Entertainment

Gospel Artiste Storms PH With New Album

Published

8 years ago

July 13, 2018

Gospel music lovers in Rivers State and beyond are in for another amazing and soul- inspiring moment as award winning sensational gospel-Afro pop artiste, Engr. Progress Ugo Ekwe popularly known as ‘K-Mite’ is now set to storm Port Harcourt market with his third album titled “God Understands” which is expected to provide healing and salvation to the people.
The Rivers State University graduate of Civil Engineering-turned gospel artiste in a recent interview with The Tide Entertainment disclosed that the new album was his third effort since he embraced music in 2005. His first album was released in 2011 titled “Son of the Highest,” an 8 track album released in Salvation Ministries, Okija, Port Harcourt. He produced his second album in 2014 titled “Money Dey Stop Nonsense”. He said all the songs are soul winning and commercial success.
K-Mite stated that he embraced music in order to harness his childhood talent. According to him, music had been his first love and way back in the days he started his music career by converting circular songs into gospel music until he later discovered he could write and produce his own songs.
“I decided to dump circular music for gospel songs because I discovered that circular music promotes worldly things while gospel music preaches God’s love and salvation”, he said.
Apart from his gospel music, the Ogbakiri, Rivers State born entertainer also handles a religious programme titled “Gospel on The Street”, targeted towards reaching out to souls on the street and bringing them closer to God through the platform. It is a monthly programme hosted at different locations in Port Harcourt in collaboration with Salvation Ministries Corpers Fellowship (SMCF), Port Harcourt.
The multiple award winning uprising star parades several awards including: Runner up, Silverbird Street Skillz, 2010, Best performing Artiste of the Year, Kisi Entertainment Port Harcourt 2016 and Best New Song of the year, Trans Amadi Fan Zone (TAFZ) among others.
He boasted that his greatest challenge in his music career is to beat his previous achievements in the industry, while he draws his inspiration from sensational gospel singer Bamidele whom he described as his role model.
The indigenous artiste appealed to the Rivers State Government to invest more in the entertainment industry in the state and to create an enabling environment that would enthrone a more vibrant and harmonious industry in the state and to establish an intervention fund for indigenous entertainers to enable them compete favourably with their counterparts in other states.
Engr Ekwe noted that the fund would not only galvanise the practitioners into more positive ventures that would transform the industry by ensuring high standards but as well take care of the welfare of the artistes.
He urged multinational companies operating in the state to partner with government in carrying along the indigenous entertainers as the gesture would give them a sense of belonging instead of relegating them to the background in preference to artistes from other parts of the country.
He challenged the young upcoming artistes to look inward and discover themselves, they should not be intimidated by the sounds from Lagos artistes, but to believe in themselves and look up to God, “ until you blow your flute, nobody blows trumpet for you”, he said.

Entertainment

Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes Crosses ?1.77bn

Published

2 weeks ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

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.

Entertainment

Adekunle Gold, Simi Welcome Twin Babies

Published

2 weeks ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

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.

Entertainment

Jesse Flames Opens 2026 With ‘Praise The Lord’ Featuring Magnito

Published

2 weeks ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

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.