Category: Entertainment

Africa’s biggest night in film and television is officially underway.

The 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has opened submissions, inviting filmmakers and TV creators across the continent to submit eligible projects released in 2025. If your work made waves on cinema screens, television, or streaming platforms last year, this is your moment to step forward.

From breakout performances to technical brilliance and bold storytelling, the AMVCA remains the most influential platform celebrating African screen excellence  and the race for 2026 has begun.

Submission Timeline

• Entries Open: 11 January 2026
• Entries Close: 15 February 2026
• Eligibility Period: Projects must have been publicly screened or broadcast between 1 January and 31 December 2025
• Official Portal: www.africamagic.tv/amvca

Now in its 12th edition, the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards has grown beyond an awards show into a cultural institution. Powered by Africa Magic and MultiChoice, the AMVCA has helped shape careers, spotlight emerging talent, and push African film and television into global conversations.

This year’s edition continues its commitment to inclusivity, with expanded Indigenous Language categories that now fully accommodate works from North and Central Africa, reinforcing the AMVCA’s pan-African vision.

Eligible entries include:

• Feature films
• Television series
• Made-for-TV movies
• Select documentary projects

After submissions close on 15 February 2026, entries will be reviewed by the AMVCA jury panel, followed by public voting in selected categories. Nominees will be announced ahead of the highly anticipated 2026 AMVCA ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, where Africa’s finest screen talents will take centre stage.

Submission link: www.africamagic.tv/amvca

Asake is officially a streaming powerhouse. His 2022 album, Mr. Money With The Vibe, has now crossed 800 million streams on Spotify, making it the 9th most streamed Nigerian project of all time and remarkably, this is Asake’s first entry into the all-time top 10.

The album’s infectious blend of Afrobeat, street-pop, and Amapiano-inspired sounds has kept fans hooked since its release. Standout tracks like “Omo Ope,” “Peace Be Unto You (PBUY),” and “Terminator” have dominated playlists, TikTok trends, and social media buzz, driving the album to this historic milestone.

This achievement places Asake alongside Nigeria’s streaming elite, joining artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, and Olamide. Beyond numbers, it’s a testament to his ability to craft hits that resonate both locally and globally, proving that contemporary Nigerian music continues to thrive on the world stage.

With this milestone, Asake demonstrates that originality, consistency, and fan connection remain the ultimate formula for success in today’s streaming era.

Nigerian Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has sparked fresh controversy on social media after he publicly admonished fans of global pop star Wizkid, particularly members of Wizkid FC for comparing the award‑winning artist to his late father, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

According to reports and the widely shared video circulating online, Seun delivered a pointed message in his video addressing what he described as an inaccurate and disrespectful narrative about Wizkid or any other artist being the “new Fela.” 

“Wizkid FC needs to keep Fela’s name out of their mouth. You people try to steal the man’s image. You try to claim your fake artiste is the new Fela. It’s an insult to Fela to call Wizkid the new Fela. Wizkid FC are the most ignorant fanbase in the world.”

In recent weeks, debates have flared online around whether modern Nigerian stars like Wizkid should be celebrated in the same vein as Fela. Some fans and social media users beyond just Wizkid FC have jokingly or seriously heralded Wizkid’s success as being “on par” with Fela’s cultural legacy. 

Seun’s message appears to draw a clear boundary between the politically charged Afrobeat legacy of his father and the commercial, global pop success of today’s Afrobeats artists particularly those who lean into mainstream sound and international collaborations. In calling out comparisons to Fela, Seun reiterated that Fela’s legacy was rooted in socio‑political resistance and cultural revolution, which he implies cannot be easily equated with modern pop stardom. 

Seun Kuti, who has long positioned himself as a guardian of Afrobeat’s original spirit, has spoken publicly on similar themes in the past, including debates about Grammy nominations and how modern artists are compared to legacy figures.

 Fan Reactions

The response online has been mixed and often heated:

• Some social media users support Seun, praising him for defending Fela’s legacy and rejecting comparisons that feel shallow or forced. 

• Other fans argue that celebrating Wizkid’s achievements doesn’t diminish Fela’s impact, and that music can evolve without erasing history. 

Whether fans agree with Seun or not, the viral video has reignited a significant cultural debate. It isn’t simply about fandom, it’s about how legends are remembered, how new talent is honored, and how different eras of music influence each other without losing their identity.

Fela’s legacy remains monumental.  A revolutionary sound rooted in resistance. Wizkid’s success represents global Afrobeats reaching new audiences.

What are your thoughts?

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Lana Del Rey has just crossed a major streaming milestone: her song “Born To Die” has officially surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. This achievement cements the track’s place in the Spotify Billions Club.

