Showbiz
How Gen-Zs Shaped Pop Culture and Musical Preferences in 2023
Gen Zs shaping musical preferences and growing artists’ fandom across Sub-Saharan Africa
Which artists and songs does this generation gravitate towards?
This past year has seen many artists drop countless brilliant songs which have been streamed numerous times on Spotify, particularly by Gen Zs, who are the most tech-savvy generation currently alive. While a lot can be said about this generation, aged between 11 and 26 years, what we can all agree on is their influence on popular culture, music being no exception.
And while listening behaviours differ from one person to another, an exercise in which artists and tracks unite Gen Z across Sub-Saharan Africa is perhaps one step closer to understanding what makes the African Gen Zs move and groove, as seen in this year’s Spotify Wrapped.
Which artists came out on top?
Canadian rapper Drake takes up the number one spot in 2023, in part thanks to his collaborative album with 21 Savage on Her Loss which dropped in late 2022, as well as the release of his highly anticipated album For All the Dogs in October.
Afrobeats continues to be a very popular genre amongst Gen Z’s as Nigerian Afrobeats artists such as Burna Boy, Asake, Davido, Rema and Omah Lay find themselves on the top ten list thanks to their consistent contributions throughout the year. Burna Boy, Asake and Davido all dropped new albums this year while Rema and Omah Lay released deluxe versions of their previous albums.
However, it was not only Afrobeats musicians whom Gen Z gravitated towards this year, Drake’s Canadian counterpart The Weeknd was also streamed numerous times by Gen Z’s this past year which can be credited to the release of the deluxe version of his 2016 album Starboy. American Hip hop artist Travis Scott dropped his highly anticipated album Utopia which fans had been anticipating for 5 years, so naturally he too is in the top ten most streamed artists by Gen Zs in SSA.
Despite not releasing solo projects throughout the year, 21 Savage and Future are also on the list of most streamed artists by Gen Z’s across Sub-Saharan Africa, showing the generation’s affinity for international rap music.
Which were the grooviest songs of the year?
If the top songs streamed by Gen Z tell us anything, it is that they were in the mood to dance the whole year. Nine out of the top 10 songs are African and are either rooted in Afrobeats or Amapiano, with a couple of songs fusing both genres.
Despite being the only Hip hop song in the top 10, Sprinter by British artists Dave and Central Cee is in second place in a dance-genre-dominated list, which is no surprise as the song received global love from Gen Z, who enjoyed the banger made by two of England’s most popular stars.
Nigeria dominates this list too, with Ruger’s Asiwaju coming at the top, and also making an appearance is Asake’s Lonely At The Top, the artist’s testimonial on the life of fame. Off his highly anticipated album Timeless, Davido has two songs that the Gen Z’s cannot get enough of, FEEL and UNAVAILABLE featuring Musa Keys, both in the top ten.
Mnike, the Amapiano song that took social media by storm is the only South African song in the top ten, showing that there is something to be said about the power of virality. Meanwhile, Ayra Starr’s Rush is the only track by a female artist that’s in the top ten.
What does this tell us about Gen Z’s?
Gen Z’s are known for being hip and full of “vibes”, so it is no surprise that most of the artists and songs that they are streaming are mostly rooted in dance genres such as Afrobeats and Amapiano. Mnike, one of the biggest Amapiano songs to come out of South Africa this year, birthed several dance challenges on social media which had a huge role to play in the success of the song.
What makes these songs unite Gen Z’s is their ability to not only bring out the urge to dance but also their spiritual and love undertones. Songs like Asiwaju and Sprinter are two completely different songs, but their subtle and less subtle braggadocious nature help represent a whole generation which has often been thought of as being too expressive, while Rush by Ayra Starr taps into Gen Z’s desire to grind and pursue success without the negative energy.
Gen Z’s value authenticity and self-expression, and all these ten songs capture these values either through the use of African music to tell authentic stories of love, success, and pain, or through Sprinter’s employment of UK rap which Gen Z’s have grown to love and appreciate over the past few years.
Spotify 2023 Wrapped data show that Afrobeats is not only the biggest genre across Sub-Saharan Africa, but it also unites different generations in a region that thrives off authentic, self-expression music that captures their love for dance and a sense of freedom.
Showbiz
Popular Telenovela Wura Returns for Season 4 on Africa Magic March 30
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The popular Nigerian telenovela, Wura, is making a return to the screens on Monday, March 31, 2026, for the fourth season.
