Soco (song)
| "Soco" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Starboy featuring Terri, Spotless, Ceeza Milli, Wizkid | |
| Released | February 2018 |
| Recorded | 2018 |
| Genre | Afrobeats |
| Length | 4:20 |
| Label | Starboy Entertainment |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Northboi |
| Music video | |
| "Soco" on YouTube | |
"Soco" is a song by Nigerian recording artist Wizkid, released under his nickname Starboy. It features Wizkid himself alongside three other Nigerian artists signed to Starboy Entertainment; Terri, Spotless and Ceeza Milli. Released in February 2018, it went on to become one of the biggest Afrobeats songs of that year.[1] It was certified Gold by Music Canada in 2020, making it the only Nigerian song without a major label certified in North America, and the West at large.[2][3]
Background
As narrated by the music producer Northboi[4] the creation process for the song started when the music producer sent a bunch of beats to Wizkid and he picked one which later ended up being the official beat for the massive 2018 hit Soco. Wizkid only sang the chorus of the song while the remaining vocals were laid by the three artists signed to his record label at the time which came as a surprise to many who thought Wizkid sang all the verses by himself until the official music video was released.
Reception
Soco was well-received by fans and critics, as the song became one of the most successful songs the Nigerian pop star has ever released with several chart entries and certifications in different African and European countries. A music critic from the Nigerian entertainment website Naijaloaded, Mcdioh writes, "Many were expecting the Wobey Sound but Soco was an infusion of Afro beat and the Pon Pon sound. It was similar to Manya as the Afro beat kept banging out well. However, there was nothing spectacular about the song. The way Wizkid had been hyping since the first day of 2018 made it look like it would be the biggest song of 2018."[5] As at November 2019, the song had 122 million combined streams (60 million on YouTube, 30 million on Spotify and 32 million audio streams).[6] It's the only Nigerian label song with a foreign certification.[citation needed]
The song has been seen played by American pop star Chris Brown as he danced and 'vibed' to the sound.[citation needed]
Accolades
"Soco" won Song of the Year and was nominated for Best Pop Single at the 2018 African Musik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA).[7][8] It won Best Collaboration of the Year at the 2018 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival.
| Year | Awards ceremony | Award description(s) | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | African Musik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) | Song of the Year | Won |
| Best Pop Single | Nominated | ||
| Soundcity MVP Awards Festival | Best Collaboration | Won |
Charts
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| World Digital Song Sales(Billboard)[9] | 23 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[10] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ Davies, Denola (2020-06-15). ""Soco" By Wizkid Song Review And Information | AfroHits". AfroHits Magazine. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- ^ "Canada certifies Wizkid's single "Soco"". pmnewsnigeria.com. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ "Wizkid's Soco sets another record, gets certified Gold in Canada". tooxclusive.com. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ "Northboi opens up on how he produced 'Joro' and Wizkid's reluctance to pay for beats [Interview]". Pulse Nigeria. 2019-10-23. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- ^ "NL Music Review!! "Soco" by Wizkid Featuring Ceeza Milli, Spotless & Terri - A Hit Song Or Trash? » Naijaloaded". Naijaloaded. 2018-02-25. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
- ^ "Wizkid and Starboy's 'Soco' hits 122 million streams". pulse.ng. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Davido, Wizkid, Yemi Alade win at AFRIMMA 2018 (Full list of winners)". PURE ENTERTAINMENT. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
- ^ "AFRIMMA 2018: Full list of winners". Music In Africa. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
- ^ https://www.billboard.com/music/wizkid/chart-history/WDT
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Starboy – Soco". Music Canada. Retrieved September 24, 2020.