The Nation Newspaper

Category: Entertainment

  • Grammy 2026: How I almost omitted ‘With You’ on 5IVE album – Davido

    Grammy 2026: How I almost omitted ‘With You’ on 5IVE album – Davido

    Five-time Grammy nominee Davido has revealed that his hit song ‘With You’, featuring Omah Lay, almost didn’t make the final tracklist of his 5IVE album.

    The Afrobeats star made the disclosure in an interview with OkayAfrica, shared by HYPETRIBE on Monday.

    He said the song, which earned him a Grammy nomination, was not a favourite during internal listening sessions.

    “Man, it’s so crazy because that song almost didn’t make the album. With You was not in anybody’s top five, ” Davido said.

    The song’s success made its near omission emotional for Davido, who often wonders what would have happened if he hadn’t included it.

    “And now look at it go. Every time I was performing it, my heart would just start beating like, what if I didn’t put this song?” he added.

    Davido also recalled the moment he learned of his latest Grammy nomination, saying the news came unexpectedly while he was in Dubai, close to his birthday.

    “I was in the car, actually, checking a car, and then my phone rang. They were like, ‘Oh yeah, another nomination.’ I was like, wow. Thank God,” he said.

    Read Also: Grammy 2026: I thought Davido didn’t like me – Omah Lay

    ‘With You’ has become one of Davido’s most successful recent releases, topping charts and garnering over 100 million streams on Spotify.

    Despite the song’s success, Nigeria didn’t win any Grammys, with South Africa’s Tyla taking home Best African Music Performance.

    Speaking on his focus, Davido said his eyes his set on touring and new music, with a performance at Coachella 2026 confirmed.

    Davido, who is the only Nigerian artist on the festival’s lineup is set to perform on both Saturdays, April 11 and April 18, 2026, in Indio, California.

    “Going back on tour, definitely more music. I’m about to do Coachella. Big plans,” he said.

  • Grammy 2026: I thought Davido didn’t like me – Omah Lay

    Grammy 2026: I thought Davido didn’t like me – Omah Lay

    Afrobeats singer Omah Lay said he initially assumed Davido didn’t like him. 

    But the assumption was later proven wrong, paving the way for their Grammy-nominated collaboration “With You”.

    According to him, he saw a clip of Davido reacting positively to his music, which changed his perception.

    The singer made the revelation in a GRAMMY red carpet interview with OkayAfrica, shared by HYPETRIBE on Monday, stating that the assumption was quickly dispelled, and they connected, leading to their collaboration.

    “I was in the house, really, and I was going through it when I saw it, and I lost my mind.

    “It was the fact that I didn’t know Davido was like that. I thought we had a beef. I thought he didn’t like me.

    Read Also: Grammy 2026: How I almost omitted ‘With You’ on 5IVE album – Davido

    “It was funny, and we connected so well after that. Boom—magic happened,” he said.

    Omah Lay described their work together as effortless and organic.

    Omah Lay was optimistic about his chances at the Grammys, but also acknowledged the strong Nigerian presence in the Best African Music Performance category. “Me and Davido, of course,” he said when asked who he expects to win. “But Burna is there, Ayra is there, Wizkid is there. Any of us—I mean, we are repping Nigeria.”

    Despite being nominated alongside other Nigerian stars, the Best African Music Performance award went to South Africa’s Tyla for “Push 2 Start”.

  • Tinubu hails Fela as global icon after Grammy Lifetime Honour

    Tinubu hails Fela as global icon after Grammy Lifetime Honour

    …says Afrobeat pioneer’s legacy lives on

    …late musician becomes first African recipient of the award

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, following his posthumous recognition with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Recording Academy, also known as the Grammy Awards.

    In a tribute he personally issued to celebrate Fela’s award on Sunday, President Tinubu described the late musician as a towering figure whose influence transcended music, culture, and generations, saying the world had honoured “a giant.”

    The President said Fela was more than a musician, portraying him as a fearless voice of the people, a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound.

    Read Also: 2026: Dissecting Nigeria’s boom year

    “His courage, creativity, and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire the world,” Tinubu said, adding that in Yoruba mythology, Fela had transcended to a higher spiritual plane and become eternal.

    President Tinubu noted that the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award marked a historic milestone, as Fela became the first African to receive the honour, albeit posthumously.

