Twe Twe review: Kizz Daniel and Davido obey Afrobeats rule book

19 Feb 2024 - 17:50

Published under the Creative Commons Licence

Who cares if ‘Twe Twe’, Nigerian singer Kizz Daniel’s Davido-assisted new track, is light in lyrical value? This is Afrobeats: the lyrics take a back seat and the beats take the wheel. The brilliance of the song resides in how well it plays to two of the genre’s rudiments: hedonistic fetishes and danceability. All the better if it is the work of two of its most beloved contributors.

Kizz Daniel and Davido.

With ostentatious melody in their pocket and pursuing thunderous blends with Fuji percussion and pace, along with a lavish mesh of other instruments that tap into both ancestral and contemporary spirits, Kizz Daniel and Davido have scored one of this year’s first big hits.

The song’s instruction is direct, in both Kizz Daniel’s smooth delivery and Davido’s dexterous and spirited verse: loosen up and enjoy yourself. More specifically, “twerk your body…” Shortened and repeated, the first word in that phrase constitutes the linguistic science behind the title of the track.

The directive has swiftly caught on, resulting in a proliferation of provocative TikTok dance clips. Elders typically advocate self-respect and modest clothing, yet Kizz Daniel has managed to capture the admiration of an older audience, who seemingly have no qualms about making an exception for this particular singer. The reasons for this remain mysterious, but the dimpled man’s infusion of traditional rhythms, and his native Yoruba language, may play a role.

‘Twe Twe’ dropped to instant viral explosion. Following that, Davido tweeted: “We no dey do ‘it will grow on you for here’”. Pretty big talk for most African pop artists, but not Davido, whose catalogue is filled with pop anthems.

In 2022, Kizz Daniel triggered a global fever with ‘Buga’. While his subsequent releases may not have reached the same level, they have been hugely impactful. Whether ‘Twe Twe’ will follow suit remains uncertain, but this much is true: Kizz Daniel, sitting on something like 10 years of pop success, is a proven hitmaker.