Sounds From the Other Side is a 2017 project by Nigerian singer and songwriter Wizkid, marking a major transition in his career from Nigerian Afropop star to an increasingly international artist.

Released on July 14, 2017, through Starboy Entertainment and RCA Records, the project contains 12 tracks and features a mixture of Afrobeats, dancehall, R&B, reggae, hip-hop and Caribbean-influenced sounds.

The project arrived after Wizkid’s international breakthrough through his collaboration with Drake on “One Dance.” It also followed the success of Ayo (2014), making Sounds From the Other Side an important bridge between Wizkid’s earlier Nigerian sound and the more global direction he would explore in subsequent years.

Project Details

• Artist: Wizkid
• Title: Sounds From the Other Side
• Release Date: July 14, 2017
• Type: Studio project / EP
• Number of Tracks: 12
• Runtime: Approximately 39 minutes
• Labels: Starboy Entertainment / RCA Records
• Main Genres: Afrobeats, Afropop, R&B, dancehall, reggae and hip-hop
• Major Producers: Sarz, Spellz, Major Lazer/Diplo-associated production, DJ Mustard and others
• Notable Features: Drake, Major Lazer, Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign, Trey Songz and Bucie

Sounds From the Other Side Tracklist

The 12-track project is:

1. Sweet Love
2. Come Closer (feat. Drake)
3. Naughty Ride (feat. Major Lazer)
4. African Bad Gyal (feat. Chris Brown)
5. Daddy Yo
6. One for Me (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
7. Picture Perfect
8. Nobody
9. Sexy
10. All for Love (feat. Bucie)
11. Dirty Wine (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
12. Gbese (feat. Trey Songz)

The Meaning Behind the Title

The title Sounds From the Other Side reflects Wizkid’s increasingly international musical direction.

By 2017, Wizkid was no longer making music exclusively for the Nigerian market. His collaborations with artists from outside Africa and his growing international audience influenced the project’s sound.

Rather than abandoning his Nigerian identity, Wizkid combines it with Caribbean, American and broader global pop influences.

The result is a project that moves between different musical worlds while keeping Wizkid’s melodic style at its center.

A More International Wizkid

One of the defining characteristics of Sounds From the Other Side is its international guest list.

The project includes:

• Drake on “Come Closer”
• Major Lazer on “Naughty Ride”
• Chris Brown on “African Bad Gyal”
• Ty Dolla $ign on “One for Me” and “Dirty Wine”
• Bucie on “All for Love”
• Trey Songz on “Gbese”

These collaborations gave the project a broader international character and placed Wizkid alongside artists from different parts of the global music industry.

Sweet Love

The project opens with “Sweet Love,” produced by Sarz.

The song establishes the relaxed, melodic atmosphere that runs through much of the project. It also incorporates an element of Nigerian musical heritage: MusicBrainz credits the record with a sample from Fela Kuti’s “Shakara.”

This combination is significant because it connects Wizkid’s modern Afrobeats sound with one of the foundational figures of Nigerian popular music.

Come Closer

“Come Closer” is one of the project’s most recognizable songs and features Drake.

The song followed the massive international success of Drake’s “One Dance,” which featured Wizkid and Kyla.

“Come Closer” therefore represented another major connection between Wizkid and Drake. The song was produced by Sarz, with Noah “40” Shebib credited as mixer.

The record combines Wizkid’s smooth Afrobeats melodies with a relaxed, atmospheric production style.

Although Drake’s appearance became a major talking point around the song, the track ultimately reinforces Wizkid’s own international identity.

Naughty Ride

“Naughty Ride” features Major Lazer and moves further toward dancehall and Caribbean-influenced territory.

The collaboration demonstrates Wizkid’s ability to work with electronic and dance-oriented acts while retaining his African vocal identity.

It is one of the clearest examples of the project’s attempt to connect Afrobeats with sounds coming from outside West Africa.

African Bad Gyal

On “African Bad Gyal,” Wizkid teams up with Chris Brown.

The song blends Afrobeats with Caribbean and R&B influences, creating a smooth international pop record.

Chris Brown’s presence also emphasizes the project’s broader reach and Wizkid’s increasing connections with major American artists.

Daddy Yo

“Daddy Yo” is one of the project’s most energetic records.

Unlike some of the international collaborations, Wizkid handles the song himself, allowing his own personality to dominate the record.

The song draws strongly from dancehall and Afropop, demonstrating that Wizkid could incorporate international sounds without necessarily needing an international guest.

One for Me

“One for Me” features Ty Dolla $ign and continues the project’s R&B-influenced side.