    According to him, the recognition affirms Fela’s enduring global influence and the foundational role he played in shaping the evolution and global impact of African music.

    The President said the late icon defined Afrobeat as a genre and that his influence remains evident across generations of Nigerian musicians, as well as in contemporary Afrobeats and global music beyond Africa.

    “Fela lives,” Tinubu declared, underscoring that the musician’s ideals, sound, and cultural impact remain alive decades after his passing.

    The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred on performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording, placing Fela among an elite group of global music legends.

  • Winning AFRIMA ‘life-changing,’ say Juma Jux, Folex

    Winning AFRIMA ‘life-changing,’ say Juma Jux, Folex

    • Stakeholders meet in Tanzania

    Fresh from their victories at the 9th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in Lagos, Nigeria, Tanzanian stars Juma Jux and Folex have described the platform as a major driver of global visibility for African creatives, as industry stakeholders met in Dar es Salaam to review the impact of the awards on the region’s music industry.

    The award-winning artistes shared their views during a Media and Stakeholders’ Parley hosted by AFRIMA’s International Committee, which brought together artistes, regulators, music executives and the media to examine opportunities created by the awards and how East Africa can better harness them.

    Speaking at the event held at Urban by City Blue Hotel, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Juma Jux, winner of East African Artiste of the Year (Male) at the 9th AFRIMA, described the experience as career-defining.

    “Winning AFRIMA changed a lot for me,” Jux said. “People who never spoke to me before now reach out. Being on a stage watched in over 84 countries gives you a new level of visibility and responsibility.”

    He also called for stronger partnerships between platforms like AFRIMA and government agencies in Tanzania. “When institutions work hand in hand with platforms like AFRIMA, artistes benefit more through exposure, training and knowledge sharing,” he added.

    Also speaking, Tanzanian music director Folex, who won Best Music Video of the Year for his work on Juma Jux’s Ololufemi video, said the recognition had changed his life. He explained that the Lagos experience opened doors to new networks and learning opportunities.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Top 10 African countries with largest military aircraft fleet as of January 2026

    “Being nominated alongside international names like Pink and TG Omori and then winning the award was life-changing for me. It showed that East Africans can compete and win at the highest level. This award validates the work of music video directors in Tanzania and brings more confidence to our creative industry,” he said.

    Associate Producer of AFRIMA, Victoria Nkong, said the awards had grown beyond a celebration of talent to become a strong development platform for African creatives.

    “AFRIMA is designed to build an ecosystem for African music,” Nkong said. “Beyond the trophies, we focus on talent promotion, industry development and creating pathways that help African artistes move from local recognition to global visibility.”

    She added that the engagement in Tanzania was important for deepening collaboration with government institutions and industry stakeholders.

    “Tanzania and East Africa have rich musical identities. AFRIMA is committed to working closely with institutions and creatives here to ensure that their music and talent are well represented on the global stage,” she said.

    Also speaking, Selemani Mabisso, Acting Assistant Director of the Music Department at the National Arts Council of Tanzania, BASATA, reaffirmed the council’s willingness to partner with AFRIMA and other international bodies.

    “BASATA is open to collaborations that will help grow and strengthen Tanzania’s music industry,” Mabisso said. “We are ready to support initiatives that will position our creatives competitively on the global stage.”

    The 9th AFRIMA was held from January 7 to 11, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria, and was organised by the African Union Commission and the International Executive Committee of AFRIMA, in partnership with the Lagos State Government as the Official Host City.

    The five-day celebration of African music featured seven major events, including a Welcome Soiree, the Africa Music Business Summit, the AFRIMA Music Village at Ikeja City Mall, where over 25 top artistes thrilled more than 30,000 fans, and a grand finale at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, Nigeria which was broadcast to audiences in 84 countries worldwide.

  • Band continues Akiin Shuga’s legacy with classic tunes for Valentine

    Band continues Akiin Shuga’s legacy with classic tunes for Valentine

    Nigeria’s popular premium live music ensemble, Shuga Band, is leveraging on a strong brand resilience to navigate its post-founder phase with the unveiling of a new structure and the release of exciting mashup tunes for the Valentine’s season.

    The highly sought-after band has released a nuanced medley of classic tunes to usher in the 2026 romantic season for lovers and music tastemakers. The special rendition, its first post-founder release, includes a mashup of Nigerian and foreign classics. The new release goes live on all digital streams on February 1st, 2026.                 

