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Tag: Burna Boy

  • 2Baba hails Burna Boy as Nigeria’s number one artist

    2Baba hails Burna Boy as Nigeria’s number one artist

    Music legend 2Baba has declared Burna Boy as his personal number one artist in Nigeria, praising him as the leader and “senior” among today’s generation of musicians.

    Speaking in a recent interview with Urban FM, Enugu, 2Baba commended Burna Boy’s artistry and unique talent, noting that while he admires other stars, Burna Boy stands out to him.

    “For me, on a personal level, Burna Boy is my number one… Although I have other ones I really like, in terms of me personally as an artist, Burna Boy is my number one right now. Absolutely. Among all the others, he’s the senior,” 2Baba said.

    He also acknowledged Nigeria’s rich pool of musical talent, naming Wizkid, Davido, Tiwa Savage, and Olamide, among others, as proof that the industry is blessed with numerous superstars across diverse styles and genres.

    Read Also: NNAMDI ONWAEZE: My aunty, parents wanted me to compete for Nigeria

    “So for instance, we have Burna Boy, we have Wizkid, we have Davido, we have Tiwa Savage, we have Asake, we have Omah Lay, we have Rema, we have Adekunle Gold, we have Olamide, we have…

    “You see my problem, right? It just keeps going on and on and on. It’s a long list.

    “We have so many superstars from one country. Yo! So that’s my dilemma, right? You understand what I’m saying?

    “So, for me to say who we are, you’re going to get a lot of associations. I am going to tell you that, and all of these people are at the top,” Idibia said.” he said.

    The veteran artist also reflected on the various paths artists take to success, categorising them into those who are hardworking, those who focus on commercial music, and those who stick to their unique style despite lacking commercial appeal.

    2Baba emphasised that all these approaches can lead to success, and many artists have reached the top through different routes.

  • Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr, others nominated for AFRIMA 2025

    Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Starr, others nominated for AFRIMA 2025

    The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has unveiled the nominees for its 2025 edition, displaying a diverse range of talented African artists.

    With a record-breaking 10,717 entries, the competition is set to be fierce.

    Nigerian superstars Burna Boy and Davido lead the pack with five nominations each, including Album of the Year for their respective albums “No Sign of Weakness” and “5ive”.

    They’ll also compete in the Song of the Year and Best Collaboration categories.

    Other notable nominees include Shallipopi, who scored four nominations, including Artiste of the Year and Song of the Year for his collaboration “Laho”.

    Ayra Starr earned two nominations, including Artiste of the Year, where she’ll go up against Burna Boy, Davido, and Moroccan rapper El Grande Toto.

    Other strong contenders include South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa with five nominations, Morocco’s El Grande Toto with five, Senegal’s Mia Guissé with five, and Ghana’s Moliy who also secured five.

    Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz, South Africa’s Tyla and Eswatini’s Uncle Waffles picked up four nominations each.

    Read Also: AFRIMA 2025 receives record 10,717 entries

    The awards ceremony will take place in Lagos from November 25 to 30, featuring various events such as the AFRIMA Music Village, Africa Music Business Summit, Nominees Party, and the grand finale on November 30.

    The event will be broadcast live to over 84 countries, highlighting African music’s global impact.

    AFRIMA jury member Delani Makhalima praised the nominees, saying, “For years our voices were not heard, but today African music is global. This is AFRIMA, the biggest music entity on the continent.”

    The diversity of nominees, including artists from Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, and the diaspora, reflects the richness and global reach of African music.

  • I was accused of ‘juju’ over unshaved armpit – Burna Boy

    I was accused of ‘juju’ over unshaved armpit – Burna Boy

    Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy has spoken about a ridiculous rumour surrounding his unshaved armpits. 

    In an Apple Music interview, he laughed off claims that his success is tied to his armpit hair through voodoo, calling it “hilarious.” 

    According to Burna Boy, he simply doesn’t like shaving his armpit, dismissing the speculation around as absurd. 

    He jokingly compared the rumor to the biblical story of Samson, whose strength came from his hair. 

    The interviewer asked: “What would you say is a common misconception about Burna Boy?”

    Burna Boy replied: “One is that I don’t like to shave my armpits. People think that it is like Samson in the Bible that [has] his power in his hair.

