By Vickie Remoe
Drizilik has achieved another first for Sierra Leone. Freetown’s most prolific kriofusion and afrobeats musician is the most streamed home-based artist on Audiomack. With over ten million streams and 73,000 monthly listeners, Drizilik is taking Salone music where it’s never gone before.
Just over two years ago, in March 2022, Drizilik set the first streaming record in SL. He was the first local artist to hit two million streams on Audiomack, which he joined in 2018. Drizilik’s growth is exponential. While it took four years to hit two million streams, it’s just two years to hit the ten million milestone.
This feat is undoubtedly accomplished, thanks to two successful concerts in London this month, and Washington, DC, in July this year.
Drizilik’s music is deeply rooted in the language and culture of Freetown’s Krio people. He draws inspiration from Krio metaphors, goombay rhythms, and the fusion of West African and global sounds of his childhood.
With over 10 million streams on Audiomack, Drizilik continues to deliver great hits.
In June 2024, Drizilik released “Send Money,” a fan favourite with 751,685 plays. His 2018 single, “Exodus,” from the Ashobi album, has racked up 775,684 plays. His song, “Finesse,” from his Central Boy Drizla EP, has already reached 758,792 plays.
Drizilk’s older hits remain crowd-pleasers. His 2020 release “Waste Time” has 215,000 plays, while “Tell,” released earlier that year, has amassed 196,000 plays.
As a versatile artist, Drizilik has collaborated with some global stars on some of his tracks. His hits include “Vote” and “Ashobi,” featuring Idris Elba. His song “Move Right” was done with BAFTA winner Big Zuu.
Beyond his concerts, Drizilik has performed on prestigious stages. Some include YouTube’s Africa Day Concert, Madeng Festival, Gambia Music Festival, and Hull City’s Freedom Festival.
AudioMack’s Influence on Sierra Leonean Artists
Audiomack is the go-to streaming platform for music lovers in Sierra Leone. Unlike Apple and Spotify, which rely on subscription models, Audiomack uses an ad-based freemium model. Listeners in Sierra Leone can access the platform without payment, increasing its popularity.
This accessibility helps Sierra Leonean artists build loyal fanbases. In addition, artists benefit from the platform’s monetization model. Artists like Drizilik earn royalties as their stream count grows. Therefore, Audiomack boosts visibility and provides artists with a steady income stream.
Other top Sierra Leonean artists have also made waves on Audiomack. The Therapist has 6,4 million streams, Boii has 5,1 million, Kao Denero has 4,3 million, and Emmerson has 2,9 million.
Audiomack continues to amplify the reach of Sierra Leonean music worldwide.
