Not every viral song makes sense, look at ‘One Corner’

Afro-pop singer Wiyaala says she will only collaborate on songs that meet her personal standards for quality and meaning. In an interview on Hitz FM, she made it clear that popularity alone is not enough to convince her to feature on a track.

“First and foremost, I’ve got to like the song. I won’t jump on just any song,” she said on Hitz FM, stressing that every collaboration must align with her values.

According to her, even songs built around themes of romance or intimacy still require thoughtfulness. “Even if you’re singing about sex, even if you’re singing about love, it has to be sensible.”

Wiyaala added that she refuses to participate in projects where artists attempt to leverage her image without offering substance. “I won’t jump on any song when obviously you are just trying to use me to climb up,” she said.

She also raised concerns about tracks that trend for the wrong reasons. Using Patapaa’s viral hit as an example, she noted, “Songs that, when you play them, people won’t just dance to while their laughter is actually mockery.”

She pointed out that although “One Corner” gained huge traction, its reception did not place the artist in the same bracket as globally respected acts.

“Let’s be realistic: people actually mocked Patapaa for ‘One Corner.’ It was popular, but would you place Patapaa next to Angélique Kidjo for serious reasons?”

Wiyaala explained that context matters when evaluating a song’s weight. “The One Corner song, we all liked it, we all jammed to it, but on a serious note, would you play One Corner to Mahama and start jumping in front of him? No! You only play it at certain places.”

She repeated that any collaboration she accepts must meet a basic artistic standard.

“I have to like the song, and it has to be sensible,” she stressed. Reiterating her point about how public perception shapes the relevance of a track, she added, “Patapaa became popular with ‘One Corner’, but will you play it in front of Mahama and jump in front of His Excellency?”