Nigerian singer Goya Menor reveals the true meaning of viral 'chill with the big boys' hit

‘You want to bamba? You want to chill with the big boys?’

The aforementioned are the now viral lyrics of the hugely popular tune of the season by fast-rising Nigerian singer Goya Menor.

The ‘Ameno Amapiano remix' star shared how the collaboration between himself and US-based Ghanian-born Nektunez came to be the sensation that is is.

Making it’s path to the official ‘Detty December’ anthem, social media could not get enough of the tune.

Goya, speaking in an interview on Citizen TV’s 10 Over 10 show, surprisingly revealed that the song, originally released in June 2021, did not start off all too well, but months later began to gather momentum, even beyond the shores of Nigeria.

“I went to the studio and made the production. I got less than a thousand streams in the first month. It was not until the beginning of December that it became a hit,” he started.

The use of the song on YouTube, Tik Tok videos and Instagram reels led to its polarisation.

Speaking on how he felt being the star of the moment globally, Goya described it as every artistes’ dream.

“That is the dream of every artist. When you go to the studio to record, the aim and end point is to blow up and go international. That is what is happening now with my hit song. It’s something I was expecting and it has happened at the right time,” he stated.

But underneath the viral tune is a strong message.

According to the Nigerian singer, he recorded the track to educate the youth about the dangers of social vices, especially in school.

“The video on YouTube explains the song. ‘You want to bamba?’ is a question in our local language. The concept revolves around a father advising his son not to be involved with bad company in school, hence the next phrase, ‘You want to chill with the big boys?’” He explained.

“The song therefore is an inspiration that came to me to advice the new generation to stay away from bad behavior in school.”

He added: “It’s something natural that happens. I passed through the university system so I know of these happenings that lead others to even drop out of school.”

The song has been holding the top spot of countdowns in various countries, opening doors to a worldwide tour for Goya.

“We have been travelling around explaining what the song means. As people dance to the vibe, they also need to know that it has a deeper meaning, from beginning to end,” he stated.

Being his first time in Kenya, which he now terms as his “home away from home”, Goya went on to appreciate his global fans for supporting his music.

“I appreciate all my fans worldwide on all social media platforms for believing in me and supporting my music. This one is big, but bigger is yet to come. It is just the beginning,” he said.

It is said that music is an universal language. For that, Goya advised other artistes to infuse their local dialect with English, the universal language, in order to maximize on their songs’ reach.

“In the song, the major lines are in English but I also introduced and blended my local language from Nigeria and that has all together helped the hit go international, as it is easier to vibe with,” he added.