Diamond Platnumz hit ‘Komasava’ elevates Bongo Flava to global heights

Diamond Platnumz’s hit song, Komasava (Comment Ça Va), featuring Khalil Harrison and Chley, has been making waves internationally, positioning itself as a potential gateway for Bongo Flava music to gain global recognition.

The song's reach has extended beyond the African continent, captivating the attention of several prominent figures worldwide, including American superstar Chris Brown, French footballer Paul Pogba, and American rappers French Montana and Swae Lee, among others.

This unprecedented global attention suggests that Komasava could serve as a significant milestone in the journey of Bongo Flava music. Although other Tanzanian songs have succeeded in the music scene, they were largely prominent only in Africa.

Such songs include Single Again by Harmonize, Tetema by Rayvanny featuring Diamond, Aje by Alikiba, Kwangwaru by Harmonize also featuring Diamond, Number OneRemix, Nana, Inama, Mdogo Mdogo, and several others by Diamond.

No song seems to have achieved recognition at the level of Komasava, considering the attention it has received from major global stars.

American R&B singer and dancer Chris Brown's engagement with the song, as seen through his dance video on TikTok, has significantly amplified its visibility.

Within a few hours of Brown's post, the video amassed millions of views, illustrating the powerful influence of celebrity endorsements.

Paul Pogba, French Montana, and Swae Lee have also shared their appreciation for the song on their social media platforms, further boosting its international profile.

The success of Komasava mirrors the breakthrough of other African hits like Wizkid's Ojuelegba and Master KG's Jerusalema. Ojuelegba received global attention when prominent artists such as Drake and Skepta remixed the song, leading to its widespread acclaim and opening doors for Nigerian music on the global stage.

Through TikTok challenges, Jerusalema became a global phenomenon, which saw people from various cultures dancing to the song. This viral trend not only increased the song's popularity but also showcased South African music to the world.

TikTok has become an essential platform for music discovery and global penetration. For Komasava, the TikTok challenge has played a crucial role in its international success.

The simplicity and appeal of the dance challenge have encouraged numerous users worldwide to participate, further amplifying the song's reach.

One of the unique features of Komasava is its content, which includes greetings in different languages such as Swahili, French, Indian, Portuguese, Zulu, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, and English.

The use of multiple languages and cultures has broadened the song's appeal, allowing it to resonate with a diverse audience. By incorporating different languages and cultural elements, Komasava celebrates global unity and showcases the richness of Bongo Flava music.

In 2018, Bongo Flava artist Vanessa Mdee said during an interview with Tanzania’s Clouds FM how difficult it is to break into the global music market. She said when you approach famous international artists for collaboration, they demand a lot of money, while they don’t make any effort to make your song popular.

"Previously, Davido made a song with Meek Mill (Fans Mi), but it did not go far, and there are many other African artists who have done the same but didn’t succeed."

According to Vanessa, they only succeeded after famous artists liked their work and requested to collaborate with them. "That is how our music will grow—not by paying to work with them but by them wanting to work with us," she noted.

This is evident in Komasava, where famous artists from around the world have contacted Diamond to make a remix of the song. Maitre Gims, a superstar from France, was the first to confirm that a remix of the song featuring him and Diamond would be released.

This month, a rapper from the American group Rae Sremmurd, Swae Lee, requested Diamond Platnumz to send him the song so he could add his verse. He wrote in the comments section of Diamond's post, "Send Me That Open Verse."

Komasava’s success has led Bongo Flava artists and fans to believe that the song will help Bongo Flava gain more recognition in countries outside Africa, including Europe and America. Their expressions of solidarity on various platforms highlight the collective joy over this achievement.

After Chris Brown accepted the challenge of the song by posting a video of himself dancing to it on his TikTok account, Diamond Platnumz wrote on his Instagram page, "Wooh, check what I woke up to. Chris Brown on my Komasava challenge. Words can't express how grateful I am. This means the world to me, bro, GOAT, King, idol."

The song's producer, Salmin Maengo, aka S2KIZZY, explains that the track was recorded during the holy month of Ramadan and that everything was completed in just six minutes.

“I’m speechless on this one... @chrisbrownofficial #komasava certified global anthem, worldwide hit @diamondplatnumz. This is big for the culture and for Africa. We move now... Oya, my people, it’s @chrisbrownofficial on the beat of zombieeeeee. Put some respect on my name forever,” S2KIZZY wrote on his Instagram page.

Music producer Master J commended Diamond Platnumz, emphasising the significance of his achievement for artists striving to reach global audiences.

"Getting such an opportunity is a blessing. It's a great opportunity, and it’s up to you to see how best you can use it," noted Master J. He further urged artists to capitalise on such opportunities to elevate Tanzanian music on the international stage.

On the other hand, music video director Deogratias Abel, alias Deo Abel, shared that it’s an achievement that needs to be celebrated.

“I think we need to celebrate this as we usually celebrate other things. If we don’t appreciate our own even a little, then next time no one will repost or participate in our challenges.”

Music producer Juma Tarimo, alias Jay Drama, also emphasised that it's time we celebrated artists’ achievements because they are striving to reach a niche market.

“I see this opening the way for other artists to also invest heavily in producing good work that will fly the Tanzanian flag high, as Diamond Platnumz has done.” Jay Melody wrote: “Tell the man he needs to post until he sees it; eh, he’s stepped on it. Congratulations, brother Diamond.”

D Voice suggested that Diamond’s name should be written in history books. “The honour you give this nation is truly immense. We are used to seeing only national leaders receive deserving respect for their good leadership. I think you deserve that honour too.”

Barnaba also praised Mondi and S2kizzy Zombie for continuing to fly the Tanzanian flag internationally. “Congratulations, champion @diamondplatnumz. You might think it's a small thing, but it's not small at all. Now the flag is flying high. Big up, @diamondplatnumz & @s2kizzy, Zombie. Keep going, Brizzzzz. Isn't he here? Komasava to the world.”