But this isn’t just a standalone moment for her, it’s part of a bigger story about Del Rey’s enduring influence. Let’s break it down.

Del Rey’s cinematic title track from her breakthrough album Born To Die, released in 2012  has now hit 1 billion streams on Spotify. While it wasn’t an instant global radio smash, the song has grown steadily in popularity over more than a decade. 

This puts it in elite company with songs like Summertime Sadness and Video Games, meaning that Born To Die now joins her list of multi-billion-streaming tracks. 

Lana’s Spotify Legacy So Far

This milestone brings the number of Lana Del Rey songs with over 1 billion Spotify streams to at least eight. The confirmed tracks include:

• Summertime Sadness (over 2 billion)
• Video Games
• West Coast
• Young and Beautiful
• Stargirl Interlude (with The Weeknd)
• Other major catalogue favourites
• Born To Die (now confirmed) 

Hitting 1 billion streams on a single song is a rare feat  and having multiple songs reach that mark puts an artist in a very elite category. 

This milestone also contributes to Born To Die becoming one of the longest-charting albums by a female artist in recent history. 

Twenty-plus years into her career, Born To Die stands as a defining track for Lana Del Rey.

In the broader music world, hits continuing to climb streaming milestones years after release isn’t unusual  but it is significant. Only a select group of artists have multiple tracks with 1 billion+ Spotify streams.

James Gunn’s Superman has officially entered the 2026 Academy Awards conversation.

According to a newly released list published by Variety, Superman is among 201 films that are eligible for nomination in the Best Picture category at the 98th Academy Awards. While eligibility does not guarantee a nomination, the film’s inclusion confirms that it has met all of the Academy’s strict Best Picture qualification requirements for the 2025 awards year.

The Academy’s Best Picture eligibility rules go beyond a standard Oscar qualification. For Superman to appear on this list, it had to satisfy multiple layers of criteria, not just its release date.

1. Release Within the 2025 Awards Year

Superman was released in July 2025, placing it firmly within the Academy’s eligibility window of January 1 to December 31, 2025.

2. Required Theatrical Qualification

The film completed the Academy’s mandatory paid theatrical run, which includes:

• A minimum one-week run in a qualifying U.S. market
• A feature-length runtime (over 40 minutes)

This is the baseline requirement for Oscar consideration.

3. Expanded Theatrical Run for Best Picture

Best Picture contenders face stricter rules than other categories. Eligible films must play:

• At least seven days
• In 10 of the top 50 U.S. theatrical markets
• Within 45 days of their initial release

Superman meeting this threshold confirms it had a sufficiently wide theatrical footprint, not just a limited awards run.

4. Compliance With the Academy’s Representation and Inclusion Standards

Since recent award cycles, Best Picture eligibility also requires films to:

• Submit the Academy’s RAISE (Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry) form
• Meet at least two of four inclusion standards, covering areas such as:
  
  • On-screen representation
  • Creative leadership and crew composition
  • Industry access and opportunities
  • Marketing and distribution teams

Films that do not submit or meet these standards are excluded from Best Picture consideration, even if they qualify theatrically.

Oscar nominations for the 2026 ceremony are expected to be announced later this month.

FOLA’s debut album Catharsis has reached a major streaming milestone in Nigeria.

The project has now spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Nigeria Spotify Albums Chart, making it the longest-running No. 1 album released in 2025 so far.

According to Spotify Nigeria chart data, this achievement places Catharsis in rare company. The last album to record a similarly long stay at the top of the chart was Wizkid’s Morayo, which also logged 10 weeks at No. 1 during its run.

Released in 2025, Catharsis has steadily grown from a strong debut into a dominant streaming force. The album’s sustained performance reflects:

• Consistent listener retention week after week
• Strong word-of-mouth and playlist support
• A growing core fanbase driving repeat streams

Rather than debuting and quickly fading, Catharsis has shown unusual staying power, a metric increasingly used to measure true impact in the streaming era.

Spending double digit weeks at No. 1 on Nigeria’s Spotify Albums Chart remains a rare feat, even among top-tier Nigerian artists. By matching the 10-week benchmark previously set by Wizkid’s Morayo, FOLA’s album enters a very short list of projects with that level of dominance.

As 2026 continues, Catharsis currently stands as the most commercially consistent album of the year on Nigerian Spotify.

James Gunn’s Superman has officially advanced to the BAFTA 2026 Special Visual Effects longlist, marking a major early recognition for the film ahead of the upcoming awards season.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) confirmed that Superman is one of 10 films selected from a total of 71 submissions in the Special Visual Effects category. The longlist was determined by members of BAFTA’s SVFX chapter, made up of industry professionals working across visual effects and post-production.

