Showbiz
Spotify Spotlights Seven Africans Nominated for Grammy Glory
2023 was quite the year for African music, with it reaching unprecedented heights and stages. There were the sold-out stages, the viral tracks, the inauguration performances and of course, the Grammy category. The 2023 addition of the “Best African Music Performance” category highlights the rich diversity of sounds emerging from the continent, showcasing its well-deserved place on the global stage.
This year’s Grammy nominations include seven incredible African artists; Asake’s electrifying energy, Tyla’s smooth R&B vibes, and Burna Boy’s genre-bending genius are just a taste of the talent on display. It’s a celebration of music that crosses borders and gets your heart racing.
Ahead of the live Grammy award show on 4 February, Spotify is turning the spotlight on these remarkable individuals who consistently enrich our musical experience with their outstanding artistry.
First up, reigning supreme as one of the most popular African artists is Burna Boy, the Nigerian superstar whose name transcends introduction. His record-shattering four Grammy nominations, including a history-making nod for Best Melodic Rap Performance, the first for an African lead artist, are a testament to his global influence. His 2023 album I Told Them.. and the electrifying anthem City Boys have become ubiquitous, blasting on repeat worldwide. The announcement only served as fuel to the fire, as both have remained as his top streamed album and track, respectively. But Burna Boy’s domination doesn’t stop at the charts – he conquers hearts too. He leads all African nominees in playlists created on Spotify with the word “Grammy”, proving that his music resonates deeply with fans who crave more. And while he may be a global superstar, his talent is still appreciated at home, with Lagos taking the first spot as the city streaming him most since the Grammy nomination.
Tyla, the chart-topping South African songstress isn’t just singing, she’s making history. Her song Water made a splash at #67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and rightfully earned her a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance. But it’s her soulful melodies that weave the real magic, leaving listeners, especially her female audience who make up 59% of her streams, wanting more. Spotify data shows the US is leading the Tyla fan club, while Melbourne is the top city streaming her tunes. Her breakout hit Water has not stopped topping the charts, and is still her most streamed song post the announcement, proving its enduring appeal. Buckle up, because this rising star is ready to sweep you off your feet.
Musa Keys is the collaboration maestro. Teaming up with Davido on the hit track “Unavailable,” this South African producer and artist adds his distinct flavour to the musical melting pot. The collaboration earned him his first Grammy nomination for “Best African Music Performance” reflecting the power of collaboration and the beauty of cross-cultural harmony. And the magic doesn’t stop there! The announcement sent his streams skyrocketing by 83% on Spotify, with searches for his name jumping a staggering 315% in a single day, the highest among all the nominated artists. Talk about immediate impact! Spotify data also reveals that Musa Keys’ music resonates most with younger listeners compared to the other nominees. This is a prophet accepted in his hometown, with South Africa making up his biggest listenership. Looking for fresh sounds and collaborative magic that his audience has been turning to since the Grammy announcement? Look no further than Musa Keys’ album TAYO and his captivating song Selema (Po Po). This Amapiano producer is just getting started, so keep an eye (and ear) out for his future sonic adventures!
Davido, popularly called “OBO” by his fans has three Grammy nominations and is a force to be reckoned with. His Timeless album has been dominating the charts since the Grammy announcement, while his tracks UNAVAILABLE and Feel snagged nominations in both the Best African Performance and Best Global Music Performance categories, proving his impact knows no borders. Speaking of borders, his music resonates most in Lagos, Nigeria’s entertainment capital.
Ayra Starr, the “Sabi Girl” taking the world by storm: This Nigerian singer-songwriter isn’t just talented, she’s a trailblazer. As the first female Nigerian artist nominated for Best African Music Performance, she’s showing the world that women can rule the stage (and the world!), one song at a time. Her fans experienced her infectious energy during her live tour, “21: The World Tour”. And if you need a taste before you join the global dance party, check out Rush and her album 19 & Dangerous, they’re her top streamed track and album since the Grammy nominations, and for good reason! Naturally, the girls love her, making up 52% of her audience since the nominations.
Asake & Olamide, this dream team and first-time nominees are no strangers to collaboration. Their song Amapiano not only scored a Grammy nod in the category of Best African Music Performance but also landed on Obama’s favourite music list! The dynamic duo is proof that teamwork makes the dream work, and gets you Grammy-recognized! Since the Grammy announcement, Asake’s album Work of Art and song Lonely At The Top as well as Olamide’s album Unruly and Amapiano song have been leading the charts. But here’s the kicker: their magic resonates most with their home crowd. Lagos, the beating heart of Nigeria, claims the top spot for streaming both artists’ music. It seems their local love fuels their global rise!
Interestingly, Gen Z aged between 18 and 24 years are vibing the most to the sounds of these seven Grammy-nominated Africans; and they do so at peak listening time daily which falls around 5 pm. This reaffirms the deep connection for the music stars by a younger demographic and suggests that the growth of African music will constantly be influenced by not just diverse audiences but by a young and digitally savvy tribe of music enthusiasts.
With these nominees leading the charge, the future of music promises to be a vibrant tapestry of sounds, cultures, and unexpected collaborations.
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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