    For the band, the new offering is not just another release but a clear signal of the continuation of the legacy of its founder, the late Akiin Shuga.

    The management of the band has also constituted a high-calibre board of trustees to provide more structure and give strategic direction for its new phase.

    Read Also: Nigeria on ‘healing journey’ to $1trn economy by 2030 – Presidency

    The band has continued to wax stronger, honouring a slate of bookings that continues to come from its new and existing premium clientele of the crème de la crème of society. Shuga Band stole the hearts of its fanbase with its deft mastery of different genres of music. It’s well-loved for its flawless performance of classical music and everything in between, contemporary, gospel and African traditional sounds.

    After its successful performance at the recent special Christmas live edition of Arise TV’s flagship ‘This Morning’, its third in a row, the band earned an endorsement from media mogul, Prince Nduka Obaigbena. The media baron publicly committed to supporting Akiin Shuga’s legacy by pledging that the Shuga Band will continue to perform at his media Group functions.

    The band is consolidating on the qualities of technical proficiency, music flair, stage craftsmanship and audience engagement laid down by its highly-revered founder.

    According to Jerry Odeh, the band’s business manager, “Our late founder, Akiin Shuga ran so that we could fly. He didn’t just build a band structure but also established a culture of excellence woven into the very fabric of the Shuga Band DNA. We will continue his legacy and continue to make him proud one gig at a time. With the support of a board comprising distinguished persons, we now have an extra backbone layer to navigate our post-founder phase.”

  • I have songs I’m keeping for right time – Mavo

    I have songs I’m keeping for right time – Mavo

    Rising Nigerian Afrobeats artist Marvin Oseremen Ukanigbe aka Mavo has revealed that has several unreleased songs that he’s keeping for the right time to release.

    The 23-year-old, who has featured Wizkid, CKay and Davido expressed that the songs will be released when God says it’s the right time.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Top 10 African countries with largest military aircraft fleet as of January 2026

    In a recent interview, he said, “I feel like I have, like I already said, I’m so blessed, so like it’s not something to be surprised about, but I have like a lot of songs I haven’t put out. I can’t say I’ve put out my top 50 best songs. I have songs I’ve been working on since 2023, 2022, songs I really feel like these are songs that are going to be good. But I just like keeping them for the right time.”

    Continuing, he said, “I feel like when it’s the right time, God tell me put it out. I have projects coming really soon, in a couple of months and it’s really solid. Then after that, I have another one as well. It’s back to back, it’s back to back. It’s going.”

  • Berlinale 2026: Organisers unveil star-studded jury

    Berlinale 2026: Organisers unveil star-studded jury

    Organisers of the Berlin International Film Festival have unveiled the international jury for the 76th edition of the prestigious global film event.

    The festival, popularly known as the Berlinale, will run from February 12, 2026, to February 22, 2026, at the Berlinale Palast in Germany, where jurors will determine the winners of the coveted Golden and Silver Bears.

    According to the organisers, renowned German filmmaker, writer and photographer Wim Wenders will preside as jury president for this year’s competition.

    Other members of the main jury include Nepalese director and producer Min Bahadur Bham; South Korean actor Bae Doona; Indian director, producer and film archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur; American filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green; Japanese director and screenwriter HIKARI; and Polish producer Ewa Puszczyńska.

    Read Also: Nigeria on ‘healing journey’ to $1trn economy by 2030 – Presidency

    A total of 22 films have been selected to compete in this year’s official competition lineup.

    In addition to the main jury, the festival has also announced jurors for its Perspectives, Documentary, Generation and Shorts sections.

    “The Perspectives jury comprises Moroccan filmmaker Sofia Alaoui, German director Frédéric Hambalek, and Polish-Canadian programmer Dorota Lech. The panel will select a winner from debut fiction features screening in the Perspectives section, with the award carrying a €50,000 prize funded by German collection society GWFF and shared between the director and producer,” the statement reads.

    Judging the Berlinale Documentary Award are directors Lemohang Mosese and Shaunak Sen, alongside renowned film scholar and critic B. Ruby Rich.

    Meanwhile, the Generation International Jury features Indonesian filmmaker Khozy Rizal, German actress Lena Urzendowsky and Sundance Film Festival’s Director of Programming, Kim Yutani.

