‘Morayo’: A reflection of every phase of Wizkid's artistry

The album encapsulates all the facets of Wizkid’s artistry and chronicles his evolution over the years, transitioning from high-energy anthems to soulful, laid-back vibes.

It’s been over a decade since Wizkid’s debut album, Superstar, launched him into stardom, solidifying his place as one of his generation’s most promising stars. Since then, he has delivered standout projects such as Ayo, Sounds From the Other Side, and most notably, Made in Lagos, arguably his finest and most successful album to date.

Wizkid has continuously evolved, redefining his sound since Sounds From the Other Side, a shift that culminated in the globally acclaimed Made in Lagos. This transformation, likely influenced by his exposure to diverse musical landscapes, moved him away from the high-energy "kpalongo" sound that once dominated his catalogue and the industry at large. Instead, his recent work leans towards a more relaxed, soulful style, enriched with lush instrumentation. However, his last two projects—More Love, Less Ego (2022) and S2 (2023)—while maintaining his refined direction didn’t resonate as expected, leaving him in search of a project that could rival or surpass the success of Made in Lagos.

Titled Morayo after his late mother, whom he lost in 2023, fans anticipated Wizkid’s most introspective and heartfelt project to date. However, rather than centering solely on introspection, the singer chose to highlight the various personas of his artistry since his debut—infused with romance and a touch of playful sensuality that remains a core ingredient of his music.

The album begins on a reflective note, sampling Fuji legend Kwam 1 De Ultimate’s performance at Wizkid’s mother’s funeral. With rich instrumentation—primarily gangan drums and saxophone—that permeates the album, the opening track, Troubled Mind, sets the tone. As the title suggests, Wizkid reveals his vulnerabilities on this mid-tempo P2J-co-produced record, making it an apt introduction to the project.

While Troubled Mind lays a soulful foundation, the energy shifts instantly with the second track, Karamo. It’s a lively, groove-packed party starter that rekindles the high-energy "Lamba Wiz" fans have longed for. The tempo builds further with Kese, a lead single that amassed a record-breaking 1.57 million streams on Spotify within 24 hours of release. With its irresistible Afrobeats rhythm and dance-floor appeal, Kese is undeniably a standout on the album, crafted to ignite clubs and playlists alike.

The project’s first feature comes from Asake, whose appearance on the album was a pleasant surprise, especially considering their recent collaboration on the Grammy-nominated song MMS, which was highly praised by music lovers. Unlike the solemn and reflective tone of MMS, their new track Bad Girl takes a more uptempo approach, celebrating a lady with playful admiration. While it’s a decent record, it falls short of being exceptional. Given the massive success of MMS, Bad Girl might struggle to maintain momentum and could fade quickly, unable to compete with the impact of their initial collaboration both sonically and in terms of potential.

Wizkid’s transition since Sounds From the Other Side, which positioned him as a soft-spoken, soul-stirring R&B artist, continues to evolve impressively, often yielding stellar results within this spectrum. Time is one of the laid-back tracks on the project, delivering a well-deserved dose of lush melodies. The tempo seamlessly carries into Piece of My Heart, a silky R&B duet featuring American singer Brent Faiyaz. The track is particularly noteworthy for its structure as a two-in-one record, shifting sounds within the same song. Its exceptional delivery and unique arrangement make it another standout on the album, solidifying its place as one of the lead singles preceding the project’s release.

Known for infusing Caribbean influences into his music through tracks like Joro, Mamacita, and others, Wizkid explores similar themes with Break Me Down. This track blends sensuality with an upbeat tempo, merging Afro-Caribbean vibes with an R&B flair. Its groove is enhanced by a stellar yet understated performance from an unknown songstress. The tempo resets to a party-starters template with Bend, a proper Afrobeats banger that many anticipated. Slightly heavier than Kese, it has all the makings of a club anthem and could easily become a standout track from the project. In contrast, A Million Blessings feels underwhelming and skippable. Despite the orchestra-inspired production laced with Afrobeats elements that attempt to elevate it, the track lacks the energy and flair to leave a lasting impression, coming across as an album filler.

Wizkid’s signature soulful, feel-good sound makes a strong return on Après Minuit and Bad For You, featuring French rapper Tiakola and American singer Jazmine Sullivan, respectively. These tracks showcase his ability to carefully select collaborators who seamlessly complement his artistry. This approach has paid off in the past with tracks like True Love featuring Tay Iwar and Projexx from Made in Lagos, and the pattern continues to shine here.

While Soji leans on its Afrobeats roots, it doesn’t rise above being another filler. On the other hand, Don’t Care delves deeper into indigenous Afrobeat vibes, offering a more grounded and authentic Wiz. Meanwhile, Slow and Lose are beautifully delivered soft-tempo tracks that resonate with Wizkid’s introspective side, adding a refreshing calm to the album’s flow. The project ends on a high note with Pray, a track that ties together the album’s reflective and celebratory themes.

With P2J producing fourteen tracks and P.Priime and DAMEDAME handling the remaining two, the album boasts a rich and robust soundscape, instrumentation, and production. However, the production could have benefitted from more diverse input to balance out the P2J-heavy contributions.

While Morayo strays beyond the female-centric, romantic, and sensual themes that often characterise Wizkid’s music, it falls short of presenting a cohesive core theme. Whether tied to the significance of its title or simply as a standalone project, the album lacks a unifying thematic structure, leaving it feeling somewhat disjointed. It doesn’t deliver the kind of immersive experience that channels the listener’s thoughts in a specific direction—perhaps towards romance, as has been the hallmark of some of Wizkid’s most memorable works.

Nonetheless, the project is more inclusive, showcasing nearly every artistic phase of Wizkid’s career. It marks an intentional return to crafting proper Afrobeats bangers, a dimension of his brand that has been notably missing in recent years. Morayo is a blend of Wizkid’s signature styles, presented on a more mature and well-rounded level, making it accessible to fans across different stages of life. Despite these highlights, Morayo as a whole feels decent but doesn’t quite possess the standout quality needed to compete with several other Nigerian albums released in 2024. It’s a solid addition to Wizkid’s catalogue but lacks the groundbreaking appeal that defines his most celebrated work.

Overall Rating: 7.0

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