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Category: Celebrity News

  • Asake unveils custom chain inspired by Nigeria’s Coat of Arms

    Asake unveils custom chain inspired by Nigeria’s Coat of Arms

    Asake has shared photos and videos of a custom chain inspired by Nigeria’s Coat of Arms on Instagram. The piece features the national emblem and the country’s motto, “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.”

    The design incorporates Nigeria’s national symbol, which features a black shield, two supporting horses and an eagle. The motto appears on a scroll beneath the emblem and has been part of Nigeria’s national identity since 1978.

    Asake’s new custom “Nigerian Coat of Arms” neckpiece.

    Asake’s new custom “Nigerian Coat of Arms” neckpiece.

    Reports have put the chain’s value at $1 million, although the price has not been independently confirmed. The jewellery reveal adds to Asake’s collection of custom pieces, which has previously attracted attention for its designs and reported costs.

    Back view of Asake’s new custom “Nigerian Coat of Arms” neckpiece.
  • Fireboy DML hosts “ZUKO!” listening party on Lagos Live game

    Fireboy DML hosts “ZUKO!” listening party on Lagos Live game

    Fireboy DML is hosting a virtual listening party for his album“ZUKO!” on the Lagos Live game, where players must solve a puzzle to win a ticket to the event at a virtual version of the singer’s mansion.

    Fireboy DML hosts a virtual listening party on the Lagos Live game

    “ZUKO!” is scheduled for release at midnight on Friday, October 16.

    Fireboy DML “ZUKO!” cover art

    The activation brings music promotion into the gaming environment, allowing players to engage with a release through an in-game challenge rather than a traditional listening party. Davido also has a presence in the game, with his house featured as the “OBO Mansion.”

    Artists can also pay ₦50,000 to have their songs played in the game, offering another option for music promotion through interactive digital spaces.

    Fireboy DML “ZUKO!” track list

    The feature reflects how Nigerian artists and music platforms are exploring gaming as another way to connect music with audiences beyond streaming services and social media.

  • Angélique Kidjo submits “Aye Kan” featuring Ayra Starr for 2027 Grammy consideration

    Angélique Kidjo submits “Aye Kan” featuring Ayra Starr for 2027 Grammy consideration

    Angélique Kidjo has submitted “Aye Kan (Are You Coming Back?)”, featuring Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, for consideration in the Best African Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards.

    The song appears on Kidjo’s album “HOPE!!”, released in April 2026. It explores the importance of communication and understanding, with Ayra Starr contributing vocals to the track.

    Kidjo has also submitted “HOPE!!” for Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album consideration. Her song “BANDO” is listed for consideration in Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Global Music Performance and Best Music Video.

    Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards and received 16 nominations throughout her career, according to the Recording Academy. Her wins include Best Global Music Album for “Mother Nature” at the 2022 ceremony.

    Ayra Starr has received two Grammy nominations to date, both in the Best African Music Performance category: “Rush” in 2024 and “Gimme Dat”, her collaboration with Wizkid, in 2026. She has yet to win a Grammy.

    Submissions are entries put forward for consideration and do not guarantee a nomination. The Recording Academy has not yet announced the final nominees for the 2027 awards.

  • Babcock University to name new music complex after Davido

    Babcock University to name new music complex after Davido

    Babcock University is set to launch the David Adeleke School of Music and Performing Arts Complex, named after Nigerian singer Davido, with completion scheduled for 2028.

    Davido shared an image of the proposed building on his Instagram Story. The singer graduated from Babcock University in 2015, where he studied music.

    The complex will house the university’s music and performing arts department.

  • FOLA samples Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie after Beyoncé used her speech on “Flawless”

    FOLA samples Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie after Beyoncé used her speech on “Flawless”

    FOLA samples Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s speech at Harvard University’s Class Day in May 2018 on “How Many,” a track off his album “9.”

    The song features excerpts from Adichie’s address, in which she discusses fear, procrastination and the balance between self-doubt and self-belief. In the speech, she says, “Procrastinating is a form of fear and it is difficult to acknowledge fear.”

    Another excerpt focuses on the role of confidence and uncertainty in creative work: “You cannot create anything of value without both self-doubt and self-belief. Without self-doubt, you become complacent. Without self-belief, you cannot succeed. You need both.”

    Adichie is listed as a composer in the credits for “How Many.”

    Beyoncé previously sampled Adichie’s work on her 2013 song “Flawless,” which incorporated excerpts from the author’s TEDxEuston talk, “We Should All Be Feminists.” The talk examined gender inequality and feminism, introducing Adichie’s ideas to a wider audience through the song.

    With “How Many,” FOLA incorporates Adichie’s reflections on fear and confidence into a track from “9,” following Beyoncé’s earlier use of the author’s words in popular music.