Entertainment
Burna Boy To Quit Music?
Recently, controversial Nigerian musician Burna Boy, took to Twitter and revealed in a set of messages that he might be quitting music. But in truth, it’s hard to think of this as true given several dynamics. While this has stirred conversations and garnered a fair amount of buzz, it is important to state that the singer is going nowhere. He clearly isn’t that sort of person. Hardly anyone is built to quit at the peak of career and Burna Boy is quite undisputedly in his heyday.
The current wave of greatness in the Nigerian music industry has seen Wizkid, Davido and Tiwa Savage launch into a trajectory of sorts even as Seyi Shay, Ayo Jay, Kiss Daniel and co follow closely. The numbers are significant, the returns are massive and the goodwill of this era has seeped through to the length and breadth of local entertainment.
There are some of the reasons it’ll be hard to want out at a stage as critical as this. more specifically, these are some of the reasons any A-list artist in the mould of Burna Boy will never conceive the idea of opting out of music whatever the reasons are.
But of course, it’s fine to fake something of this sort when you are Burna Boy. After all, what is showbiz without attempts to swim upstream from time to time? Above all, this publicity comes helpful at this point as he is billed to perform at a concert in London in October, 2016. While we are at this, below are five key reasons Burna Boy will be around for some time contrary to what his recent tweets say.
He loves controversies and can only thrive in an industry as this – The Sole Singer came into our consciousness riding on the back of controversy. It is against this backdrop that we see exactly how unfitting it is were he to attempt a career switch of sorts.
The attention he currently gets is quite impressive – It’s not rocket science realizing how much the dance hall star is currently being talked about today, locally and internationally. His brand is loved out there. In clearer words, he had been hugged by media players so much lately and regardless of how genuine or not the love is, he is getting the needed attention. It is what it is.
The financial rewards are too good to be true – this is pretty clear as the sky is blue. Except Burna has an oil well somewhere which is highly questionable, it will be hard keeping up with his financial standards anywhere outside entertainment. Hardly anyone will cut major cheques for his in any other capacity.
He has a lot of eccentric features which make him easily intolerable in other industries- Burna Boy is wired for this life and he is clearly living it to the fullest.
The growth in the industry is such that no one really knows who the next big thing could be – Nigerian music is global right now and it’ll be criminal for anyone to throw in the towel at a stage as this. But hey, this is all there really is to it – which is the fact of getting media reaction basically. Nothing more, because it’s ready to see through Burna Boy’s tweets and the naked truth is staring us in the face.
English music star, Lily Allen also weighed in on the conversation upon seeing the tweets, but of course the dancehall star’s response reiterates our train of thought here once again. He is clearly getting help from a great team of social media strategists and if they help him polish his image some more, rid it of controversies here and there, then we probably have another Legend-in-the-making as per dancehall music.
Spotify yesterday revealed a significant surge in heartbreak song streams in Nigeria during the Valentine’s Day season, with a 626 percent increase between 2022 and 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos, Nigeria by Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu.
Okumu said, “Spotify data reveals a surprising trend, a massive surge in heartbreak song streams.
“Nigerians are turning to their playlists to express their emotions, with a staggering 626 per cent overall growth in heartbreak streams from 2022 to 2024.
“This Valentine, the sound of love is accompanied by the sound of heartbreak, and the data shows it’s louder than ever before.”
She said on Valentine’s Day, most surprisingly, male listeners streamed heartbreak songs at a significantly higher rate than female listeners, with a 362 per cent increase compared to 169 per cent among women.
“This could suggest that men resonate with the feeling of heartbreak more and turn to music as a private outlet for processing emotions.
“Whatever the reason, one thing is clear, when love is in the air, so is heartbreak and Nigerian men are pressing play on their pain more than expected.
“While Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with grand gestures, heartbreak is a common theme on Valentine’s Day -more than what’s publicly shown,” she said.
Nigerians will join their counterparts across the world to mark the 2025 Valentine’s today.
Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has joined MLS side San Diego FC’s ownership group as a club partner.
SDFC announced today that Tems joined the ownership group through her company, The Leading Vibe.
In the process, Tems became the first African woman to be involved in MLS ownership.
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner,” SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour said in a statement.
“Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which, of course, has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organisation.”
Reacting to her addition as the latest partner in SDFC’s ownership group, the singer said: “I am thrilled to join San Diego FC’s ownership group and to be part of a club that celebrates creativity, culture, and the power of community.
“Football has a unique way of bringing people together, and I am excited to help build something special in San Diego, a city that thrives on diversity and innovation.”
Fashion and beauty entrepreneur, Toyin Lawani, has claimed she is enduring back pain and that her spine is degenerating.
Lawani revealed this in a video posted on social media last Tuesday.
In the clip, she opened up about her experience with epidural anesthesia, an injection administered to pregnant women in the spine to reduce pain during childbirth.
The mother of three claimed that since receiving the injection, she has not felt like herself.
She accused doctors of not fully informing women about the long-term side effects of epidurals.
According to Lawani, she received the anesthetic injection during the birth of her last two children.
She said, “When you hear ‘epidural,’ run. Doctors tell you about the side effects but do not tell you about the long-term effects on your body. I have about three friends having the same issues that I am having.
“Like, I am just 42, how did I end up with spine issues? I have a degenerating spine. I have implants in my spine. I go paralyzed. I can’t stand for a long time. I can’t even breathe properly sometimes because it affected so many things in my body when I had the surgery.
“They will not tell you because you just want the pain to go away. I have had two epidurals. I had my first as natural birth. The last two were epidural. The last one I had epidural because I had to undergo a surgery and I had no choice.
“See, the pain does not stop. My back is killing me and my spine is degenerating.”