The record focuses on attraction and romance, with Wizkid’s melodic delivery providing the foundation while Ty Dolla $ign adds an American R&B presence.

Picture Perfect

“Picture Perfect” brings the project back toward Wizkid’s more familiar Afropop territory.

The song focuses on romantic attraction and showcases one of Wizkid’s strengths: creating simple melodies that fit naturally over rhythmic production.

Nobody

“Nobody” continues the project’s smooth and romantic atmosphere.

Rather than being built around a huge feature or dramatic production change, the song relies on Wizkid’s vocals and melody to carry the record.

Sexy

“Sexy” is another sensual, melodic record that fits the project’s relaxed atmosphere.

The song demonstrates how much Wizkid’s sound had evolved since Superstar. The youthful Nigerian pop energy of his early career had developed into a smoother and more internationally adaptable style.

All for Love

“All for Love” features South African singer Bucie.

The collaboration expands the project’s African dimension beyond Nigeria and connects Wizkid’s sound with South African R&B and soul influences.

Dirty Wine

“Dirty Wine” features Ty Dolla $ign for the second time on the project.

The song leans toward dancehall and club-oriented sounds, reinforcing one of the central characteristics of Sounds From the Other Side: its ability to move between Afrobeats, R&B and Caribbean-influenced music.

Gbese

The project closes with “Gbese,” featuring American singer Trey Songz.

Ending the project with another international collaboration reinforces its central concept of musical exchange and cross-border collaboration.

Production and Sound

Production is one of the project’s strongest defining elements.

Sarz plays a particularly important role, producing songs including “Sweet Love” and “Come Closer.” MusicBrainz also credits him with production on “African Bad Gyal.”

The production throughout the project moves between:

• Afrobeats
• Dancehall
• R&B
• Reggae
• Caribbean rhythms
• Hip-hop
• Electronic and pop influences

This variety gives Sounds From the Other Side a noticeably different identity from Superstar and Ayo.

From Superstar to Sounds From the Other Side

Wizkid’s career progression can be clearly seen through his first three major projects:

Superstar (2011) → established Wizkid as a major Nigerian pop artist.

Ayo (2014) → expanded his sound and strengthened his position within African pop.

Sounds From the Other Side (2017) → emphasized his growing international audience and cross-border collaborations.

Apple Music identifies Superstar, Ayo and Sounds From the Other Side as the first three major albums in Wizkid’s career before Made in Lagos.

International Recognition

The project’s international ambitions were reflected in its chart performance.

Sounds From the Other Side debuted at No. 107 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the World Albums chart.

It also appeared on the UK Albums Chart, where the Official Charts Company records a peak position of No. 91.

These chart appearances placed the project within a wider international music market at a time when Afrobeats was gaining increasing global attention.

Why Sounds From the Other Side Matters

The importance of Sounds From the Other Side lies largely in its position within Wizkid’s career.

It arrived at a point when his international profile was expanding rapidly. The project did not simply reproduce the sound of his earlier Nigerian albums; it experimented with different global influences while maintaining his Afrobeats foundation.

The project also helped establish a template for the international direction Wizkid would continue exploring on later releases.

Legacy

Sounds From the Other Side remains an important chapter in Wizkid’s discography because it documents the transition from Nigerian superstar to globally recognized Afrobeats artist.

Its collaborations with Drake, Chris Brown, Major Lazer, Ty Dolla $ign and other international musicians demonstrated the growing connections between African music and the wider global pop industry.

At the same time, songs such as “Sweet Love” and “Daddy Yo” showed that Wizkid did not need to rely exclusively on foreign collaborators to create music with international appeal.

The project therefore sits between two worlds: deeply rooted in Wizkid’s Afrobeats identity while deliberately reaching toward a global audience.

Conclusion

Sounds From the Other Side is a significant 2017 project in Wizkid’s musical evolution.

Released on July 14, 2017, the 12-track project brought together Afrobeats, dancehall, R&B, reggae and international pop influences.

From “Sweet Love” and “Daddy Yo” to “Come Closer,” “African Bad Gyal” and “Naughty Ride,” the project demonstrates Wizkid’s increasingly flexible approach to global music.

It arrived after the international attention generated by “One Dance” and became an important bridge between the Wizkid of Superstar and Ayo and the more globally oriented artist heard on later projects such as Made in Lagos.

For Wizkid’s discography, Sounds From the Other Side represents the moment when his music was increasingly being presented not only as Nigerian or African pop, but as part of a much broader global musical conversation.