Awards / Music / News

Singing sensation Fave & talented producer Damie get plaques for their chart-topping song ‘Baby Riddim’

Fave reached number on the charts on December, 20th 2021 with her hit single ‘Baby Riddim’. The single reached number one after garnering impressive numbers across streaming platforms and also enjoying a fine run on Radio and TV.

The single was produced by ace producer Damie who delivered a Dancehall bounce with Afrobeats elements that combined with Fave flawless delivery for a captivating song.

For Damilola Temitope Adeyemi popularly known as Damie, producing the number one in Nigeria is a special moment and a resounding proof of his talent. After starting out his production career while in secondary school, Damie would go on to produce for talented artists that includes BNXN fka Buju, Show Dem Camp, Fave, Khaid, Fasina and more.

In 2021, he produced the smash hit ‘Baby Riddim’ for Fave and his productions have since accumulated over 110 million streams across all platforms.

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Awards / Music / News

Grammy Academy CEO reveals ongoing consideration for Afrobeats category

While speaking to the press at the Global Citizens concert in Ghana, Chief Executive Officer Harvey Manson revealed that the academy has kicked off the first process in the long road to adding an Afrobeats category to the Grammys. According to Harvey, the academy had a meeting with Afrobeats creatives that includes artists, producers, songwriters, and executives where they talked about Afrobeats and its many Genres.

He further revealed that the members of the academy will have to submit a proposal for the addition of a new category before deliberations will kick off. However, the listening session with the Afrobeats leaders is the first step.

What this means: the addition of an Afrobeats category to the Grammys will mean that songs that fall under the Afrobeats subgenre will be eligible for nomination.

While the Afrobeats is primarily a description of Nigerian and Ghanaian mainstream music, the West has often muddled it up with any sound coming from Saharan Africa. The implication is that South African genres such as House, Amapiano, and Kwaito might be considered Afrobeats. Similarly, Congolese sounds like the Soukous or the East African Singile might be termed Afrobeats.

It will be up to the Academy to adequately identify the essential elements that make a song Afrobeats as doing this will be the first step in truly awarding the right songs irrespective of where it’s made.

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Music / News

Over 80,000 fans attend Kizz Daniel’s Afroclassic concert in Cotonou

In the latest leg of his tour, the Afrobeats megastar thrilled over 80,000 energetic fans on Sunday in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

The Plage De Fidrosse park in Benin Republic’s capital, Cotonou played host to the massively talented artist who didn’t stand on ceremony when he thrilled over 80,000 excited fans who, amid a lockdown and heavy traffic in the city, pulled out all the stops to listen to Kizz Daniel perform the biggest song on the continent.

Kizz thrilled the fans with a choice selection of some of his classic hits including ‘Woju’, ‘Laye’, ‘Lie’, ‘Pour Me Water’, ‘Buga’ and so many more.

Kizz Daniel is one of Africa’s hottest artists of 2022 with his hit single ‘Buga’ enjoying an intercontinental success that has made it into the biggest African single of 2022.

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Music / News

‘Justin Bieber is the easiest collaboration I ever had’ Omah Lay reveals

How it all started: According to Nigerian singing sensation Omah Lay, his friendship with Justin Bieber started after he put out his first project ‘Get Layd’ EP in 2020. Justin texted him on Instagram and followed him and the two became friends.

How ‘Attention’ came about: While sharing how his collaboration with Justin ‘Attention’ was created, Omah Lay revealed that while working with an international powerhouse such as Justin Bieber could be such a difficult possibility, it is actually his easiest collaboration to date.

“I just sent a song, he loved the song and sent back a verse,” Omah Lay said while sharing how the single which appears on his debut album ‘Boy Alone’ came about.

‘Boy Alone’ is Omah Lay’s highly anticipated debut album released on July 15th, 2022, and it has been described by critics and fans to be a bold, honest, and perfectly curated project.

In a display of the connection between the two talented music stars, Omah Lay has performed the single alongside Justin Bieber on his 2022 ‘Justice Tour’.

Another Win for Afrobeats: Omah Lay’s revelation that his collaboration with Justin Bieber is the easiest in his career showcases the current status of Afrobeats.

Afrobeats is gaining palpable international fame and success and with this fame comes respect, and acknowledgment that will further position Nigerian superstars for global success.

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Uncategorized

Burna Boy, Pheelz, Tems appear on Barack Obama’s 2022 Summer Playlist

Barack Obama Summer Playlists: Every year since 2015, former United States President Barack Obama has been releasing an annual summer playlist that features the songs he’s listening to. On Tuesday, 26th July 2022, Barack Obama released his summer playlist for the year and it features Pheelz‘s ‘Finesse‘, Burna Boy‘s ‘Last Last’, and Tems‘ ‘Vibe Out’.

Afrobeats and Barack Obama Summer Playlist: This is not the first time that Afrobeats act will be featuring on the famous summer playlist of the 44th US President. In 2019, Rema‘s ‘Iron Man’ made the playlist while in 2020, Wizkid‘s ‘Essence’ also made the list.

With the continuous ascension of Afrobeats, Nigerian artists can be expected to feature on the next year.

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Music / News

Keke Ogungbe, ID Cabasa Promise Stardom for Winners of Naija Star search

Naija Star Search show is unique because the focus is solely on Afrobeats, an umbrella term for all kinds of songs originating in Nigeria. Music Label Executive, Kenny Ogungbe led ID Cabasa and Asa Gangali, to audition contestants in Lagos.

Ogungbe said the audition judges would be looking out for authenticity, potential, originality and street credibility among the talents who will finally be selected for the show.

He added that about ten finalists from the show would be groomed by Kennis Music label and given a platform to turn their raw talents into superstars.

“In 10 seconds I can tell if a contestant has that fire in him or her. I can tell you because I am a radio DJ and I know when the talent is there. This is something I have been doing for almost 30 years and the idea with this is to take it to the masses, the grassroots, your next door neighbor,” Ogungbe said. Weighing in on the show, ID Cabasa, a celebrated music producer, who is responsible for several musical hits from 9ice to Olamide and Wizkid, said the Naija Star Search can’t come at a better time.

He said, “Naija Star Search is coming at a time when Afrobeats has been able to gain its ground as a global genre. What platforms like this will offer aspiring talents is the opportunity to hit it and hit it big as well as getting paid in global currencies like Dollars.

“For me, I will be looking forward to what the talent is bringing on which includes the talent, the energy and the star power because the plan is to ensure our winners go on to do great things in the Nigerian, African and global music scenes. We just don’t want to have a show and the winner goes home; no, we would be working with winners and supporting them to get their footing and succeed under our mentorship and support.”

On his part, co-audition judge, Asa Gangali, noted that it is imperative for all contestants

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Music / News

CKay becomes second most streamed Afrobeats artist after surpassing 1.2 billion streams

The phenomenal star took the world by storm when his single ‘Love Nwantiti’ achieved global fame and became the most popular song in the world in 2021. This brought CKay global attention making him the Afrobeats artist with most monthly Spotify listeners.

Since ascending to a new height, CKay hasn’t looked back and his career has been on the rise. His latest single ‘Watawi’ featuring Davido, Focalistic, and Abidoza has been received with open arms.

CKay has promised to take Afrobeats to a new height with his next album and everyday keeps bringing up new reasons why fans should believe in CKay’s daring declaration.

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