Burna Boy is Most Shazamed Artist in Nigeria, ‘Onyeka’ Makes Pitchfork’s Best Songs of 2020 List

As 2020 draws to a close, Nigerian superstar Burnaboy is picking up a number of accolades to add to his growing repertoire.

The self-styled African Giant was the most searched musician of the year on Shazam, Apple Music’s music recognition app.

‘Thank you for connecting with my music enough to make me the most shazamed artist in Nigeria, even in what is arguably the most bizarre year of our generation. That is why I do this,’ Burna said in a tweet.

The popstar, who scored another Grammy nomination for his 2020 hit album ‘Twice as Tall’, also made Pitchfork’s ‘Best 100 Songs of 2020 list’ with ‘Onyeka (Baby)’ at no 57. Pitchfork called the song “an indestructibly sweet, sunny moment amid a colossal album of dancehall, Afrobeats, and pop.”

“[Onyeka (Baby)] is another of Burna’s Sisyphean efforts to compress the breadth of pan-Africanism into his person.

“Not since Fela Kuti has one artist blended the contradictions, agonies, and triumphs of the continent with so much muscle,” the publication said.

Other talented artists on the list include Cardi B‘s ‘WAP’ featuring Megan Thee Stallion which is number 1 on the list, Da baby‘s ‘Rockstar’ featuring Roddy Rich, SZA‘s ‘Hit Different’ featuring TY Dolla $ign, Saweetie‘s ‘Tap In’,  Koffee‘s ‘Lockdown’, Taylor Swift‘s ‘Mirrorball’, Dua Lipa‘s ‘Physical’, Drake‘s ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’ featuring Lil Durk, The Weeknd‘s ‘Blinding Lights’, Chloe x Halle‘s ‘Do It’, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande‘s ‘Rain on Me’, and Megan Thee Stallion‘s ‘Savage Remix’ featuring Beyoncé.

Rita Osakwe