Entertainment
A review Of Tiwa Savage’s Water & Garri EP
Nigerian multiple award-winning artist Tiwa Savage returns with a brand new extended play “Water & Garri. This comes less than a year after the release of her critically acclaimed third studio album “Celia”.
Water & Garri, a five-track body of work features Grammy Awards winner and veteran rapper, Nas, singer Brandy, the Nigerian underground artist Rich King and Alte singer and soul music stunner, Tay Iwar.
Since her return to Nigeria in 2012, Tiwa Savage has raised the bar for female artists. She embodied the almost frowned on sex symbol attribute in the music industry, her music is filled with flirting words and expressions. No wonder when she called herself African bad gyal, no one disputed the assertion.
Garri is a staple food among Nigerians, water is used to take or make Garri. The title as used in this context refers to her mashed style and global collaboration. She sticks to her heartfelt style in the course of making this album.
Tiwa Savage infused Rnb/Soul with Afro-fusion. The end product is a 19 minutes run of music with themes detailing heartbreak, love, hard work, perseverance, etc.
Nas and Rich King were on the opening track “Work Fada”, the pensive and reflective song preaches hard work and perseverance with Nas almost going preachy in his thought-provoking verse.
The six minutes long track is the perfect opener to the avarde garde album, who opens an EP with this type of lengthy play? Only Tiwa Savage could do such, the theme is distinct and it’s a well-calculated risk.
In 2016, Tiwa Savage’s marriage with talent manager Teebliz hit the rock. Five years later, she seems set to speak her truth. She reveals a little on the Interlude on her last album—Celia. On Water & Garri, Tiwa Savage dedicates two tracks to that ugly incident.
Ade Ori is a soft-light take on past relationships/marriage. She is now independent while she is hopeful about future handling. The lyrics drip with pain and regretful lines.
Tale by Moonlight was a popular weekly storied program on national television. Tiwa Savage details her fairy tale love expectations on this soulful 90s house music. Even though she flirts and gushing about the guy, she is cautious. Amaarae’s whispery vocals compliment Tiwa Savage’s flirt takes.
Seven years ago, American artist Brandy visited Nigeria. At a press conference before her performance at Classic FM Valentine show, she revealed she loved Tiwa Savage’s vocals, she liked it to a 14-year-old. Unknown to her, Tiwa Savage considered the Grammy Winner her role model and one of the reasons she is into music.
When they finally collaborate on “Somebody’s Son”, it is a perfect blend of two songstresses.
They complement one another, Brandy even sings in Yoruba. This track is one of the up-tempo songs on the EP. Its production is filled with Drums and mellow strings. Somebody’s son retains the themes of Ade Ori: it pleads for reciprocal love.
Tay Iwar and Tiwa Savage jointly closed the EP with a rollercoaster of deep expressive expressions. The horn-filled disco makes it sounds like a potential track for a Friday night out.
Veteran producer Pharell Williams called this project a classic but the fans failed to realize his caveat of it not becoming commercially viable. Tiwa Savage is unbothered if her recent promotional talks are anything to go by.
Water & Garri explores Tiwa Savage Rnb/Soul forte with an infusion of Afro-fusion, the EP is a dart between hope and despair. The production is pristine, however, the songwriting is underwhelming.
The featured artists almost overshadowed her. Although it’s obvious that this project is destined for the international market, the collaborations could have been lesser.
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.
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