Nigerian superstar Burna Boy, also known as the African Giant Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first international Afrobeats artist to claim the top spot on the UK album charts with his latest release, “I Told Them…”. This historic achievement was confirmed by the Official Charts Company on Friday. The 32-year-old Nigerian artist had previously come close to this feat with his album “Love, Damini” last year, reaching the second position in the UK album rankings. While British artists like J Hus have achieved chart-topping success in the Afrobeats genre, Burna Boy is the first foreign artist to accomplish this remarkable feat.
This accomplishment signifies the ongoing ascent of Afrobeats in Britain and globally, as artists such as Wizkid and Davido also gain mainstream recognition and play a significant role in shaping various aspects of popular culture. Martin Talbot, the chief executive of the Official Charts Company, commended Burna Boy for his trailblazing success, describing it as a fantastic achievement. Talbot also highlighted the enthusiasm of British music fans for new music and their openness to embracing diverse cultures, with the increasing interest in Afrobeats being a prime example of this phenomenon.
The popularity of Afrobeats in Western audiences dates back to 2016 when the hit song “One Dance” by Drake and Wizkid became a global sensation. The track’s immense popularity propelled it to become the most-played song of all time on Spotify, amassing over one billion streams. This further solidified the widespread appeal of the Afrobeats sound and paved the way for its continued growth and recognition in the international music scene.
