What should be expected from Wizkid's upcoming album 'Morayo'?

The singer, after a spell of two largely unsuccessful projects, might be releasing a new one before the year ends.

Nigerian superstar Wizkid has officially kicked off the highly anticipated 'Morayo' era after announcing an upcoming single with American soulful singer-songwriter Brent Faiyaz. The feel-good R&B track, titled 'Piece of My Heart,' undoubtedly sets the stage for what’s to come from the Grammy-winning singer's sixth studio album, 'Morayo.'

It's been over a decade since Wizkid released his debut album, Superstar, and his career has seen both highs and lows. Exceptional projects like Ayo, Sounds from the Other Side, and most notably Made in Lagos stand out in his catalogue. However, things have taken a shaky turn, as the singer has not yet been able to surpass MIL, arguably one of his best and most successful albums. His last two projects—More Love, Less Ego (2022) and S2 (2023)—didn't receive the expected reception, leaving him in search of a project that could surpass his previous success.

Wizkid has been redefining his sound since Sounds from the Other Side, a transformation that was cemented with Made in Lagos. It's clear that his exposure has deeply influenced his music. Instead of the high-energy "kpalongo" sound he's known for and the industry was riddled with, his recent work has been more laid-back, soulful, and rich in instrumentation. Therefore, if Morayo is delivered properly, it has the potential to give the singer the much-needed breakthrough he seeks. Although it's unlikely to surpass the monumental success of Made in Lagos, the album's significance, particularly with its title, suggests it may be more well-rounded than the female-centric projects Wizkid has been putting out recently.

Fans can expect a more introspective Wizkid on Morayo (as seen in Asake's MMS), yet still conscious of his superstar status—reflecting his experiences with wealth, women, and lifestyle. The album’s sound is expected to be rich, with an intentional return to Afrobeats bangers. Overall, Morayo is expected to blend elements of Joro-era Wizkid, Blessed-era Wizkid, and Frames-era Wizkid to present a more mature, well-rounded artist who can resonate with a wider audience, no matter what phase of life they are in.

To provide more context and perspective, NotJustOk spoke to some music executives as well as dedicated Wizkid fans to hear their expectations for the upcoming album. Their thoughts are as follows:

Babalola Osogbiye (Uncle Bilo), Head Of Marketing, ONErpm Africa) said:

"For Wizkid's Morayo album, Wizkid is a global superstar and, arguably, one of the most celebrated forerunners of African music. So, I expect nothing less of these to be embedded in the album. Sound-wise, I expect it to be global, with a shade or with all shades of African music elements. Because, I mean, the album title is native, which should tell us everything that we need to know already. I believe the album would have, like, shades of African music elements because we shouldn't alienate ourselves from our roots; it is the foundation of all that it is with our music. But from the business perspective, we should expect sounds that cement Wizkid's global presence in the global music atmosphere, just like he did with Essence."

Moses Kusemi, Operations Manager of Boomplay, opines that, personally, he does not have big expectations for the album as Wizkid's sound has become very predictable. Over the years, it has been the same Wizkid. He goes on to state that the singer hasn't had a wow factor in his recent projects. Even though he is looking forward to Morayo and wants to be surprised by the singer, he doesn’t have any high expectations for the album.

An ardent fan of Wizkid and accorded as many as a frontier of the Wizkid FC Fanbase, Basito says:

"Morayo is coming, and I know for sure Wizkid is going to deliver; he’s never let us down, and he’s definitely not going to start now with Morayo. Quality is never a question when it comes to a Wiz album. The only thing I would say is I hope he does right by the album this time around and pushes it to every corner of the world. The world can do a lot with a Wizkid album right now, and it’s only right if they’re alerted about it through every channel there is."

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Another ardent fan and music enthusiast, Lasisi Farouk, says:

"The thing is, you know, Morayo is something special to him, so I know that he's going to do something a bit like Made in Lagos because I think that's Wizkid's new identity and sound, and he has producers that he is used to (around him). So, you know, I think those are the sounds that are pleasing to people's ears; they want to listen to something like Made in Lagos again. And it's going to come from a place of pain and pleasure; it's also going to come from a woman's perspective. That's Wiz for you. I know he's going to come along with his identity: traditional drums, saxophones, pianos, and all those sounds we like. It's going to come out very nice and smooth, and he has anticipated it well. Wizzy is a perfectionist; he wants his stuff to sound exactly the way he envisions. I'm expecting something new too. I'd like to see him do something he hasn't done before. Something nice."

Another fan, Theophilus, is highly optimistic about the project and can’t wait to have it. He says:

"Honestly, I'm expecting nothing short of greatness; beautiful and relatable songs. We all know how meticulous Wiz is when making his songs. I believe all tracks will reflect this. I'm just patiently awaiting this album, as I need some fresh and soulful music."

Adetomi says: "I'm expecting a lot of emotions from it, especially since he recently lost his mum, and we all know Wizkid loves his mum. So yeah, that, and also his usual serenade on love and hustle."

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