Spotify has removed approximately 617,000 streams from Wizkid’s hit “Essence” remix featuring Justin Bieber and Tems, in what appears to be part of the streaming platform’s ongoing efforts to combat artificial streaming.
The adjustment reduced the track’s reported total from roughly 187.9 million streams to 187.3 million, according to figures circulating following Spotify’s latest removal of streams identified as artificial or generated through unauthorized streaming activity.
Another Wizkid song, “Gimme Dat,” was also affected, losing approximately 86,500 streams in the same adjustment.
The latest deduction reportedly marks the fifth time in 2026 that streams have been removed from a Wizkid release, adding to discussions among fans about the scale and frequency of the adjustments.
Fans Question the Latest Deduction
The size of the “Essence” adjustment has attracted attention from fans, with some describing it as one of the more significant stream deductions involving an African artist this year.
Some fans have also questioned why the development has received comparatively limited coverage and are calling on Wizkid’s team to provide clarification regarding the repeated deductions.
However, the removal of streams by Spotify does not automatically establish that the artist personally engaged in artificial streaming. Spotify’s stream-cleaning systems are designed to identify and remove listening activity that the platform determines does not represent legitimate engagement.
Spotify’s Position on Artificial Streams
Spotify has repeatedly emphasized that removing artificial streams is intended to protect the integrity of its platform, charts and royalty system.
The company maintains that filtering fraudulent or manipulated streams helps ensure that artists are rewarded for genuine listeners, while preventing artificial activity from influencing rankings, popularity metrics and royalty distributions.
For Wizkid, the latest adjustment adds another chapter to the ongoing conversation surrounding streaming figures and the growing scrutiny of artificial streaming across the global music industry.
As streaming platforms continue to strengthen their detection systems, artists and their teams are likely to face increasing pressure to ensure that promotional campaigns and streaming activity comply with platform rules.
LUMIDYS BLOG will continue to monitor the development and provide updates as more information becomes available.
