Wafric News – May 13, 2025

Lagos, Nigeria - A decade after it first hit the airwaves, Nigerian singer Skales is making global waves again as his Afrobeats anthem ‘Shake Body’ has not only gone viral — it has debuted on Spotify’s Global Viral Songs chart, making a triumphant return with a digital-era twist.

The 2014 classic, long cherished by fans across Africa, has found new life on TikTok, thanks to a viral moment that started in European football circles and has now catapulted Skales into unprecedented global streaming success.

As of May 2025, Skales — born Raoul John Njeng-Njeng — now boasts over 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, doubling the 1 million milestone he crossed just a month earlier. Shake Body currently sits at #98 on Spotify’s Global Viral Songs chart, while charting in over 30 countries including Spain, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Much of the song’s global resurgence can be credited to 17-year-old FC Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal, who, in March, posted a TikTok video dancing to Shake Body alongside teammates Nico Williams and Samu Omorodion to celebrate Spain’s UEFA Nations League win over the Netherlands. The clip exploded online, garnering over 180 million views and catapulting the decade-old track into Gen Z’s playlists worldwide.

Days later, another viral clip featured Yamal, former Barcelona captain Gerard Piqué, and influencer Ibai Llanos, all dancing to the same song — sealing Shake Body's place as a cultural moment in European football and pop culture.

Skales, who hails from Kaduna, Nigeria, has since met Yamal and Barcelona star Alejandro Balde, even performing at their private celebration. On social media, the independent artist expressed his joy:

In true Afrobeats fashion, Skales isn’t just soaking in the success — he’s building on it. The singer has teased a follow-up single titled ‘Dance Like Lamine Yamal’, in honour of the Spanish football prodigy whose influence helped breathe new life into his career.

Industry insiders say this resurgence marks more than just a viral hit — it highlights Afrobeats’ staying power, and the powerful interplay between African music, sport, and social media in today’s global culture.

From Kaduna to Camp Nou, Shake Body has proven that a great song doesn’t expire — it just waits for the right moment to rise again.


By WafricNews Desk.