Wizkid’s Collaboration Track with Justin Bieber, Essence, Climbs Billboard Hot 100
Wizkid’s collaboration track with Canadian music rave, Justin Bieber, is steadily gaining global attention. The “Essence” remix with Bieber hit the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Global 200 – the first song by a Nigerian artist to make it that far. Three days after the remix was released, it hit No. 67 and then No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbing steadily No. 16 according to analysts.
“Due to the remix with Justin Bieber, Essence received 23.2 million radio audience in the US, with 87.3 thousand unit sales this week,” Wizkid Radio Twitter account stated. “Rises to 58% chart points and emerging as the highest gainer amongst 100 songs. Predicted to reach a new peak of #16 on Billboard Hot 100.“
Essence was released in October 2020, and is the 11th track in Wizkid’s fourth album, Made in Lagos. The album was produced by Legendury Beatz and the original Essence track featured Tems. But the remix featured Bieber and was released to the United States market on August 12, 2021, even though its original digital version hit the US on July 29.
It hit No. 1 on the US Digital World Song Sales (Billboard), No. 1 on UK Afrobeats Single, No. 13 on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop (Billboard), and No. 23 on New Zealand Hot Singles. Wizkid shot the musical video of Essence in Accra, Ghana, on April 11 and Bieber reportedly shot his own video for the song too.
Former US President Barack Obama allegedly included Essence to his favourite 2020 songs and Bieber promoted it on his Instagram page while streaming music service Spotify added it to its summer music list of June, 2021.
Wizkid had earlier featured American songbird Beyonce on his grammy-winning Black Skin Girl song, and started out featuring Nigerian music star Tiwa Sawage. Wizkid’s solo performances and collaborations with local, regional, and international artistes are making him the biggest “wizkid” to look out for from Africa, and Afrobeats lovers all over the world have begun to reckon with his steady rise and unique talents.
