Peak
9
Weeks
35
Score
5,136
Chart Year
2021
Wizkid recruits his fellow Nigerian singer Tems for this blissful love song. It finds both artists expressing their desire for each other and the physical connection they have together. Their mutual attraction is summarized by Tems on the chorus when she sings: You don't need no other body Only you fi hold my body Wizkid croons the introduction in Yoruba, the language of his people in Southwestern Nigeria. Wizkid and Tems wrote "Essence." The Nigerian superstar's Starboy label producers, Legendury Beatz and P2J, supplied the euphoric Afropop production. Starboy released the song as the fourth single from Made In Lagos. It became WizKid's first Hot 100 hit as the main artist, though he did previously chart as a featured artist on Drake's "One Dance" and Beyonce's "Brown Skin Girl." DK of PriorGold Pictures directed the video, which sees Wizkid and Tems relaxing in the streets of Accra, Ghana. On August 13, 2021, Wizkid released a remixed version with an additional feature from Justin Bieber, who sings a smooth romantic verse about his love story. Wiz famously worked with another Canada-born superstar, Drake, on the 2016 smash hit "One Dance." Rolling Stone named "Essence" the best song of 2021. "Their performances are distinct yet seamless, joining together over a melange of '90s American R&B, UK Afroswing, and percussive Nigerian Afrobeats," the magazine wrote. "Essence" became the first Nigerian song to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Admittedly, it probably wouldn't have reached the top tier without the help of Canadian pop star Justin Bieber's remix. It appears Kanye West is a huge fan of this tune. In a post to his Instagram followers, Ye dubbed "Essence," the "best song in the history of music to date."
Ohh naa naa Omo je ka shi ge ge whoa Ohh naa naa Omo ge wa j'ogede, whoa Ohh naa naa Girl I no go let you go Ohh naa naa Omo je ka shi ge ge whoa Say I wanna leave you in the mornin' But I need you now, yeah, yeah I find you, I give you all you needin' I know you what you like You don't need no other body You don't need no other body Only you fi hold my body Only you fi hold my body You don't need no other body Say na me dey mess up your mind And na me dey make you free up your mind Say your body talk to me nice Say na my love, you dey need for your life Yeah our love no be lie See yeah we dey together yeah day and night Yeah if I leave you go kpai Yeah if you leave I go kpai (oh, oh whoa) I'm strokin' your body, baby Lovin' your body, baby As you're whinin' your body, baby, so crazy Lovin' your body, baby Gyal iwo ni temi I just wanna let you know, ohh Hope every day that I dey by you You don't need no other body You don't need no other body Only you fi hold my body Only you fi hold my body I prayed for this moment I would be by your side And I don't wanna forget Those lonely nights Ooh, so tell me that you gon' ride with me Tell me that you'll never lie to me I just wanna make you proud of me Want you loving every side of me I love the rhythm of your heartbeat The way you're pushing up on me I can tell that you want me Let me show you how it's gon' be You don't need no other body You don't need no other body Only you fi hold my body Only you fi hold my body You don't need no other body Baby, baby Everybody used to say No one loves you like this No one wants you the same way Love 'til the mornin' My head wan' to turn from your lovin' I just wanna get you beside me (whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa) Gave you all you need, gave you all you need Gave you all, you give me all you need Give you all you need, gave you all Make ah give you all you need Every touch you need, give you all Make ah give you all you need, baby Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah You don't need no other body You don't need no other body (whoa, whoa, whoa) Only you fi hold my body Only you fi hold my body (yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) You don't need no other body Baby girl I want you there Girl I want you there Promise to treat your love fair Whoa-whoa, whoa-whoa When we touch, how we connect Whoa-whoa, whoa-whoa Said this love, have no regret Whoa-whoa, yeah-yeah
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 17, 2021 | 82 | 44 |
| 2 | Jul 24, 2021 | 72 | 54 |
| 3 | Jul 31, 2021 | 67 | 59 |
| 4 | Aug 7, 2021 | 59 | 67 |
| 5 | Aug 14, 2021 | 54 | 72 |
| 6 | Aug 21, 2021 | 44 | 82 |
| 7 | Aug 28, 2021 | 16 | 110 |
| 8 | Sep 4, 2021 | 13 | 113 |
| 9 | Sep 11, 2021 | 19 | 107 |
| 10 | Sep 18, 2021 | 34 | 92 |
| 11 | Sep 25, 2021 | 17 | 109 |
| 12 | Oct 2, 2021 | 14 | 112 |
| 13 | Oct 9, 2021 | 11 | 115 |
| 14 | Oct 16, 2021 | 10 | 116 |
| 15 | Oct 23, 2021 | 9 | 117 |
| 16 | Oct 30, 2021 | 12 | 114 |
| 17 | Nov 6, 2021 | 11 | 115 |
| 18 | Nov 13, 2021 | 12 | 114 |
| 19 | Nov 20, 2021 | 16 | 110 |
| 20 | Nov 27, 2021 | 15 | 111 |