Nigerian artist Zlato Queen has released “Paradise,” a new Afrobeats single featuring Deobi.
The song explores romantic attraction and the feeling of finding someone whose presence changes the way you experience the world. Zlato Queen uses Nigerian Pidgin alongside melodic vocals to frame the song’s themes of love, gratitude and desire.
“Paradise” combines Afrobeats rhythms with soulful melodies and contemporary pop elements, with Deobi contributing to the vocal performance.
The track was released through Zinnob Records and is accompanied by an official music video.
Nigerian artist Lil Blinkz has released “Pray,” a new Afrobeats single produced, mixed and mastered by Bee-M.
The song explores themes of faith, struggle, isolation and perseverance, with Lil Blinkz reflecting on the pressures of pursuing his ambitions and the role of prayer in dealing with difficult periods.
“Pray” marks a return to Afrobeats for Lil Blinkz following his July hip-hop single “No Chills,” which features Simex and Talented. He previously released the Afropop single “Everyday” in March.
The track was independently released through Raven Vanguard, a Lagos-based entertainment company founded and managed by Lil Blinkz.
The NAACP Image Awards will introduce 10 new categories dedicated to African music, film and television at its 58th edition in 2027.
The new categories are:
Outstanding African Album
Outstanding African New Artist
Outstanding African Song
Outstanding African Motion Picture
Outstanding Actor in an African Motion Picture
Outstanding Actress in an African Motion Picture
Outstanding Directing in an African Motion Picture
Outstanding African Television Series
Outstanding Actor in an African Television Series
Outstanding Actress in an African Television Series
The categories cover three areas of African entertainment: music, film and television. The recording categories give African artists dedicated recognition for albums, songs and emerging artists, while the film and television categories extend that recognition to productions and individual performers.
According to the NAACP, the new categories are part of an effort to build a cultural connection between Africa and the global Black diaspora and recognise the influence of African creative work across music, film and television. The 58th edition will have 108 categories in total.
The introduction is particularly notable for African music, where artists have increasingly appeared in the broader NAACP Image Awards categories. Tems, for example, is among the artists previously recognised by the awards.
For African creatives, the new categories could provide a more direct route to recognition within one of the longest-running awards programmes for Black entertainment. The bigger question will be how the new categories interact with the awards’ existing international and general categories, and whether African artists will continue to compete outside the Africa-specific fields as their work reaches wider audiences.
Submissions for the 58th NAACP Image Awards opened in August, with the 2027 ceremony date yet to be announced. Projects released between January 1 and December 31, 2026 are eligible for consideration.
Nigerian singer Ayra Starr attended LaQuan Smith’s Spring/Summer 2027 show during New York Fashion Week.
For the appearance, Ayra wore a sheer purple off-shoulder dress featuring a thigh-high slit, with her underwear visible beneath the see-through fabric.
The appearance comes during a busy period for Ayra in New York. The singer moved to the city in late 2025 and has incorporated New York into her latest musical era, including “Midnight in New York,” a track from her third album, “Starrgirl.”
Ayra has also maintained a connection to fashion, having made her runway debut at London Fashion Week in 2025 when she walked for Di Petsa.
Nigerian singer Fireboy DML and Atlanta rapper 21 Savage were among the guests at Public School New York’s Spring/Summer 2027 presentation during New York Fashion Week.
The show took place on September 10 as designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne continued Public School’s return to the New York Fashion Week calendar. The label returned to the runway earlier this year after a seven-year absence from the traditional fashion schedule.
21 Savage attended the presentation alongside Carmelo Anthony, having also appeared with the former NBA player at Tommy Hilfiger’s Spring 2027 show earlier that day. Swizz Beatz, Fabolous, Miles Caton, Julez Smith and several NBA players were also among the guests at Public School’s presentation.
Fireboy DML was also photographed at the event, with Public School’s guest list bringing together musicians, athletes and figures from fashion and entertainment.
The Spring/Summer 2027 collection, titled “Living Proof,” marked another stage in Public School’s return under Chow and Osborne. The designers founded the New York label in 2008 and built its aesthetic around the intersection of streetwear, tailoring and New York culture.
UK funk-pop collective LJ & The Ray Band’s single “Heels” has reached No. 16 on the Music Week Commercial Pop Chart.
The independent release has climbed from its debut at No. 27, previously reaching No. 20 before moving to its current position. The track was released through the band’s independent label, HighVoo Media.
“Heels” combines disco, funk and soul-pop, with live instrumentation and contemporary production. The song explores confidence and the idea of using music and dance as a way to step away from everyday pressures.
LJ & The Ray Band is fronted by songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Lloyd, known as LJ. The band’s sound draws from funk, disco, soul and contemporary pop, with influences including Jamiroquai, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Jungle and Silk Sonic.
The band is also preparing to release its next single, “We Did It All.”
Toronto-based artist Beyond Magic has released “Someone to Love,” an electronic pop track that explores the uncertainty of a relationship caught between separation and continued attachment.
The song focuses on the late-night dynamics of a situationship, where two people may have agreed to take a break but continue to remain in contact. Its lyrics capture the tension and confusion that can come with an unresolved connection.
“Someone to Love” combines electronic pop and melodic EDM, using layered melodies and electronic production to create a reflective atmosphere.
Beyond Magic draws from electronic and pop influences, incorporating emotional songwriting into a sound that moves between heartbreak and recovery.
