Showbiz
Q4 2021: Spotify Sustains Momentum in Subscriber Growth
By Dipo Olowookere
In the fourth quarter of 2021, one of the audio streaming platforms, Spotify, posted strong numbers, sustaining its momentum in subscriber growth and others.
According to the financial statements analysed by Business Post, the firm improved its monthly active users (MAUs) by 18 per cent year-on-year to 406 million from 381 million in the last quarter.
This was buoyed by gains from the 7th annual year-end Spotify Wrapped campaign launched on December 1, 2021, to users in 103 markets.
Collectively, 120 million MAUs engaged with Wrapped content in Q4 (up 29% Y/Y) as the campaign trended worldwide with nearly 60 million shares of Wrapped stories and cards, triggering significant levels of consumption across our two personalized playlists (Your Top Songs and Your Artists Revealed) which were responsible for almost 8 per cent of total on-platform consumption hours within 48 hours of launch.
It was observed that premium subscribers grew in the period under consideration by 16 per cent to 180 million in the quarter as a result of the strong promotional campaign performance.
This supported the 24 per cent growth in the revenue generated in the quarter to €2,689 million and was above the top end of its guidance range due to significant strength in advertising and favourable FX movements.
Within premium, the average revenue per user (ARPU) of €4.40 in Q4 was up 3 per cent and excluding the impact of FX, the company saw a benefit to ARPU primarily from its price increases.
As for the gross margin, it finished at 26.5 per cent in Q4, above the top end of its guidance range and flat versus the prior-year period. The gross margin trend reflected a favourable revenue mix shift towards podcasts, marketplace activity, and Other Cost of Revenue efficiencies (e.g. payment fees, streaming delivery costs), which were offset by higher non-music and other content costs and publishing rate increases.
According to the results, Spotify witnessed a 12 per cent increase in operating expenses at €719 million in Q4, though better than forecast and contributed to positive operating income in the quarter.
However, the firm posted a net loss of €39 million in the period under review compared with the net profit of €2 million in the preceding quarter.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A Nigerian actress, Temitope Osoba, fondly called Tope Osoba by her fans, has reportedly passed away.
She died barely a year after she survived a battle with breast cancer, reports say.
The 41-year-old entertainer left the acting world to cater to her health, but returned shortly after she had a successful treatment in 2025.
The movie producer, however, has not been very active in the past months, ostensibly due to her health.
Her demise has come as a shock to some of her colleagues and admirers, as she was very lively during her lifetime.
Details about the unfortunate incident, which became known to her fans on Wednesday morning, have not been given by her family.
The first official voting of Big Brother Naija Season 11 is here, and fans have the power to decide who stays in the House and who leaves the competition.
After a week of getting to know the housemates, watching alliances form and seeing personalities emerge, this is where fans move from watching the game to influencing it. If you’ve been thinking about voting, here are five reasons why now is the time.
1. This Is the Season’s First Real Eviction
First evictions are always significant. They set the tone for the weeks ahead, reshape the House and often change the direction of the game. Viewers hold the power to change the trajectory of the game as they influence who continues their BBN journey and who the first set of housemates to leave are.
2. It’s Too Early to Lose Someone You Enjoy Watching
You may not have settled on a favourite housemate yet, and that’s perfectly normal. It’s only the first eviction. But if there’s someone you’ve enjoyed watching over the past week, this is your chance to help keep them in the House. Waiting until you’ve picked a favourite could mean losing a housemate you wish had stayed a little longer.
3. Every Vote Shapes the Competition
Who stays and who leaves affects everything from alliances and rivalries to tasks and strategies. The decisions viewers make this week will have an impact on how the game unfolds in the coming weeks.
4. Online Buzz Doesn’t Keep Housemates in the House
A housemate may trend all week, but that doesn’t automatically translate into safety. At the end of the day, it’s the votes that determine who survives eviction.
5. Don’t Leave It to Someone Else
It’s easy to assume other fans will do the voting, but every vote contributes to the final result. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see remain in the competition, this is your opportunity to back them.
Here’s How to Vote
Voting is available through the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app, as well as the Africa Magic voting website.
To vote:
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Register or log in using your mobile number and password.
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Select your favourite housemate.
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Choose the number of votes you’d like to cast.
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Submit your votes before the voting window closes.
Looking to boost your voting power? You can also earn bonus votes by playing games and completing quizzes on the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app.
The voting window for the first eviction is now open and closes on Thursday at 10:00 p.m. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see in the House for another week, be sure to cast your votes before the deadline.
Catch all the drama live and 24/7 on DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 49. BBNaija season 11 is also available to watch on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream. For updates and exclusive news, visit www.africamagic.dstv.com/
After days of anticipation, Flora and Aikou have been confirmed as this season’s Gambits after receiving the highest number of votes from viewers. This was revealed during Sunday’s live show, where host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu announced the pair as the viewers’ choices.
Introduced as a brand-new twist for Season 11, The Gambit guarantees two selected housemates a place in the House until the final day. Although they will participate in tasks and House activities throughout the season, they will not be eligible to compete for the grand prize.
Sunday’s live show also marked the end of the Ladies-versus-Gentlemen format that defined the opening weeks of the competition. With the teams officially dissolved, the housemates will now compete as individuals.
Biggie also unveiled this week’s wager task, Game On, challenging the housemates to define the identity of Season 11. Through a creative presentation incorporating elements such as a logo, slogan, song, artwork and props, the housemates have been tasked with capturing what they believe this edition of Big Brother Naija should stand for and how they want it to be remembered.
The excitement continues today with the second Head of House Challenge at 2:00 p.m., where housemates will once again battle for power in the House. This will be followed by this week’s nomination show at 7:00 p.m., when viewers will find out who will become the first set of housemates to face possible eviction.
With Flora and Aikou’s fate in the House secured till the last day and the housemates now playing as individuals, the stakes have never been higher as the battle for the grand prize gathers momentum.
Viewers can enjoy the 24/7 BBNaija Season 11 experience on DStv and GOtv, or stream every episode live on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream.
For more updates, visit Africa Magic’s Big Brother Naija page and follow #BBNaija on X (@bbnaija), Instagram (@bigbronaija) and Facebook (Big Brother Naija).