The programme will be aired exclusively on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv Channel 151, GOtv Channel 8) and Africa Magic Family (DStv Channel 154, GOtv Channel 7), Business Post gathered.
It will air every weeknight at 8 pm on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv Channel 151, GOtv Channel 8) and at 8:30 pm on Africa Magic Family (DStv Channel 154, GOtv Channel 7).
Directed by Mr Rogers Ofime, Season 4 raises the stakes as Wura’s carefully built empire begins to crack under the weight of secrets, betrayal, and relentless pressure from every side. As alliances shift and loyalties are tested, the Adeleke dynasty stands on the brink of collapse.
A statement disclosed that the new season continues to follow the story of Wura Amoo Adeleke, the ruthless matriarch played by Scarlet Gomez, as she fights to survive the fallout from Season 3’s explosive ending.
Haunted by guilt and surrounded by enemies, Wura must protect her empire while her own family turns against her.
Wura Season 4 features an ensemble cast, including Ray Adeka, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Ego Iheanacho, Modesinuola Ogundiwin and many more.
“Season 4 is about consequences. Everything Wura has done, every choice she’s made, is coming home to roost. This season, we’re not holding back,” Mr Ofime said.
Also commenting, the Executive Head of Content and Channels at MultiChoice, Ms Atinuke Babatunde, said, “Wura represents the calibre of bold, compelling storytelling that Africa Magic was built to showcase.
“Bringing this powerhouse series to our platform is a statement about our commitment to premium African content. We’re proud to bring Wura to millions of viewers across the continent.”
Showbiz
Oscars 2026: The Complete Winners List
By Adedapo Adesanya
The 98th edition of the celebrated Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards, known as the Oscars, was held on Sunday, March 15.
The ceremony was hosted by actor and comedian, Conan O’Brien.
Here is the compiled list of winners at the showpiece.
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1: The Movie
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another – WINNER
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Best Actor
Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan, Sinners – WINNER
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
Best Actress
Jessie Buckley, Hamnet – WINNER
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
Emma Stone, Bugonia
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo, Sinners
Sean Penn, One Battle After Another – WINNER
Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress
Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan, Weapons – WINNER
Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another
Best Director
Chloé Zhao, Hamnet
Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another – WINNER
Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Original Screenplay
Robert Kaplow, Blue Moon
Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident
Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler, Sinners – WINNER
Adapted Screenplay
Will Tracy, Bugonia
Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein
Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another – WINNER
Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, Train Dreams
Animated Feature
Arco
Elio
Kpop Demon Hunters – WINNER
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Documentary Feature
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr Nobody Against Putin – WINNER
The Perfect Neighbor
International Feature
The Secret Agent, Brazil
It Was Just an Accident, France
Sentimental Value, Norway – WINNER
Sirāt, Spain
The Voice of Hind Rajab, Tunisia
Best Editing
Stephen Mirrione, F1: The Movie
Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
Andy Jurgensen, One Battle After Another – WINNER
Olivier Bugge Coutté, Sentimental Value
Michael P. Shawver, Sinners
Cinematography
Dan Laustsen, Frankenstein
Darius Khondji, Marty Supreme
Michael Bauman, One Battle After Another
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners – WINNER
Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams
Original Score
Jerskin Fendrix, Bugonia
Alexandre Desplat, Frankenstein
Max Richter, Hamnet
Jonny Greenwood, One Battle After Another
Ludwig Göransson, Sinners – WINNER
Best Casting
Nina Gold, Hamnet
Jennifer Venditti, Marty Supreme
Cassandra Kulukundis, One Battle After Another – WINNER
Gabriel Domingues, The Secret Agent
Francine Maisler, Sinners
Best Production Design
Frankenstein – WINNER
Production Design: Tamara Deverell; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
Hamnet
Production Design: Fiona Crombie; Set Decoration: Alice Felton
Marty Supreme
Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis
One Battle After Another
Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino
Sinners
Production Design: Hannah Beachler; Set Decoration: Monique Champagne
Best Costume Design
Deborah L. Scott, Avatar: Fire and Ash
Kate Hawley, Frankenstein – WINNER
Malgosia Turzanska, Hamnet
Miyako Bellizzi, Marty Supreme
Ruth E. Carter, Sinners
Best Visual Effects
Avatar: Fire and Ash – WINNER
F1: The Movie
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Best Sound
F1: The Movie – WINNER
Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, & Juan Peralta
Frankenstein
Greg Chapman, Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, & Brad Zoern.