Full BAFTA Special Visual Effects Longlist (2026)

The films advancing to the longlist are:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash
• F1
• Frankenstein
• How to Train Your Dragon
• Jurassic World Rebirth
• The Lost Bus
• Mickey 17
• Superman
• Tron: Ares
• Wicked: For Good

Making the BAFTA VFX longlist is a significant milestone. The selection indicates that Superman’s visual effects work has already been evaluated and endorsed by professionals within the VFX industry, rather than general voters or critics.

Unlike popularity based awards or fan-driven recognition, BAFTA’s VFX category is assessed primarily on technical execution, innovation, and craft. For Superman, this places the film in early contention among some of the most visually ambitious studio projects of the year.

The longlist places Superman alongside major franchise and effects-driven films, including:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment in James Cameron’s visually groundbreaking series
• Tron: Ares, a film built around digital environments and stylized effects
• Jurassic World Rebirth, continuing the effects-heavy dinosaur franchise
• Wicked: For Good, a large-scale musical adaptation with extensive CGI requirements

BAFTA’s Voting Process Explained

According to BAFTA, the process unfolds in stages:

1. SVFX chapter members vote to determine the longlist and subsequent nominations.
2. From the longlist, a smaller group of films will be selected as official nominees.
3. In the final round, all film-voting BAFTA members vote to determine the category winner.

Historically, most films that secure nominations emerge from the longlist, making this step a crucial gateway rather than a symbolic mention.

Superman is the first major theatrical release under the new DC Studios leadership, with James Gunn also serving as co-head of the studio. While plot details and audience reception remain unknown, the BAFTA recognition suggests that the film’s technical and visual foundations are already being taken seriously within the industry.

While BAFTA recognition does not guarantee success at other awards ceremonies, the BAFTA VFX longlist often overlaps with later Oscar consideration in the Best Visual Effects category. Films that perform well at BAFTA frequently remain in the broader awards conversation as the season progresses.

Advancing to BAFTA’s Special Visual Effects longlist is a notable early achievement for Superman. In a field narrowed down from 71 submissions to just 10 films, the selection reflects industry-level confidence in the film’s visual work and technical ambition.

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has officially announced the nominees for the 78th Annual DGA Awards, spotlighting the most outstanding directing achievements in theatrical feature films released in 2025.

Often regarded as one of the strongest indicators of the Academy Awards’ Best Director race, the DGA nominations once again bring together a mix of industry veterans and bold new voices shaping contemporary cinema.

The winners will be revealed on February 7, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Below is the complete nominees list for the theatrical feature film categories.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film — 2026 DGA Awards

This category honors directors for exceptional achievement in feature-length films intended for theatrical release.

Nominees:

• Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another
• Ryan Coogler — Sinners
• Guillermo del Toro — Frankenstein
• Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
• Chloé Zhao — Hamnet

The lineup reflects a wide creative spectrum from literary adaptations and gothic reimaginings to character driven dramas and auteur-led visions. Multiple nominees are previous DGA and Academy Award winners, further heightening the prestige of this year’s race.

Michael Apted Award for First-Time Theatrical Feature Film Director

Named in honor of the late director Michael Apted, this category recognizes exceptional debut feature film directors making their first major impact in cinema.

Nominees:

• Hasan Hadi — The President’s Cake
• Harry Lighton — Pillion
• Charlie Polinger — The Plague
• Alex Russell — Lurker
• Eva Victor — Sorry, Baby

This category continues the DGA’s tradition of highlighting emerging filmmakers whose first works demonstrate strong artistic voice, originality, and narrative ambition.

The DGA Awards are widely considered one of the most reliable predictors of the Oscar Best Director winner. Historically, DGA winners have gone on to secure Academy Awards in the same category in a majority of cases.

When Are the Winners Announced?

• Event: 78th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards
• Date: February 7, 2026
• Location: Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles

The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards have officially announced their nominees, spotlighting the artists and songs that dominated radio airplay, streaming platforms, and fan culture throughout 2025. The awards ceremony is scheduled to hold on March 26, 2026, live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, airing on FOX and iHeartRadio platforms.

This year’s nominations cut across pop, hip-hop, R&B, country, rock, Latin, K-pop, and global music, reflecting the industry’s growing diversity and the power of radio-driven hits. Several chart-topping artists return as multiple nominees, while newer acts secure major career-defining nods.

