We Need To Support Our Institutions.

Hey Bestie, Happy Weekend.

The past week has undoubtedly been filled with noteworthy events. Rema’s acceptance speech at the Headies Awards last Sunday stands out as a major highlight for us.

The statement not only underscores the artiste’s astuteness and awareness but also serves as another reminder that the global success of Nigerian music presents a golden opportunity to build a sustainable local music industry that can continue to flourish, even when, or if, the ‘Afrobeats bubble’ bursts.

In today’s newsletter, we look at the Headies, Afronation and our recent conversation with Pheelz.

Quick Trivia: What are the “12 jewels” as narrated by RZA on Burna Boy’s new album?

1. THE 16TH HEADIES AWARDS

The 16th installment of Nigeria’s most prestigious award show held last Sunday Cobb Energy Performing Art Centre in Atlanta, Georgia USA. In this article, we highlighted 5 of the most memorable events at the 16th Headies Award ceremony.

From Rema’s speech to the heartfelt tribute to the late Sound Sultan, and the remarkable victories of Odumodublvck and Asake, the event was filled with interesting highlights.

Notably, there was a mix-up during the ceremony when Obongjayar was initially announced as the winner of the “Best Alternative Single” category, which was later corrected, with the award rightfully going to Wizard Chan for his single, “Earth Song.”

Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that the award for Best Female Artist was not formally announced during the show. The winner, Ayra Starr, voiced her discontent on Twitter, stating, “I will never be grateful for winning a category that wasn’t even deemed fit to be announced on stage ! Best female artist na beans ? ”

Catch the full winners list here

2. AFRONATION, WHICH WAY?

“The World’s Biggest Afrobeats Festival Returns Home.”

AfroNation has finally announced the dates and venues for the highly-anticipated Lagos edition of the global festival, which has previously graced Portugal, the US, and Puerto Rico. The Lagos edition is scheduled to take place at the iconic Tafawa Balewa Square on the 19th and 20th of December, 2023.

However, it is the ticket prices that really got social media buzzing. VIP tickets were announced this week, with prices range from NGN 228,000 to NGN 303,639 or $299-$399.

General access tickets will be announced at a later date.

3. “BEHIND THE MUSIC WITH PHEELZ”

“Pheelz Mr Producer”

“Riddimakulayo”

These producer tags have flavored some of our favourite records in contemporary Nigerian music history. Pheelz’s contributions to albums by renowned artists such as Olamide, Fireboy DML, Teni, and his work on singles by the likes of Lil Kesh, Davido, and Vector, have solidified his standing as a pivotal figure among Nigerian producers. However, through his singles, including tracks like “Finesse,” “Electricity,” and his latest release, “Jelo,” Pheelz has showcased his exceptional abilities as a singer-songwriter.

We recently caught up with the incredibly talented artiste and producer. In this exclusive interview, Pheelz shares insights into his friendship with Young Jonn and discusses his latest single, “Jelo”

Watch “Behind the Music With Pheelz” here

4. RECOMMENDATIONS

We’re Watching

• BAKI (Netflix)

• TOP BOY (Netflix)

• One Piece (Netflix)

• The Lincoln Lawyer (Netflix)

• Ragnarok (Netflix)

• Jack Ryan (Prime Video)

• Mami Wata (Cinemas)

We’re Reading

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K Rowling

• Building a StoryBrand - Donald Miller.

We also found this thread of “Happy Nigerian Books” to read. You should check it out.

That’s all the Jollof for this week. See you next week.