    “There are some people that claim that my armpit is where my power is because I don’t shave. In Nigeria you hear crazy things. There are some people that think that is some voodoo sh*t, like my power is in my armpits [laughs]. I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s just some dumb sh*t that’s going on. I even tried to find out if it’s even possible.”

  • Burna Boy breaks record with most Billboard Hot 100 entries

    Burna Boy breaks record with most Billboard Hot 100 entries

    Award-winning singer Burna Boy has made history by becoming the African artist with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

    His feature on Gunna’s latest album, “The Last Wun,” on the track “wgft,” marked his seventh entry on the chart, further solidifying his record.

    This achievement also extends Burna Boy’s unprecedented run on the Billboard Hot 100 to five consecutive years, making him the first African act to do so.

    Burna Boy’s success on the charts translates to real-world achievements, including sold-out shows and record-breaking concerts.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Asake, Burna Boy, others nominated for 2025 VMAS

    Notably, he became the first African artist to headline a US stadium at New York’s Citi Field in July 2023 and holds the record for the highest-grossing concert by an African artist in the United States.

    His accolades also include a Grammy Award for Best Global Album and three consecutive BET Awards for Best International Act, demonstrating his enduring impact on the music industry.

  • FULL LIST: Asake, Burna Boy, others nominated for 2025 VMAS

    FULL LIST: Asake, Burna Boy, others nominated for 2025 VMAS

    Nigerian artists are set to shine at the MTV Video Music Awards with Burna Boy and Asake leading the charge.

    Both artists have secured two nominations each, with Burna Boy recognised for “Higher” in the Video For Good category and “TaTaTa” featuring Travis Scott in the Best Afrobeats category.

    Asake’s nominations include “Active” featuring Travis Scott and “Get It Right” with Tems, both in the Best Afrobeats category.

    Other talents, including Rema, Moliy, Tems, Wizkid, Tyla, and Ayra Starr, have also received nominations.

    The ceremony will take place on September 7 at the UBS Arena in New York, with Lady Gaga topping the nominations list with 12 nods.

    Below are the nominees for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards:

    Video of the Year

    Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

    Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die with a Smile

    Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

    Rosé and Bruno Mars – Apt.

    Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

    The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – Timeless

    Billie Eilish – Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather

    Song of the Year

    Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather

    Gracie Abrams – I Love You, I’m Sorry

    Alex Warren – Ordinary

    Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die with a Smile

    Lorde – What Was That

    The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – Timeless

    Rosé and Bruno Mars – Apt.

    Tate McRae – Sports Car

    Doechii – Anxiety

    Ed Sheeran – Sapphire

    Artist of the Year

    Lady Gaga

    Taylor Swift

    The Weeknd

    Bad Bunny

    Kendrick Lamar

    Beyoncé

    Morgan Wallen

    Best New Artist

    Lola Young

    Gigi Perez

    Sombr

    Alex Warren

    Ella Langley

    The Marías

    Best Pop Artist

    Justin Bieber

    Miley Cyrus

    Charli xcx

    Sabrina Carpenter

    Tate McRae

    Ariana Grande

    Lorde

    MTV Push Performance of the Year

    August 2024 – Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)

    September 2024 – Ayra Starr – Last Heartbreak Song

    October 2024 – Mark Ambor – Belong Together

    November 2024 – Lay Bankz – Graveyard

    December 2024 – Dasha – Bye Bye Bye

    May 2025 – Damiano David – Next Summer

    June 2025 – Gigi Perez – Sailor Song

    July 2025 – Role Model – Sally, When the Wine Runs Out

    January 2025 – Katseye – Touch

    February 2025 – Jordan Adetunji – Kehlani

    March 2025 – Leon Thomas – Yes It Is

    April 2025 – Livingston – Shadow

    Best Collaboration

    Rosé and Bruno Mars – Apt.

    Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco – Sunset Blvd

    Bailey Zimmerman with Luke Combs – Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)

    Kendrick Lamar and SZA – Luther

    Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die with a Smile

    Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton – Pour Me a Drink

    Best Pop

    Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die with a Smile

    Alex Warren – Ordinary

    Rosé and Bruno Mars – Apt.

    Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

    Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

    Ed Sheeran – Sapphire

    Best R&B

    Summer Walker – Heart of a Woman

    SZA – Drive

    The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – Timeless

    Chris Brown – Residuals

    Leon Thomas and Freddie Gibbs – Mutt (Remix)

    Mariah Carey – Type Dangerous

    Partynextdoor – N o C h i l l

    Best Hip-hop

    Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

    LL Cool J ft. Eminem – Murdergram Deux

    Drake – Nokia

    Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – Somebody Save Me

    GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red – Whatchu Kno About Me

    Travis Scott – 4X4 – Cactus Jack/Epic Records

    Doechii – Anxiety

    Best Rock

    Coldplay – All My Love

    Green Day – One Eyed Bastard

    Lenny Kravitz – Honey – Roxie Records

    Linkin Park – The Emptiness Machine

    Twenty One Pilots – The Contract

    Evanescence – Afterlife (From the Netflix Series Devil May Cry)

    Best Alternative

    Lola Young – Messy

    Gigi Perez – Sailor Song

    Sombr – Back to Friends

    The Marías – Back to Me

    MGK and Jelly Roll – Lonely Road

    Imagine Dragons – Wake Up

    Best Latin

    Shakira – Soltera

    Karol G – Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido

    Rauw Alejandro and Romeo Santos – Khé

    Bad Bunny – Baile Inolvidable

    J Balvin – Rio

    Peso Pluma – La Patrulla

    Best K-Pop

    Jimin – Who

    Jennie – Like Jennie

    Rosé – Toxic Till the End

    Jisoo – Earthquake

    Lisa ft. Doja Cat and Raye – Born Again

    Aespa – Whiplash

    Stray Kids – Chk Chk Boom

    Best Afrobeats

    Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng and Shenseea – Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)

    Tyla – Push 2 Start

    Wizkid ft. Brent Faiyaz – Piece of My Heart

    Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott – TaTaTa

    Tems ft. Asake – Get It Right

    Rema – Baby (Is It a Crime)

    Asake and Travis Scott – Active

    Best Country

    Chris Stapleton – Think I’m in Love With You

    Cody Johnson with Carrie Underwood – I’m Gonna Love You

    Jelly Roll – Liar

    Lainey Wilson – 4x4xU

    Megan Moroney – Am I Okay

    Morgan Wallen – Smile

    Best Album

    Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos

    Kendrick Lamar – GNX

    Lady Gaga – Mayhem

    Morgan Wallen – I’m the Problem

    Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet

    The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

    Best Long Form Video

    Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

    Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos (Short Film)

    Damiano David – Funny Little Stories

    Mac Miller – Balloonerism

    Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful

    The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

    Video For Good

    Burna Boy – Higher

    Charli xcx – Guess featuring Billie Eilish

    Doechii – Anxiety

    Eminem ft. Jelly Roll – Somebody Save Me

    Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco – Younger and Hotter Than Me

    Zach Hood ft. Sasha Alex Sloan – Sleepwalking

    Best Direction

    Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

    Charli xcx – Guess featuring Billie Eilish

    Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

    Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

    Rosé and Bruno Mars – Apt.

    Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

    Best Art Direction

    Charli xcx – Guess featuring Billie Eilish

    Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

    Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

    Lorde – Man Of The Year

    Miley Cyrus – End of the World

    Rosé and Bruno Mars – Apt.

    Best Cinematography

    Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

    Ed Sheeran – Sapphire

    Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

    Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

    Miley Cyrus – Easy Lover

    Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

    Best Editing

    Charli xcx – Guess featuring Billie Eilish

    Ed Sheeran – Sapphire

    Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

    Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

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    Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

    Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From F1 The Movie)

    Best Choreography

    Doechii – Anxiety

    FKA Twigs – Eusexua

    Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us

    Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

    Tyla – Push 2 Start

    Zara Larsson – Pretty Ugly

    Best Visual Effects

    Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead

    Lady Gaga – Abracadabra

    Rosé and Bruno Mars – Apt.

    Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

    Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From F1 The Movie)

    The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

  • Burna Boy, Wiegman steal show at Lionesses parade

    Burna Boy, Wiegman steal show at Lionesses parade

    It was a surprise England manager Sarina Wiegman could barely believe. As the Lionesses celebrated winning back-to-back European Championship titles in front of Buckingham Palace, out came Wiegman’s favourite artist.

    Visibly shocked, Wiegman’s hands went to her head before she embraced Burna Boy, the Nigerian singer, who was confirmed by the Football Association at 9 am, on stage. Knowing every word, they proceeded to sing his hit song For Your Hand – which he recorded with Ed Sheeran in 2023 – together as Wiegman danced beside him in front of more than 65,000 fans.

