Showbiz
Spotify Blends Afrobeats With Naija Food, Culture at Greasy Tunes Café
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Global streaming platform, Spotify, on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, launched its Greasy Tunes Café at Fired & Iced, Lagos.
The three-week experiential campaign is backed by new Spotify data showing that for Nigerian Gen Z, music and food are core pillars of daily life, with Afrobeats dominating their listening habits from morning to night.
Greasy Tunes Café brings this insight to life: customers can order local Nigerian meals and instantly receive a personalised Spotify playlist or podcast, curated in real-time based on their food choices.
At the unveiling of the initiative, several people including newsmen, influencers, podcasters, music artists, and fans were in attendance, setting the perfect scene for the brand’s immersive new experience.
The evening featured two exclusive fireside chats that provided intimate insight into the campaign’s vision.
Spotify executives Bea Theron, Experiential Marketing Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, and Victor Okpala, Artist and Label Partnership Manager for West Africa, introduced the strategy, with Theron stressing that the café is an immersive experience built on the pillars of culture, music, and food.
She emphasised that Spotify’s role is clear: supporting creatives and prioritising the hyper-local storytelling essential to celebrating the people of Lagos.
“Tonight proves the power of the youth: they build the culture here in Nigeria. The Greasy Tunes Café is our future-facing model, blending the force of Afrobeats with the authenticity of local cuisine. This isn’t just a party; it’s a strategic move to establish the new cultural future of Lagos,” said Theron.
Okpala expanded on the café’s programming, noting that it will serve as both a launchpad for local talent and a centre for education. He highlighted plans to spotlight diverse emerging artists, citing names like Fola and Adekunle Gold.
Okpala also announced specific educational moments, including an October 11 screening of a documentary on Afro-Nigerian Afro-funk and the Eyo masquerade, underscoring its commitment to Nigeria’s rich culture and musical heritage.
Following the executives’ discussion, the spotlight shifted to two of the platform’s biggest recent names: Spotify RADAR and South African artist Thakzin, and Afrobeats artist Fola, who rank among the platform’s most-streamed emerging artists of the 2020s.
Anchored by themes of authenticity and dedication, the artists’ fireside chat offered raw insight into their creative journey. Fola shared that success was anything far from overnight, stressing that background doesn’t define the future. “You have to put in the work; that is my truth,” he said. “Nothing about my journey is overnight. The love I’m receiving fuels me, and my goal is clear: I’m going to take Afrobeats to the next level.”
Thakzin, meanwhile, spoke about the importance of emotion in his sound. “For me, music is about translating real-time feelings into rhythm,” he explained. “If you’re going to push new sounds, you have to go harder, always, because that’s how you break through and move people.”
After the fireside chats concluded, the atmosphere shifted dramatically as DJ Dami Osinubi kicked off the party with electrifying sets. Guests moved to the music, captured moments, and enjoyed a true taste of Nigeria through the local food and drinks. The launch served as the perfect kick-off for the campaign, setting a high bar for the celebration of music, culture, and community ahead.
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).