One Battle After Another
José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio, & Tony Villaflor.
Sinners
Chris Welcker, Benjamin A. Burtt, Felipe Pacheco, Brandon Proctor, & Steve Boeddeker.
Sirât
Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas, & Yasmina Praderas.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Frankenstein – WINNER
Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, & Cliona Furey
Kokuho
Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino, & Tadashi Nishimatsu
Sinners
Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, & Shunika Terry
The Smashing Machine
Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin, & Bjoern Rehbein
The Ugly Stepsister
Thomas Foldberg & Anne Cathrine Sauerberg
Best Original Song
Dear Me
from Diane Warren: Relentless; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
Golden – WINNER
from KPop Demon Hunters; Music and Lyric by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon, and Teddy Park
I Lied to You
from Sinners; Music and Lyric by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Goransson
Sweet Dreams of Joy
from Viva Verdi!; Music and Lyric by Nicholas Pike
Train Dreams
from Train Dreams; Music by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner; Lyric by Nick Cave
Best Live-Action Short
Butcher’s Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
The Singers – WINNER (TIE)
Two People Exchanging Saliva – WINNER (TIE)
Best Documentary Short
All the Empty Rooms – WINNER
Armed Only With a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Children No More: “Were and Are Gone”
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly A Strangeness
Best Animated Short
Butterfly
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls – WINNER
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters.
Showbiz
Drama Surrounds Igwe on Latest Episode of Heartbeat
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The latest episode of Africa Magic Heartbeat saw the house adjusting to recent exits and shifting relationships. Sharon’s earlier departure and Henri’s elimination in episode eight left the remaining singles settling into their pairings while trying to understand where everyone truly stands. Hilda Reflects on Henri’s ExitHenri’s departure is still fresh in the house, and Hilda admitted she felt bad that her decision ultimately led to him leaving the Love Pad. However, she maintained that she did not regret choosing Bosah. In her view, even if she had chosen Henri, he likely would have remained in the house pursuing other connections. Queen Latifah Calls Out IgweThe episode’s biggest moment began when Queen Latifah expressed concerns about Igwe’s intentions toward Shekinah. While speaking with Hilda, she suggested that Shekinah might be allowing herself to be manipulated by Igwe and questioned whether he was truly serious about her. Queen Latifah later took the conversation directly to Shekinah, recounting how Igwe had previously shown interest in pursuing her and even suggested he was ready to compete with Ken for her attention. According to Queen Latifah, Igwe later dismissed his connection with Shekinah by saying she was “too serious” for him. The conversation quickly escalated when Igwe walked in mid-discussion. Words were exchanged as tensions rose, and what began as a private conversation eventually turned into one of the episode’s most heated moments. Igwe Seeks Clarity From AlvinFollowing the confrontation, Igwe later pulled Alvin aside to discuss Shekinah. With the house already questioning his intentions, he wanted to know if there was still anything between Alvin and Shekinah. Alvin made it clear that things had changed since Ceeoni arrived and that he had no intention of pursuing Shekinah if Igwe was serious about her. The conversation appeared to reassure Igwe that there was no competition from Alvin, and he seemed increasingly focused on resolving things with Shekinah. In a surprising turn, Igwe also acknowledged that the situation had gotten out of hand and attempted to make peace with Shekinah, even reaching out to Hilda, who is close to her, in hopes of smoothing things over. A Brief Moment of Jealousy Between Kena and ChideraEven the strongest couples can experience moments of friction. A brief moment of jealousy surfaced when Kena noticed Chidera wearing Alvin’s jacket, something that made him visibly uncomfortable, given that the two are now committed to each other. The tension was short-lived when Chidera quickly apologised and reassured him, bringing the moment to a calm resolution. The episode closed on a lighter note with a couples’ game that lifted everyone’s mood and brought energy back into the Love Pad after a day full of tension. One question lingered across the Love Pad as the episode wrapped up: has Heartbeat’s resident playboy finally fallen in love? Catch new episodes of Heartbeat every Sunday at 9 pm on Africa Magic Showcase, DStv Channel 151, and GOtv Channel 8. You can also catch up via the DStv Stream app or through Catch Up on your decoder. |
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