Nigerian stars Lojay and Sarz have scored another major international milestone as their smash hit Monalisa featuring American singer Chris Brown has officially been certified Gold in the United States.
Originally dropped in June 2021 as part of the collaborative EP LV N ATTN with producer Sarz, the song has exceeded its initial expectations and pushed Lojay’s career into new international territory.
The single blends Afrobeats, Amapiano elements and Yoruba/Pidgin touches; its cross-genre appeal and memorable hook led to its remix featuring American R&B star Chris Brown in May 2022, a move that significantly boosted its global footprint. Lojay himself remarks that while he always believed something on the EP would “bang”, he did not anticipate how big Monalisa would become.
What stands out is the song’s chart and streaming performance. It became the most-Shazamed Afrobeats song globally, according to reports, overtaking previous big hits in that genre. It has helped Lojay secure entries on international music platforms and join other Nigerian artists gaining worldwide recognition. For instance, his inclusion alongside Davido on the 2024 Billboard Honour Roll underscores the global inroads he has made.
Beyond the numbers, the impact on Lojay’s career is tangible: he has been cited among rising Nigerian artists whose global presence is no longer emerging, but established. For the Nigerian music industry, the success of Monalisa signals that songs rooted in local languages, rhythms and sensibilities can find universal resonance, provided they have the production quality, authentic voice and strategic collaborations.
That said, the journey doesn’t end here. With Monalisa as a platform, Lojay is poised for further evolution, whether through headline projects, more international collaborations, or experimentation in hybrid genres. His momentum also reflects broader developments: African music continues to break boundary barriers, streaming algorithms and global‐music platforms are more inclusive of non-Western languages, and artists like Lojay are increasingly navigating both home‐grown credibility and worldwide relevance.
In sum, Monalisa is more than a streaming milestone, it’s a signifier of change. For Lojay, it represents the moment when talent, strategy and timing aligned. For the music ecosystem, it demonstrates how a song from Lagos can indeed become part of the world’s soundtrack.