    The International Short Film Jury include Ameer Fakher Eldin, Stefan Grissemann, and Gabriele Stötzer.

  • Wizkid, Davido, Asake top ‘Detty December’ artists

    Wizkid, Davido, Asake top ‘Detty December’ artists

    Nigerian music stars have led a long list of global artists that were mostly streamed on Apple Music during December 2025.

    According to a statement from Apple Music, the listed artists and songs defined Detty December, spotlighting the sounds that powered celebrations, cross-border collaborations and viral moments on the continent.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Top 10 African countries with largest military aircraft fleet as of January 2026

    At the forefront were Wizkid, Asake and Davido who emerged as the most-streamed African artists across Sub-Saharan Africa.

    The three giants were closely followed by Young Jonn, Mavo, Seyi Vibez, FOLA, Burna Boy, Gunna, Rema, Drake, BNXN, Himra, ODUMODUBLVCK, DJ Tunez, Olamide, Shallipoppi, and DJ Maphorisa.

    Others on the list include Omah Lay, Black Sherif, Lil Baby, Future, Tems, Ayra Starr, and Dave.

    The statement further highlighted the season’s biggest song as Davido’s ‘Mavo’ and Ecool’s ‘Galorizzy,’ while South African breakout artist Al Xapo claimed the most-identified song on Shazam in December with ‘SNOKONOKO.’

  • Princess Chineke makes positive impact

    Princess Chineke makes positive impact

    Nollywood actress in Nigeria, Princess Chineke, who opened the floodgate as the first Nigerian actress to join the United States of America’s military, is also making a great impact in her work.

    Feelers have it that her dedication to duty in the U.S. army is top notch. Regardless of her beauty as a former beauty queen, who represented her state at the prestigious Most Beautiful Girl pageant in Nigeria, her skill and commitment has been met with constant commendation.

    Not forgetting home, Chineke who runs an NGO (Voice Initiative) paid a surprise visit to Nigeria last year and had a fruitful meeting with the basketball team she supports in her neighborhood. It was an interesting interactive session where some of them asked how they can join the U.S. military.

    Read Also: Nigeria on ‘healing journey’ to $1trn economy by 2030 – Presidency

    She planned to continue in assisting indigent students with scholarships as she has been doing before she left the shores of Nigeria.

    The former Miss UNIBEN who studied Computer Science has in no small measure made a tremendous difference in the lives of some students in her alma mater.

    Chineke is also a graduate of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). She later went to the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles, to further her acting skill.

    Her career trajectory has been a surprising pivot from her successful acting, modeling, talent management to enlisting in the U.S. army.

  • Rotimi Salami: I was prepared for gossip before stardom

    Rotimi Salami: I was prepared for gossip before stardom

    Nollywood actor, Rotimi Salami has revealed that he had prepared for gossip around him and women long before he attained stardom.

    In a recent interview, Salami said he had prepared for the gossip long before he attained stardom because he knows people will always talk and attach him to one lady or the other.

    In his words, “I honestly do not know, maybe because I am a spiritual person and I know so well that people will gossip and if they don’t gossip about you then you are dead. I already prepared myself that once stardom comes in, people will gossip about me and outside stardom, I am a fine boy and I attract the opposite sex.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Top 10 African countries with largest military aircraft fleet as of January 2026

    “So, I was ready for the gossip and rumours but the only person I believe I am answerable to is my wife and since my wife understood the terrain, I don’t care what people think. As long as it’s not going to stop the endorsement or my source of livelihood, I don’t care. In fact, it was even Allwell that called me saying Rotimi, did you hear what people are saying about us and I said, so what? And she asked if I wasn’t bothered and I told her that I wasn’t bothered except you were no longer supporting me and guiding me and she did that till her death.”

    He also weighed in on his relationship with Allwell Ademola, who passed on recently, saying she’s a sister without blood relation,

    He said, “When people ask me about my relationship with Allwell Ademola, I ask them back what do they think because I know that whatever my response is will not hold water as many people who ask the question already have preconceived answer for it, so my response will not change anything but for the sake of the question, I will simply say she’s my sister.

    “There are people who are not related to you by blood but because of the relationship you share with them, you can call them bloodline, so I would say Allwell Ademola is a bloodline, my sister and everything.”

    Allwell Ademola passed away on December 27, 2025 at the age 49 years old.