Wizkid Returns To Canada After 7 Years With Vancouver Set To Close The Original Starboy’s Tour

Seven years ago, Wizkid, whom many Afrobeats fans might regard as the original Starboy visited Toronto, Canada in what was a sold out show. Now in a time where the city is home to theWeekend, who has reportedly stamped headline as North America's newly regarded Starboy, this 2019 tour will answer the question once and for all, who is Afrobeats rising star and original Starboy. While his Canadian tour had many looking forward to seeing Wizkid kid again, one presenter would be able to make this possible giving the rising production costs of what it means to support the touring artist on a Canada wide stage. While both a spectacle for the Canadian market as well as a call out that Afrobeats has not reached it's pinnacle, the  mainstream success of this show within the artist's successful collaboration with Drake on Ojuelegba which had UK buzzing when Skepta jumped on the track; or the artists arguable addition to the  mainstream success accredited to Drake on One Dance. Many have said that Wizkid has brought a listernship to OVO that was always part of Toronto's underground and highly thriving  yet underfunded Afrobeats culture.

However you might have been exposed to Wizkid, directly or indirectly, you don’t want to miss this tour. Those who have had a chance to grow with Wizkid in Toronto will remember the young artist coming out and bringing Skales along for a sold-out performance as they showcased their new sounds under their initial label EME. This being Wizkid’s second Canadian Tour, it would be KIZA, a global Afrocentric Entertainment brand looking to take Afrobeats to the next level who became the artists global collaboration partner and according to Lukman Akanbi, Founder and Managing Partner of Kiza, “Wizkid is just the beginning”. Although Kiza has produced Wizkid concerts around the world from Dubai, Malaysia, Kenya, USA to name a few, the Toronto collaboration will be presented by one of the city’s African music festival presenters Kpopsi. Kiza believes this is just the beginning of Afrobeats in Canada. With the increasing demand these shows creating and exposing mainstream Canada to the growing genre does also mean an opportunity for emerging Canadian Afrobeats artists to get discovered on a global stage as trendsetters. From Deemaks, Femi Lawson, Nonso Amadi, Dice Ailes, to Kayode & Tome of whom are two new faces to watch out for in this emerging market, many are looking at Canadian-Nigerian artists to usher in a new wave Afrobeats identity and sound.

 As Tome a Toronto based female in Afrobeats is set to accompany Wizkid on this Canadian tour, this Canadian artist is already taking  fan attraction and favourites with an invitation to SXSW. But while many Canadian will only see Wizkid as part of this tour, this article is meant to expose you to more talents within this emerging genre! This tour will hopefully bring one of the most diverse crowds of an artist who many might just be discovering for the first time. The growing number of Afrobeats artists finding their place in this Genre does mean there’s space for AfroCanadian artists in the world wide Afrobeats market and growing demand. 

As more and more A-list artists like Davido, Patoranking, Yemi Alade visit the 6, many believe Wizkid’s affiliation with OVO, his return to Toronto, Canada specifically might produce a lot more media attention than currently anticipated. With early discussions and bids from Canada’s University Fashion Week as it heads into it’s the  second year of presentation to invite and present Wizkid's fashion line, anticipation of a potential pop up fashion show for Wizkid would open conversations between Kayode as he sets eyes on UofTFashionWeek amidst year two planning, a chapter of Canada’s University Fashion Week set to kickoff festivities in Toronto.  Although considerations were considered for the artist to potentially present the afrobeat artist’ new collection, Kiza of whom represents Wizkid's management team within the licensing and communication of this national tour believes the logistics in making the fashion component happen will really depend on everything aligning logistically. With various instabilities in the University market, having such high profile designers in such an environment require the right liabilities and presentation agreements in place within the location provisions. If the resources to ensure the artists are supported are not in place, it will not be possible. As 2018 marked the year Wizkid launched his own fashion line slaying the runway with Naomi Campbell, hosting a successful Starboy fashion line at a London pop-up event. Kpopsi believes the fashion component will give the artist the opportunity to engage with his fashion-centric audience but placed focus on potential Nike collaborations. While conversations look more into the feasibility in launching the pop ups in other parts of Toronto, one thing is for sure, planning for Wizkid's tour is driving a wide range of management and label conversations of brands pioneering art and culture in Canada. Although Vancouver had been initially been left without a presenter during early announcements of the artist's Canada tour, Timbre would secure last minute licensing agreements to present the rising star so Vancouver is not left out of the Starboy’s Canadian run! A few weeks remain in what is left to bring this production to life, with a countdown for this show growing every day! Tickets demand have set to be hard to find as fans can scan online for potential offers as Wizkid fever rises. For more information visit KizaToronto for more information Skynation is a proud Media Sponsor of Wizkid’s 2019 Canadian Tour #Kiza #Timbre #Wizkid #Skynation