First African artist to captivate a sold-out crowd of 60,000 fans, headlining biggest stadium show in the UK history
The musical genre of Afrobeats has been gaining immense popularity, and this was exemplified by artist Burna Boy, who recently achieved a groundbreaking milestone. He became the first African artist to headline a stadium show in the UK, captivating a sold-out crowd of 60,000 fans.
Taking the stage at the London Stadium, the Grammy Award-winning artist solidified Afrobeats’ growing prominence. He also delighted the audience by bringing out renowned friends, including Dave and Stormzy, who joined him in electrifying performances.
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Burna Boy, alongside other stars like Wizkid, has played a significant role in elevating the status of Afrobeats. However, what exactly is the background of this genre and what makes it so beloved?
Afrobeats, at its core, is a fusion of African and Western influences that originated in Nigeria, Ghana, and the UK during the 2000s and 2010s. It is important to note that Afrobeats should not be confused with Afrobeat (without an ‘s’), a musical style that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, drawing inspiration from Fuji music, highlife, American jazz, and funk. The late Nigerian afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti coined the term Afrobeat, and he, along with drummer Tony Allen, laid the groundwork for what would evolve into Afrobeats.
While Afrobeats draws inspiration from Afrobeat, it represents a more diverse fusion of various genres, including British house music, hip hop, R&B, and dancehall, among others. Unlike Afrobeat, which fits into a specific genre, Afrobeats serves as an umbrella term for contemporary West African pop music.
Burna Boy’s tremendous success in selling out a UK stadium marks a monumental moment for the genre. Afrobeats has been gaining popularity worldwide, dominating music charts and finding prominence on social media platforms like TikTok, where it is frequently used in viral dance challenges. What was once a niche musical style, with Burna Boy performing to small audiences, has now been embraced by some of the biggest superstars in the world. Artists such as Beyoncé and Drake have featured Afrobeats artists in their songs, contributing to its ever-increasing popularity.
Beyoncé collaborated with Wizkid, Tekno, and Yemi Alade on her Afrobeats-inspired album The Gift, while Canadian superstar Drake has joined forces with Wizkid on mega-hits like One Dance. In late May, Burna Boy surpassed Wizkid as the most-streamed artist from Nigeria across all streaming platforms, amassing an impressive 8.47 billion combined streams. Wizkid follows closely behind with a total of 8.39 billion streams.
Burna Boy’s accomplishments continue to multiply, with Rolling Stone magazine even ranking him as number 197 on its list of the 200 greatest singers of all time earlier this year. At his headline gig in London, fans travelled from far and wide, including Ghana and Nigeria, with many celebrating the multicultural mix in the crowd. They saw it as a testament to Burna Boy’s talent and the captivating power of his musical stylings.
Burna Boy’s star rose even further as he performed his catchy Afrobeats hits at the Champions League final in Istanbul, ensuring that the genre reaching even greater heights.
