Wizkid - The African Mirror

Feb

2024

South Africa’s Tyla makes history as youngest female artist to win a Grammy

South African artists, including Black Coffee, Sho Madjozi, and Nasty C, celebrated Tyla's victory, highlighting the collaborative and supportive spirit within the African music community. IN a groundbreaking moment for South African music, Tyla, at the tender age of 22, has etched her name in history as the youngest female artist in 55 years to clinch a Grammy Award in the category of "Best African Music Performance." Her winning track, "Water," catapulted her to the forefront of global recognition, surpassing established icons such as Nigerian sensation Burna Boy. Tyla, whose meteoric rise has captivated music enthusiasts worldwide, has become a…

Feb

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria elections: the surprising influence of Afrobeats music on politics

LIFESTYLE, ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

IN the run-up to Nigeria’s February 2023 elections, the country’s younger generation has mobilised to demand change and redefine the political landscape – and music has been pivotal. Despite being dismissed by several political commentators, Nigeria’s younger generations have shifted the former two-party liberal electoral democratic competition between the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the prominent People’s Democratic Party (PDP). This is due to their overwhelming support for Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi. Author EKA IKPE, Reader, Development Economics in Africa and Director, African Leadership Centre, King's College London The use of music in campaigning for these elections shows…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

2022 Grammys: what Fela Kuti has to do with West Africa’s growing pop fame

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THERE are a record number of African nominees for the 2022 Grammy Awards and they are almost all from West Africa – Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Rocky Duwani (Ghana), Femi Kuti, Made Kuti, Wizkid, Burna Boy and Tems (Nigeria). Most of these artists are also proponents of Afrobeat(Femi and Made Kuti, following the musical and political form defined by Fela Kuti) or new breed Afrobeats (Wizkid, Burna Boy and Tems). Kidjo, too, has admitted to being influenced by Fela. Author SANYA OSHA, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Humanities in Africa, University of Cape Town As with Afrobeat, Afrobeats is music characterised…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

Who is Nigerian music star Wizkid – and why is he taking over the world?

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE global appreciation of West Africa’s Afrobeats music has grown significantly in the last decade. Afrobeats stars are touring the world, racking up record sales, winning awards and collaborating with big-name international artists. In fact, seven of the nine African artists nominated for a 2022 Grammy Award – one of the world’s most sought after music awards – are West African. Most of these make music driven by Afrobeats sounds. Author SAMSON UCHENNA EZE, Lecturer, University of Nigeria Afrobeats is a broad, generic term for African contemporary popular music with rhythmic and harmonic influences of West Africa’s highlife and Afrobeat…

Aug

2021

By The African Mirror

Afrobeat and a growing sense of unity

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SETH ONYANGO, BIRD NEWSROOM WITH the rise of Afrobeat and Amapiano, African pop stars are penetrating the global music scene and changing how the continent’s music is perceived and consumed. Significantly, they are also bringing a sense of unity to the continent. Africa’s rich terrain of musical styles is laden with fascinating genres such as Taarab, Genge, Ndombolo, Rhumba, Bongo, Benga, Kwaito, Amapiano, and Afrobeat. Over the past decade or so, the continent’s music landscape has changed dramatically, with new fusions blended into existing genres to create a magical and unique cocktail. As the music changes so do dance routines,…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Tems, Wizkid and more nominated for BET Awards

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO NIGERIAN starlet Tems has bagged her first British Entertainment Television (BET) Award nomination. The singer, real name Temilade Openiyi, has been nominated alongside six other artists for BET”s Best New International Act: Viewers Choice, which is usually awarded during the pre-show airing of the BET Awards. Previous winners of this award include South Africa’s Sho Madjozi, Zimbabwe’s Shasha and Wizkid, who has had the most wins in the Best International Act category as an African artist. Tems rose to the top of the music charts with her debut EP, For Broken Ears, but is popularly known for her…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Why Grammy win marks ‘big moment’ for African music

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ALEXIS AKWAGYIRAM and ANGELA UKOMADU MODERN African music is altering perceptions of the continent as part of a global cultural shift that marks a "big moment", Nigerian music artist Burna Boy told Reuters after hailing his first Grammy award. Burna Boy was awarded a Grammy for the Best Global Music Album this month for 'Twice As Tall' which was released last year. He is part of a generation of Nigerian music artists, which include Wizkid and Davido, that has enjoyed global success in recent years as proponents of the Afrobeats sound. The African genre is now almost as likely to…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Burna Boy and Wizkid scoop Grammy Awards

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

NIGERIAN superstar Burna has won his first career Grammay Award at a ceremony marked by historic feet by women and the Blue Ivy, the youngest winner at 9. Burna Boy won the Grammy Award for the Best Global Music Album for his album Twice as Tall. In an acceptance speech given in English and Yoruba, Burna Boy described the achievement as a big win for his generation of Africans all over the world. “Africa is in the house. This is a big win for my generation of Africans all over the world. And this should be a lesson to every…

Nov

2020

By The African Mirror

Burna Boy and Wizkid receive nominations for 2021 Grammy Awards

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MPHO RANTAO NIGERIA is leading the ranks for Africa with two major nominations in the Grammy Awards, with Burna Boy receiving a nomination for a second year in a row for his album ‘Twice As Tall’. Announced by The Recording Academy, Burna Boy is up against artists Antibalas, Bebel Gilberto, Anoushka Shankar and Tuareg desert rock group Tinariwen in the Best Global Music Album category. The Grammy nominee lost out to Benin singer Angelique Kidjo in the 2019 Grammy Awards, where he was nominated in the same category for his album. The other Nigerian nominee is Wizkid, who received his…