    “Sarina’s got rhythm,” defender Esme Morgan told BBC 5 Live. “She loves Burna Boy. I can’t believe it. Her face when they brought Burna Boy out was a picture, none of us could believe it to be honest, and she was busting out some moves and singing away, that was a special moment.”

    The England manager has won three European trophies in her career, but has rarely looked as happy as she did in that moment.

    Read Also: D’Tigress beat Senegal 75-68 to reach fifth consecutive Afrobasket final

    When asked about her Spotify Wrapped song list in 2023, Wiegman had said For Your Hand was her most-played song that year. Ella Toone had also joked that Wiegman would often rubbish the songs being played on the team bus, saying: “What’s this? Put Burna Boy on.”

    While Wiegman had her moment alongside her hero, Toone and Morgan were not quite as lucky. Toone had said before the final that she and Morgan would belt out Heather Small’s song Proud as motivation before every game. It was fitting, then, when Small came onto the stage to sing after Burna Boy, and two microphones were passed to Toone and Morgan. They were, however, not turned on – and only Small could be heard.

    Three years ago, the Lionesses had celebrated winning their first European Championship in front of 7,000 fans at Trafalgar Square.

    The crowd was capped that day by the size of the venue and the late planning of the event. This time, the FA had planned – although it is understood that the specially designed buses that took the players down the Mall were nearly cancelled before Michelle Agyemang scored a 96th-minute equaliser in the semi-final against Italy.

    Angela Rayner was in attendance, a day on from hosting the Lionesses at a Downing Street garden party, along with former England players Karen Carney and Jill Scott. While they would have had a perfect view from the VIP area, many fans said they could barely see the buses and only knew the team was arriving because they could hear the marching band playing in front of them.

    Some of the players still looked like they were running on adrenaline, and many donned sunglasses to hide tired eyes.

  • Euros 2025: Sarina thrilled with Burna Boy at England’s victory party

    Euros 2025: Sarina thrilled with Burna Boy at England’s victory party

    Lionesses’ fans saw a different side to England boss Sarina Wiegman yesterday at the EURO 2025 homecoming celebration parade in London.

    With the England squad and staff on stage in front of Buckingham Palace following a bus journey along The Mall in front of 65,000 adoring fans, the crowd were treated to a number of the squad’s favourite sing-alongs before the likes of Heather Small and Katy B performed.

    But the biggest cheers were reserved for a surprise and secret appearance from singer-songwriter Burna Boy, one of Wiegman’s musical favourites.

    Introduced to the stage by host and former Lionesses Alex Scott, the surprise on Sarina’s face was visible as he emerged to perform his hit song ‘For My Hand’.

    And Sarina, who didn’t dance at the Trafalgar Square celebration following England’s EURO 2022 success three years ago, more than made amends by signing along and dancing with the artist much to the delight of the squad and crowd.

    “I was very flabbergasted,” admitted Sarina after the event. “But I thought ‘I’m going to take my moment with him so let’s have a little dance with him’, and that was incredible.

    Read Also: WAFCON 2024: Ajibade, Alozie, Nnadozie,  Okoronkwo  named in Best XI

    “I like to dance and I like his music but I totally didn’t expect him, so it was such a surprise and I think everyone went out of their mind.”

    Wiegman, who has now led the Lionesses to two EURO titles and a best-ever performance at the Women’s World Cup when they finished second in 2023, also revealed how special it was to be a welcomed back by a huge crowd of supporters.

    “It was incredible, unbelievable,” she said.

    “To see all these people coming to celebrate with us and supporting us throughout the tournament is just really incredible and surreal.”

    And once the celebrations have cooled in the coming days, Wiegman revealed she’ll be back at work as the Lionesses start to plot their autumn schedule and forthcoming 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

    “We have some things to look back on from the EUROs, it was such a hard tournament in many ways, completely different from any of the others that I’ve been involved in,” she added.

    “And we’ll be back to work soon, after what has been an incredible few weeks.”

  • Burna Boy wows Sarina Wiegman at Euros victory parade

    Burna Boy wows Sarina Wiegman at Euros victory parade

    England women’s national team coach, Sarina Wiegman, shared a heartwarming moment with Nigerian music star Burna Boy during the Lionesses’ homecoming victory tour in London.

