Entertainment
Boomplay Moves To Boost Global Music
Africa’s boomplay announces licensing deal with Warner Music Boom play, the largest music streaming and down load service in Africa was signed a direct licensing agreement with Warner Music to bring the record company’s diverse global roaster of music to the region.
The terms of the partnership allow booms play to distribute Warner Music’s extensive catalogue of more than one million songs to its community, of listeners in ten countries, Cameroon, Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria”, Rwanda, Senegal Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
The deal will provide Warner’s artistes with direct mess and exposure to boom play’s millions of users in the region while bringing Boomsplay one step closer to its goal of bringing all music from around the world to Africa.
Joe the CEO of the boomsplayer says ‘major deals with internationally recognized partners such as Warner Music continue to push us closer to our aim of building the largest and most reliable online music distribution platform in Africa. We want every music lover in the region to be able to access any song or video anytime and wherever they are we are looking forward to a successful partnership and business continuation with WMG in what are truly exciting times for the Africa music industry.
On the deal, Dele Kadiri, Boomplay’s General Manager in Nigeria says: “I am totally excited about our licencing deal with Warner Music group. This partnership brings about a huge increase to our catalogue thereby making a variety of music available to millions of Nigerians’.
Alfonso Perez Soto, EVP Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Warner Music adds were happy to partner with Boom-play to bring our amazing artistes music to millions listeners across Africa. The streaming service already has tremendous reach across the continent yet they continue to expand exponential. It is an opportunity that can’t be missed for our artistes to make a whole news legion of fans”.
Perez Soto continued. “I’d like to thank Warner Musicia Charlie Whyte, Mark Latila and Reni Adalevoh for their unstinting support in helping pull this deal together and get it over the line. In the past year Boomsplay has been on the crest of wave, announcing land mark deals with global major labels. Acquiring million of new users monthly and releasing an 10s version in December 2018.
With major labels moving on board, Boomplay is now in strong position to further improve its service offering and defend its leading position in Africa boomplay which has more than 42 million users as February 2019 boasts an expansive catalogue consisting of fire million songs and thousands of videos from local and international acts.
Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes becomes Nollywood’s highest-grossing film of 2025, earning ?1.77bn in under four weeks.
Multi-award-winning actress and producer Funke Akindele has done it again, and this time, the numbers speak louder than applause.
Her latest film, Behind The Scenes, has officially emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2025, pulling in an astonishing ?1.767 billion in less than four weeks.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Funke Akindele Makes Box Office History as Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn
Earlier in its release cycle, the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, revealed that Behind The Scenes smashed five opening-weekend records, including the highest single-day gross ever recorded on Boxing Day, with ?129.5 million in one day. That announcement already hinted that something unusual was unfolding.
Reacting to the milestone, FilmOne described the moment as both surreal and communal, crediting audience loyalty for pushing the film to the top spot once again as the number-one movie of the weekend. And that sentiment feels accurate. This wasn’t just ticket sales; it was momentum.
What makes this achievement even more striking is that Behind The Scenes is Funke Akindele’s third film to cross the ?1 billion mark. Before now, there was A Tribe Called Judah, and then Everybody Loves Jenifa, a film that didn’t just open big, but went on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. At this point, it’s no longer a fluke. It’s a pattern.
Part of Behind The Scenes’ success lies in strategy. The film enjoyed advanced screenings on December 10 and 11, quietly building curiosity and conversation before its nationwide release on December 12. By the time it officially hit cinemas, audiences already felt like they needed to see it.
Then there’s the cast. The film brings together a lineup that feels deliberately stacked: Scarlet Gomez, Iyabo Ojo, Destiny Etiko, Tobi Bakre, Uche Montana, and several others. Familiar faces, strong fan bases, and performances that kept word-of-mouth alive long after opening weekend.
Still, beyond timing and casting, there’s something else at work here. Funke Akindele understands Nigerian audiences. Their humour, their pacing, their emotional buttons. She doesn’t guess, she calculates, experiments, listens, and refines. That understanding has slowly turned into box-office dominance.
