Rolling Stone ranks Wizkid, Tems’ “Essence” among 21st century’s best songs

Nigerian singer Wizkid, alongside Tems, has been ranked No. 22 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 250 greatest songs of the 21st century so far for their 2020 hit “Essence.”

The song, from Wizkid’s album Made in Lagos, is a sultry blend of Afrobeats, Afro-pop, and R&B, and features Tems’ distinctive vocals on the chorus, “You don’t need no other body.”

Rolling Stone’s list of the 250 greatest songs of the 21st century, updated on Wednesday, described the track as “bewitching, shimmering, and impossibly soulful,” noting that its tropical bass and mix of sharp and cool tones make it “wonderfully direct and decidedly urgent.”

The publication added that Tems’ modal, plaintive, and electric voice bristles with untapped desire, while Wizkid’s mellifluous delivery invites listeners to the dance floor.

“Essence” became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and was lauded globally as the anthem that brought Afrobeats into mainstream pop.

It also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards and is credited with launching Tems’ international career.

In 2023, it became the first African song to win the iHeartRadio Titanium Award, given to tracks surpassing one billion spins on iHeartRadio stations across the United States.