    In a now-viral video, Burna Boy surprised Wiegman on stage outside Buckingham Palace with a performance of his hit song “For My Hand” featuring Ed Sheeran.

    Read Also: Burna Boy never ordered me, Waje out of studio – Omawumi 

    Wiegman joined in the celebration, dancing and singing along before embracing the Grammy-nominated artist in front of cheering fans.

    Adding to the excitement, former England star Alex Scott revealed that Burna Boy is Wiegman’s favourite artist—making the surprise performance all the more special.

    The coach’s joy was evident as she celebrated her team’s triumph with music, dance, and a personal moment with one of Africa’s biggest stars.

  • Burna Boy never ordered me, Waje out of studio – Omawumi 

    Burna Boy never ordered me, Waje out of studio – Omawumi 

    Singer Omawumi has denied claims by Timaya that Burna Boy once ordered her and Waje out of a studio for doubting his prediction of flying private jets.

    Timaya in an interview in December 2024 had claimed that Burna Boy chased Waje and Omawunmi out of the studio for doubting his futuristic goals.

    Debunking his claim in a recent interview on Naija FM, Omawumi expressed irritation over Timaya’s story, stating that the incident never occurred.

    She questioned why Timaya would involve her name in the narrative, potentially tarnishing her reputation built over nearly 20 years.

    Omawumi emphasised the importance of respect among colleagues in the music industry and noted that Burna Boy has always shown her respect whenever they meet.

    She argued that Timaya’s motive might be to generate negative attention, given that such news tends to trend more than positive stories.

    According to Omawumi, the only time she was in the same space with Burna Boy, Waje, and Timaya was in 2010 when Waje was recording a song with Burna Boy.

    However, she said she left early and wasn’t aware of any incident that might have occurred after her departure.

    Omawumi said: “That thing no happen. What hurt me the most about it is that I have been friends with Timaya. Timaya and Burna Boy, you know, [in this music industry] we accord everyone their respect. And I’m very big on respect, that’s why I reciprocate. I don’t like talking down on my colleagues. That’s how I built my brand.

    Read Also: Davido, Rema, Burna Boy, Tems, make history at World Cup, UCL, Ballon D’or, Club World Cup finals

    “First of all, my irritation is that Timaya was trying to make a point about Burna Boy, why involve me? Why did he bring my name into it? Also, this same Timaya has been in a lot of embarrassing situations that I would never bring to the public just because I want to promote my music. Even Burna Boy has never said such things. Whenever he sees us, he respects us.

    “So, why did Timaya feel he could say such? He wants to tarnish the reputation of my brand that I’ve worked to build for almost 20 years because negative news trends more than good news. Now, when people want to talk about me, they would reference his claim that I was thrown out of the studio. I felt so irritated.

    “I don’t care whether he said it in a good or bad light. Why did he involved me in the first place? That incident never happened. For context, the only time I have been in the same space with Burna Boy, Waje and Timaya was in 2010 when Waje hosted us while she was recording a song with Burna Boy. And I left them there because it was getting late. So, I don’t know when the incident of Burna Boy ordering I and Waje out of studio happened.”

  • How I recorded my first song at 13 – Burna Boy

    How I recorded my first song at 13 – Burna Boy

    Grammy-winning singer Damini Ogulu popularly known as Burna Boy has revealed how he recorded his first song at 13.

    In a chat with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, the acclaimed ‘African Giant’ recounted how he used a radio and a tape recorder to record the song, creatively using beats from video game soundtracks, including NBA Street, Volume II and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

    Burna said: “The First song I ever recorded was by myself, you wouldn’t even believe this. I had a tape, a radio, and I had a tape recorder, whatever, and I would use the beat from video games and some shit.

    “So I used one from NBA Street, Volume II, I think, one from Grand Theft Auto, San Andreas, it was one of the GTAs, one of the early GTAs, I guess. So the first song I recorded was with that, playing that beat and then recording and then, yeah, that’s how it went. How old was I, man? I don’t know, man. I can’t remember. Yeah, around 13.”

    The 34-year-old singer has now become a global superstar, known for his unique sound and contributions to the Afrobeats genre.

    In a separate conversation, Burna Boy also addressed a past statement he made about Afrobeats lacking substance. 

    He apologised for the comments, explaining that he didn’t fully understand the term’s significance in promoting Nigerian music as a collective at the time.