Behind The Scenes crossing ?1.77 billion isn’t just another headline; it’s confirmation. Funke Akindele has moved from being a successful actress to becoming one of the most reliable commercial forces Nollywood has ever produced. Three-billion-naira films don’t happen by luck. They happen when storytelling, business sense, and audience trust align.
And right now, that alignment seems firmly in her hands.
Popular Nigerian music stars, Adekunle Kosoko, widely known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simi, have become parents again this time to twins.
The award-winning singer shared the joyful update on his Snapchat story on Wednesday, confirming the expansion of their family.
“Asked God for another child and he blessed me double,” she wrote.
While the couple has not yet disclosed the gender of the newborns, the announcement has sparked an outpouring of warm wishes from admirers, fellow celebrities, and industry colleagues.
Speculation had intensified in December when Simi posted a video on Instagram accompanied by the caption, “From my baby, for my babies.”
The clip showed her with a growing baby bump, fueling anticipation that another child was on the way.
Their latest blessings arrive just weeks after Simi highlighted a scene from Adekunle Gold’s newly released music video, “My Love is the Same,” further stirring excitement among fans.
The Tide Entertainment reports that Adekunle Gold and Simi who tied the knot in 2019 after a long history of friendship and musical synergy remain one of Nigeria’s most admired entertainment power couples. Both artistes were once signed to X3M Music before soaring into mainstream acclaim.
The pair welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.
After closing out 2025 with the release of “Praise the Lord” featuring Magnito, Jesse Flames enters the new year with renewed clarity and purpose, continuing to build a body of work rooted in intention rather than noise. In a moment where Afrobeats is moving faster and louder than ever, his approach remains measured and deliberate, prioritizing meaning, craft, and longevity over momentary attention. The official music video arrives January 10.
Following the momentum of his breakout single “FLEX,” “Praise the Lord” represents a shift from celebration to grounding. Reflective and soulful, the record centers gratitude, growth, and perspective, capturing a quieter confidence that resonates beyond a single moment.
“This song is about recognizing the full picture,” Jesse shares. “The work people see and the work they don’t. The lessons, the setbacks, the growth.”
The collaboration with Magnito, a respected voice in Nigerian hip hop known for his sharp lyricism and cultural authenticity, adds depth and weight to the record, reinforcing its themes of resilience, faith, and self reflection.
Released in December at the height of Detty December, “Praise the Lord” became a natural soundtrack for both celebration and reflection as the year came to a close. With the video arriving in January, the record takes on new meaning, opening the year as a tone setter rather than a reset.
Born in the United States, raised in Festac, Lagos, and now based in London, Jesse Flames brings a global perspective to his sound, blending Afrobeats, hip hop, and melodic soul into something sleek and intentional. His music reflects lived experience and cultural nuance rather than trend chasing.
The Tide Entertainment reports that with over 11 million streams, performances at O2 Brixton Academy and OVO Arena Wembley, and coverage from The Guardian and Business Post Nigeria, Jesse’s rise has been steady and self made. Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, he is preparing for collaborations with Ice Prince, M.I Abaga, and Smurlee.
“Praise the Lord” ft. Magnito is available now on all streaming platforms.
-
News4 days ago2026 Budget: FG Allocates N12.78bn For Census, NPC Vehicles
-
Sports3 days agoAFCON: Osimhen, Lookman Threaten Algeria’s Record
-
Politics3 days agoWike’s LGAs Tour Violates Electoral Laws — Sara-Igbe
-
Politics3 days agoRivers Political Crisis: PANDEF Urges Restraint, Mutual Forbearance
-
Sports4 days agoNPFL To Settle Feud between Remo Stars, Ikorodu City
-
Sports3 days agoPalace ready To Sell Guehi For Right Price
-
Sports3 days agoArsenal must win trophies to leave legacy – Arteta
-
Sports3 days agoTottenham Captain Criticises Club’s Hierarchy