How Wizkid and Tiwa Savage turned 'Fever' into a well-planned win with great PR
The superstar artiste used the polarizing force of viral social media conversations around his relationships with Tiwa Savage and Justin Skye for a wonderfully planned, well-executed video.
We are the most important cogs in the PR machine and this time, we have pushed the Wizkid machinery to unprecedented heights, probably as Wizkid and his team anticipated — kudos to them.
Over the past few days, Nigerian social media chatter has been awash with divided opinions upon Wizkid dropping the music video for the single, 'Fever'. That video has also heightened the “Everything Stewtrend to insane heights.
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The subject of the chatter
Tiwa Savage was Wizkid's love interest in the video, vibing with Starboy and their 'relationship' somehow rubs Nigerians some way and keeps them talking.
Whether it’s the age difference or that she is a single mum or that people feel she should do better, nobody knows. The topic has been controversial since the turn of the year.
It came to a head around the Headiesin May 2018 with Tiwa calling Wizkid her, “best friend” during her 'Best Collabo' acceptance speech for the single, 'Ma Lo'opposite Wizkid.
Rumour had been brewing before then that something was popping between the two due to their social media conduct and 'romance' in public places.
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It’s about publicity
But this time, it is not about the relationship. Wizkid just intelligently let that supposed ‘relationship’ be the driver to cement the status of 'Fever' as a definite hit.
It has worked - Fever music video hit over two million views on YouTube in three days
There’s nothing like bad publicity, it’s all about what you do with the publicity because publicity means attention.
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In this social media era, where Twitterdrives millions of conversations in milliseconds, the object of that publicity or trend will definitely be visited by curious minds.
It’s the benefit of the Internet. Wizkid scored a win on this one.
How did Wizkid do it?
There was a build up. Wizkid is Nigeria’s most acclaimed pop act outside Nigeria. He had a Billboard Hot No.1 song, One Dance for over 10 weeks in the US opposite Drake and Kyla From then on, it’s been one madness after the other.
Like he did last year with 'Manya' opposite he needed something to sustain him again during this run in like most acts crave .
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Thus, he dropped two new singles, '' with varied reactions.
Enter Justine Skye
In early 2017, either by rumour or fabrication, Nigerians got wind that Wizkid and American singer, Justine Skye had a fling or , but reports remain unconfirmed.
Coincidentally, it seemed Justine was going through relationship troubles at the time and was posting some cryptic social media messages and subs about a certain man who probably broke her heart.
As such, Nigerians would camp in her Twitter mentions, insinuating it was Wizkid, but both of them continued to remain silent on the topic.
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It got to a head when Justine clapped back to these trolls that the person she talks about is not Wizkid.
However, the trolls still continued as Nigerians have a mind of their own. To be honest, it did look like something hush went down between the two.
Anytime the topic comes back up, it becomes a trend.
Justine Skye dances to fever
About three days before the music video for 'Fever' dropped, a video of Justin Skye vibing, whining and grinding to the song with her friends surfaced on social media.
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Once again, it sent tongues wagging. What was Justine up to with Wizkid again? Social media talked about Wizkid and Justin Skye in relation to Fever.
The crowning moment of Wizkid’s and his team’s genius
Then BOOM! Fever dropped with Tiwa Savage - another subject of Wizkid related conversations - as his love interest a few days later. Social media conversations started and the video was pushed, almost unaided.
It was not a lapse in thought or careless living from two adults, it was the final piece of the jigsaw in the 'Fever' narrative. It was the kind of publicity Wizkid needed for this time.
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This is the crowning moment in a well thought out, well-planned, aptly-timed and well-orchestrated publicity.
It looks like Wizkid will have a mad moment during this tail-end of the year. He has turned up the energy around him.
His peers should take a cue. In a year that has seen publicity of romance as with Davido’s reveal of soul mate, Chioma, this tops them all.
All that remains is a good album and no postponement. And who knows, we might end up realizing there is nothing going on between Tiwa Savage and Wizkid.
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