Below is the full list of nominees for the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Major Categories

Song of the Year

• “Anxiety” — Doechii
• “Good News” — Shaboozey
• “Love Somebody” — Morgan Wallen
• “luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
• “Manchild” — Sabrina Carpenter
• “MUTT” — Leon Thomas
• “Ordinary” — Alex Warren
• “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else” — Benson Boone
• “Stargazing” — Myles Smith
• “The Fate of Ophelia” — Taylor Swift

Artist of the Year

• Bad Bunny
• Benson Boone
• Chris Brown
• Jelly Roll
• Kendrick Lamar
• Lady Gaga
• Morgan Wallen
• Sabrina Carpenter
• Tate McRae
• Taylor Swift

Pop, Group & Collaboration Categories

Pop Artist of the Year

• Alex Warren
• Benson Boone
• Sabrina Carpenter
• Tate McRae
• Taylor Swift

Duo/Group of the Year

• HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA & REI AMI
• Linkin Park
• Maroon 5
• Shinedown
• Twenty One Pilots

Best Collaboration

• “All The Way” — BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman
• “APT.” — ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
• “luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
• “Timeless” — The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti
• “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” — GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red

Genre Categories

Hip-Hop Artist of the Year

• Cardi B
• GloRilla
• Kendrick Lamar
• Playboi Carti
• Tyler, The Creator

Hip-Hop Song of the Year

• “luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
• “NOKIA” — Drake
• “Outside” — Cardi B
• “The Largest” — BigXthaPlug
• “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” — GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red

R&B Artist of the Year

• Chris Brown
• Kehlani
• Leon Thomas
• Mariah the Scientist
• SZA

Country Artist of the Year

• Jason Aldean
• Jelly Roll
• Lainey Wilson
• Luke Combs
• Morgan Wallen

Rock Artist of the Year

• Linkin Park
• Papa Roach
• Shinedown
• Sleep Token
• Three Days Grace

Global & International Categories

World Artist of the Year

• Ayra Starr
• Jackson Wang
• JO1
• MOLIY
• Tyla

Latin Music Categories

Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year

• Bad Bunny
• Feid
• J Balvin
• Karol G
• Shakira

Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year

• “Angel” — Grupo Frontera & Romeo Santos
• “DEGENERE” — Myke Towers & benny blanco
• “DtMF” — Bad Bunny
• “Qué Pasaría…” — Rauw Alejandro & Bad Bunny
• “Soltera” — Shakira

K-Pop Categories

K-Pop Artist of the Year

• JENNIE
• j-hope
• Jin
• LISA
• ROSÉ

K-Pop Group of the Year

• ATEEZ
• BLACKPINK
• ENHYPEN
• Stray Kids
• TWICE

Fan-Voted & Industry Categories

The 2026 edition also includes fan-voted awards such as Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, Favorite TikTok Dance, Favorite On Screen, and Favorite Broadway Debut, alongside industry honors like Songwriter of the Year and Producer of the Year.

Voting remains open on iHeartRadio platforms ahead of the ceremony.

Joe Keery, best known globally for his role as Steve Harrington on Netflix’s Stranger Things, has reached a major music milestone. The actor turned musician has officially topped the Spotify Global chart with his song “End of Beginning,” displacing a track by pop superstar Taylor Swift from the No. 1 position.

The achievement marks a rare crossover moment where a television actor, performing under a separate music identity, outpaces one of the biggest artists in the world on the most competitive streaming chart.

Joe Keery’s Musical Identity as Djo

While many audiences know him from Stranger Things, Joe Keery has built a parallel career in music under the stage name Djo. His sound leans toward alternative pop and indie rock, drawing influence from synth-heavy production and introspective songwriting.

“End of Beginning” was originally released in 2022 as part of Djo’s album Decide. At the time, it received modest attention, largely within indie music circles. However, the track has since experienced multiple waves of resurgence first through social media virality, and now through renewed cultural relevance, which can be credited to the virality of Stranger Things. 

The song’s return to the top of the charts is closely linked to renewed interest in Stranger Things, particularly surrounding recent developments and discussions around the show’s conclusion. As fans revisited Joe Keery’s work, many discovered or rediscovered his music.

Streaming numbers surged rapidly, pushing “End of Beginning” past Taylor Swift’s chart-leading track and securing the No. 1 spot on Spotify’s Global chart, a ranking that reflects listening activity across all countries.

This is not the first time the song has performed strongly. It previously gained traction after going viral online, but this latest run represents its most significant commercial peak to date.

Taylor Swift’s Chart Run Interrupted

Taylor Swift has remained one of Spotify’s most dominant artists, frequently holding the top spot with extended chart runs. Her displacement by “End of Beginning,” even if temporary, highlights the unpredictable nature of streaming culture where moments of pop-culture relevance can dramatically reshape listening habits overnight.

The shift does not signal a decline in Swift’s popularity, but rather underscores how audience attention can pivot quickly when music intersects with film, television, and online trends.