Nigerian music stars Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, and Davido are set to compete for Artiste of the Year at the 11th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).
Burna Boy, Davido, and Shallipopi dominated the list of the 2025 AFRIMA nominations across Africa.
Davido and Burna Boy bagged five nominations each while Shallipopi got four, including Artiste of the Year and Song of the Year.
Rema secured three nominations including Artiste of the Year.
Ayra Starr who was nominated in two categories is also in the Artiste of the Year contest with other big stars, Burna Boy, Davido, and El Grande Toto.
Global public voting commences from September 10.
This year’s AFRIMA awards ceremony will be hosted in Nigeria between November 25 to 30, 2025.
Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage has stirred debate in the industry by challenging the long-held “Big 3” narrative that spotlights only Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy.
According to Savage’s recent interview, she said it’s unfair to omit Tems from such discussions, given her impressive achievements, including a Grammy Award and a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Tems has collaborated with major international artists and has been a driving force in Afrobeats’ global popularity
“I also feel like it’s unfair to have that conversation about the Big 3 and not mention someone like Tems,” Tiwa said, calmly making her point while seated in a black leather jacket during the chat.
Chidozie Godsfavour Ugochinyere, the Nigerian songwriter and music artist, who is popularly known as Fave, has shared details about her collaboration with Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, aka Davido, on the hit song “Kante.”
In an interview on The Nancy Isime Show, Fave recalled how Davido personally reached out to her on Instagram after she had recorded the song months earlier.
“Well, I had already recorded this song before, like months before. Davido hit me up on Instagram and was like, I’m wrapping up my album and I would love you to be on it.
“And I don’t want it to be one of those songs where it’s like, even though it’s Davido featuring Fave, I still want it to feel like our song,” she said.
According to her, Davido chose Kante after she sent him about three songs to pick from
“So I sent him three songs and he picked Kante,” she added.
Fave also highlighted her love for writing and the discouragement she had from her parents from pursuing music to prevent lapses in education.
“And as a child growing up in an African home, I get it. I guess it’s true when you have like strict parents. We have very, very strict. Mommy, I’m sorry. My dad is very, very strict.
“So that’s why they kind of didn’t really let me, you know, like, should I say enhance my writing and singing abilities because they felt like, you know, this would distract you in school.
“But regardless, on my own, it’s something that I love to do. So I was always writing, like I would always have books upon books of poems or songs. So being an artist now, to me, I have to write deep. It’s just a part of me,”she said.
She noted, however, that Kante was one of the few songs she didn’t write too deeply because it was more of a danceable vibe.
“I think Kante is probably one of the songs that I wasn’t trying to be deep on. Because I just felt like ‘Na gbedu’, you don’t really need to put too much lyrics in it.” she added.
Prominent Afrobeats singer, Davido celebrates as his father, Dr Deji Adeleke, purchases a third private jet.
This comes one year after he purchased a new private jet in April which was reported to be worth $75 million.
The singer, who recently had his luxurious wedding in Miami, showed off the compact jet.
He congratulated his father on the new jet, remarking on his father’s wealth.
Davido captioned …
“Congrats Daddy! Number 3! You dey worry! Congrats to the dynasty.”
@_egungunn said: “Davido is richer than all the new and old cats put together 💯
He is spending music money and NOT family money yet.
Real definition of Generation wealth”
@47onchain wrote: “You Dey use your papa money dey flex, no go make your own dey do gumbody”
@_Nsznn wrote: “3rd private jet 😂.
Do you people even know the cost of maintaining one private jet ??”
@realestos wrote: “to troll you don tire me, na wetin i go chop i dey find like this.
just dey do your thing dey go, it’s all love from here ❤️”
@anna_chichii said: “people will finally rest, we now have our own private jet”
Check out post below …
Nigerian investigative journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, has made fresh allegations against Afrobeats star Davido and Iyabo Ojo involving their ties to the late Mohbad and Naira Marley.
She alleged that their absence was linked to sensitive controversies surrounding both entertainers.
According to Olunloyo, Iyabo Ojo deliberately stayed away from the burial because the late singer Mohbad was billed to perform. She alleged that Mohbad had discovered that Ojo was allegedly sending his wife, Omowunmi, for hook-ups.
On Davido’s part, the journalist claimed the singer skipped the event because of his dealings with Zinoleesky, one of Marlian Music’s leading acts. She alleged that Davido had sent his aide, Dre DMW, in 2022 to woo Zinoleesky into joining his label, DMW, to weaken Marlian Music, which was enjoying immense success at the time.
Olunloyo further alleged that this move strained Davido’s relationship with Marlian boss Naira Marley, who, according to her, shaded the singer in several tweets throughout 2024.
“The 2 major celebrities that did not attend Tiwa Savãge’s father’s burial were Davido and Iyabo Ojo. Iyabo avoided due to Mohbad performing. He just found out Iyabo was sending his wife on hookups. Davido, for obvious reasons, sent Dre DMW to Zinoleesky in 2022 to get Zino into DMW. Davido wanted to collapse Marlian Music due to their endless success. This is why NM shaded David in tweets throughout 2024. They do not speak,” she wrote.
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