has ever created.
Through various teasers and cryptic X posts frequently, including some that many interpreted as subtle jabs at fellow artist and much-perceived ‘industry rival’ Davido, he has continued to build excitement around the album.
This announcement follows the Friday release of his smooth single, “Piece of My Heart,” featuring American soul artist, Brent Faiyaz, which has already amplified anticipation for the project.
This new single, ‘Piece of My Heart’, becomes the first song to hit the 1 million stream mark on Spotify Nigeria. The song recorded 1.016 million streams on Spotify Nigeria in a day.
Consequently, Nigeria became the 22nd country to see a song receive over 1 million streams on its Spotify Chart daily. ‘Piece of My Heart’ debuted at 90 on the Global Spotify Chart with 1.7 million streams.
The song recorded 2.27 million streams globally on its first day of release. It earns an African artist’s biggest streaming debut for a song in Spotify history.
The “Essence” hitmaker has been selective with his collaborations this year, also appearing on Asake’s track “MMS” from “Lungu Boy” and Shenseea’s “Work Me Out” from her album “Never Gets Late Here.”
‘Morayo’ is a deeply personal project for Wizkid, which he dedicated to his late mother, Jane Morayo Balogun, who died in 2023 at age 66. In June, the singer revealed the album is a tribute to his mother.
The project is expected to reflect Wizkid’s emotional journey following her death, and fans anticipate a raw and heartfelt body of work. With ‘Morayo’, Wizkid is poised to further solidify his legacy as a global music icon, blending Afrobeats and R&B in his distinct style.
Throughout his career, the singer, who was born in Lagos, has played a pivotal role in bringing Afrobeats to the international stage, from his breakout debut ‘Superstar’ in 2011 to his historic collaboration with Drake on ‘One Dance,’ which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and earned him two Guinness World Records.
His contribution to global music has garnered him several accolades, including a Grammy Award for his work on Beyoncé’s “Brown Skin Girl.”
Wizkid, Jada P Expecting a Baby Girl
Fans of Nigerian music star, Wizkid, and his third baby mama, Jada Pollock, have reason to celebrate as the couple is expecting a baby girl.
The news comes after it was revealed in August that Wizkid and Jada were expecting their third child together.
A viral video showed Jada, also Wizkid’s manager, partying with friends while proudly displaying her baby bump. Jada later confirmed the pregnancy by sharing a video of herself, showing off her growing belly and a heartfelt message.
Now, as the couple prepares for the arrival of their baby, Jada’s friends organize a baby shower and gender reveal party.
At the event, the couple discovered they were expecting a baby girl, Wizkid’s first daughter. Fans have expressed their excitement over the news, showering the couple with congratulations.
The baby will be the third child for Wizkid and Jada, who already share two sons.
As Wizkid’s baby mama turned a new age, she also celebrated the near arrival of their first baby girl.
READ ALSO: Kwame Akuffo Criticizes Supreme Court’s Approach to Legal Proceedings
