It’s undoubted  that Wizkid’s ‘Bad to me‘ raises the amapiano bar to a high level. Wizkid. Honestly, if this entire review was just Wizkid written in caps, it would say a lot. Industry heavyweight Ayo Balogun, aka Big Wiz and resident Machala has graced our collective ears with his first single in two years. While it is easy to forget that Wizkid is quite the accomplished party starter because Made In Lagos, his last album, was more slowed down, he is definitely not a stranger to the dancehall scene with hits like Caro, Daddy yo, Pakurumo and other EDM-inspired hits.

So, it is no surprise that Bad to Me falls under the dance until you’re breathless spectrum of Afrobeats. Storied music producer P2J, who also served as the executive producer on Made in Lagos, drew inspiration from the popular South African Amapiano sound for Bad to Me, a  sound that is instantly recognisable in the faster intro that eases up as the song gets to the middle.

Wizkid – Bad to me – (Official Video). Credit: StarBoy TV|YouTube

The intro is instantly a head nodder, which is a smart move as it’s an undeniable earworm almost immediately. He uses the now popular chant-like style for his chorus, where the backup singers sound like they are having the time of their lives. An infectious enthusiasm that leaks into the ears of the listener.

On it, Wizkid is one again praising the gravity defying physique (when does he ever not) of a woman who had caught his attention. He talks about her physical attributes in the first half of the song but switches to the incredible way she makes him feel in the second half. He sings of how she’s addicted to him. Her own brand of love is something for the books. He’s willing to give her more money than she can ever spend, if only she’ll make the choice to stay. On it he’s cajoling, he’s sweet. He embodies a soft-spoken lothario effortlessly and pairs this with a lively upbeat rhythm that goes well with the lyrics.

The lyrics are a little lacklustre and in comparison to some of his other body of work, this single isn’t the best thing Wizkid has put out. But that is only in comparison with his other bodies of work. On its own as a single, it does what needs to be done and uses a sound that is hot right now. Which has led some fans to say that Bad to Me was a little underwhelming but every good musician knows to flow with trends and there’s something to be said when the release of a single sparks a debate of who did amapiano first in Nigeria, with Davido super fans taking the online competition to the next level by insisting he was first.

It hardly matters who did it first as the sky is big enough for everyone to soar. And Bad To Me gets better the more it is listened to. For a first single in 2022, the bar is set now. Big Wiz is experienced enough to only get better from here on out.

Didi Dan-Asisah is an art enthusiast and critic. She lives in Lagos.

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.