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Queen Sono Kicks Off Netflix’s Big Bet On Africa

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Within its first week of release, Queen Sono, Netflix’s first fully produced African original series shot to number one in viewership in several African and Caribbean countries and at a point in its first week, it was ranked 7th on Netflix in the United States of America according to a tweet by the show’s Star, Pearl Thusi.
Netflix itself as par usual declined to share details in the show’s viewership, but there are plenty of clear signs it is putting the building block in place to have a real run that could change the shape of Africa’s entertainment industry.
Queen Sono was led by South African writer-director, Kagiso lediga, and features an African cast and crew. It tells the story of a troubled spy (Queen Sono played by Thusi) who is haunted by association of her mother, a famous Hutti apartheid campaigner.
This is African telling African stories and using the power to decide how we tell the stories. The six episode series, Netflix’s first script to screen African produced series form part of a much larger strategy to have an African audience on the continent, attract international audiences and connect with an increasing influential African diaspora audience in markets across the US, Europe and beyond.
Last year, Lion Heart featuring Nigerian Nolloywood Star, Genevieve Nnaji was Netflix’s first original film in Africa even through the media giant had been buying content across the continent. Infact one of its buys was a South African products called ‘catching feelings’ directed by Kadiso Ledis and also staring Thusi withNetflix looking to expand in Africa.
Queen Sono’s early signs of success are a strong indication of a growing global appetite for stories set and filmed in the continent, directed and starring local African talent. Africans tapping into Netflix’s N15 billion original production and licensing budget would have a huge impact on a sector that while rich in talent does not have access to the type of funding that enables film makers to easily produce contact with the look and feel of international high quality production.
Queen Sono was shot in 37 different locations across Johanesburg including, the CBO, park station and Soweto. Additional filming was also done in Nairobi, Lagos, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Such production costs exceed the budgets of most film production companies and the continent.

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Why Fans No Longer Faint For Musicians – Paul Okoye

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Nigerian singer and half of the defunct P-Square duo, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy, has claimed that social media has reduced the prestige and value fans attached to musicians due to the mystique that artistes had before the era of social media.
Speaking in a recent interview with Lun Lifestyle TV, Rudeboy argued that social media, despite all its benefits, has shattered the illusion of artistes being mysterious and godlike.
This he said has reduced the buzz artistes previously enjoyed whenever their fans got the opportunity to see them whether physically or visually.
The ‘Reason With Me’ crooner explained that because artistes are no longer mysterious, fans are no longer eager to watch them in music videos.
He claimed that shooting music videos is now a waste of money.
Rudeboy said, “Music videos somehow now, because of this generation, is a waste of money. I am sorry to say this. But do you remember us [P-Square] before? You don’t see us anywhere. You just watch music videos, you see us and that’s it, or we come to your country, you see us.
“The reason you don’t see people faint for artistes anymore is because they see them on TikTok every day dancing and promoting your music. If Michael Jackson was alive now and doing promotional content on social media, nobody would see him and faint.
“Unfortunately, it’s too late for us to bring back the era of artistes being mystiques. How can you advise an artiste to post every day? How? Post what? You don’t need to.
“Social media brought positive change to the industry but it also led to ‘see-finish.’ Artistes are now too exposed. Fans see how they eat, cry. Before when artistes go to club, they stay in restricted VIP areas, but now when they are clubbing, everyone is filming.”

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Davido’s Aide Offers Cash Reward For Missing Phone At Zlatan’s Wedding

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Afrobeats superstar, Davido’s aide, Damilare Aladegbola, popularly known as Dre, has offered a cash reward to whoever returns his phone, which he claims went missing during rapper Zlatan Ibile’s wedding ceremony.
Dre made the appeal in a post on his Instagram page on Monday, pleading with the person who allegedly took the device to return it in exchange for money.
“If na u carry my phone for Zlatan wedding, abeg return am, I go give you money please,” he wrote.
The aide also expressed frustration over what he suggested was a method being used to take phones at social gatherings.
He said he would no longer tolerate waiters asking whether guests had finished eating so they could clear their plates, alleging that the practice could provide an opportunity for phones left on tables to be taken.
“From now on, if I go any party or dey any party and any stupid waitress tell me say are you done eating so I can pack your plate, na swear I go swear for you cause na pattern wey una dey use pack phone for table be that now,” he added.
However, Dre did not identify anyone suspected of taking his phone or provide further details about how the device went missing.
Zlatan Ibile tied the knot with his longtime partner, Davita Lamai, during a traditional wedding ceremony on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
The ceremony, held in Lagos, attracted several celebrities, fans and well-wishers, with Davido among the prominent guests and leading the groomsmen.

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I Ran Away From Nigeria, Never Wanted To Come Back-Chidinma

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Popular singer, Chidinma Ekile has revealed that before transitioning from secular music to the gospel genre, she “ran away” from Nigeria.
Speaking at a recent Eezee Conceptz event, Chidinma explained that she travelled abroad and wanted to secure permanent residency because she didn’t want to return to Nigeria, but failed.
She revealed that while she was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only person calling her from Nigeria, so she decided to work with him upon her return.
“I travelled. I ran away from Nigeria. I was processing my papers not to come back to Nigeria, but for some reason, it didn’t work.
“While I was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only one who was calling me from Nigeria. He kept encouraging me, and I found the strength to come back to Nigeria. When I came back, I asked him to give me a gospel music contract because I want to spend time with God. And he gave me a contract that even my lawyer said seemed like a charity,” Chidinma stated.
The music star added that she did not transition into gospel music because she wanted to make gospel, but because she wanted a serious relationship with God.

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