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Ruger wows with cover of Gyptian’s ‘Wine Slow’ for Apple Music London Sessions

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Apple Music recetly beamed its spotlight on one of the most exciting talents and emerging artistes in the Afrobeats scene, with Nigerian superstar Ruger ensuring Apple Music London Sessions closed out the year in style with December’s edition.

Apple Music London Sessions gives artistes the opportunity to perform a selection of their favourite tracks from their catalogue, as well as a cover version of their choice.

For this special performance, the Lagos-based artiste celebrated the start of Nigeria’s December party season as he performs slick and enthralling renditions of his hits ‘Asiwaju’ and ‘Ashana’ off his debut project ‘RU The World’, as well as his interpretation of Gyptian’s 2013 classic, ‘Wine Slow’.

The 24-year-old, born Michael Adebayo embodies an experimental and distinct Afrodancehall sound which has captivated audiences since the release of his debut EP ‘PANDEMIC’ in 2021.

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Hailing from the Jonzing World camp – the same stable behind international superstar Rema – his 2022 single ‘Asiwaju’ enjoyed global chart success. The Nigerian released his debut album ‘RU The World’ in September and completed sold-out tours in Europe and North America to round off a trailblazing 2023.

To mark the session’s launch, Ruger joined Apple Music 1 host Dotty in studio today to discuss his experience recording the session and why he could never get bored of reggae artiste, Gyptian’s ‘Wine Slow’.

Explaining his choice of cover version, Ruger says: “I found the song and I just fell in love with it. I use it for anything, even when I’m chilling. If I want to sleep, I could just listen to it. When we’re recording it, during the Apple Music London Session, they were saying I had to do four takes, five takes. I said, “I could do 100 takes of the song as long as I’m enjoying myself, because that song is amazing.”’

Ruger also discusses the creative process that went into preparing for the live session, why he chose to alter the arrangement of his records for the live stage, as well as the story behind discovering ‘Wine Slow’ for the first time during lockdown.

Ruger on how long it took to prepare for his Apple Music London Session…

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It took a week or so. I just had to just pick the songs I was going to perform, so that was easy. But yeah, I practised with my band. We put everything together, we lined everything up, and that’s about it, man. Those songs are special songs on my album, two special songs on my album. That’s ‘Ashana’ and ‘Asiwaju’. You all know ‘Asiwaju’, global song. Then my favourite song of all time, ‘Wine Slow’ by Gyptian. It’s easy to pick, and I enjoyed performing those songs.

Ruger on why he chose to cover ‘Wine Slow’ by Gyptian…

I found the song and I just fell in love with it. I use it for anything, even when I’m chilling. If I want to sleep, I could just listen to it. When we’re recording it, during the Apple Music London Session, they were saying I had to do four takes, five takes. I said, “I could do 100 takes of the song as long as I’m enjoying myself,” because that song is amazing … I think I first heard that song properly, I think 2020, during the quarantine, then COVID 19, all of that, the outbreak and all of that. I was just searching for music. I just found it on YouTube and yeah.

Ruger on why he switched the original arrangements of his records for the live session…

Because it’s important. It’s very important when you are doing that, because syncopations matter when you are making live sessions. It makes the song longer. You understand and it makes it more enjoyable. It’s important to add that to your live sessions because it makes whoever you’re performing to enjoy that song better than even the original one.

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My Wife Knew About Actresses I Dated, Says Yinka Quadri

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Veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri has revealed that his wife was aware of his romantic relationships with some actresses in the industry and treated them cordially.

The actor made the disclosure in an interview on the Africanalist Podcast, where he spoke about his personal life and marriage.

Quadri said some of the actresses he dated eventually became friends with his wife, Sadiat Adenike Quadri. According to him, the women would sometimes approach her and share gossip about his relationships with other female colleagues, even though they themselves were involved with him.

“It got to a stage, I won’t mention the ladies’ names in the industry. They would become friends with my wife and start giving gossip to my wife that I am dating so so so in the industry,” he said.

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He added that jealousy sometimes arose among the women. Some of those he was dating reportedly went to his home out of jealousy, only to find that his wife already knew about the relationships.

“And there were some of them that we were dating who went home out of jealousy. Meanwhile, my wife would say she was aware already and she doesn’t fight them because of that,” Quadri said.

The actor further disclosed that some actresses occasionally spent the night at his house when movie productions ended late. He said his wife knew about the relationships and still provided food and care for them.

“Sometimes when production ends late, they would sleep in my house. And my wife is aware I am dating them, she would still feed them and everything,” he stated.

Quadri has been married to Sadiat since 1989. The couple have children and grandchildren.

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Prioritise Talent Over Social Media, Fisayo Abebi Tells Young Actors

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Actress and filmmaker Fisayomi Amodemaja, popularly known as Fisayo Abebi, has urged young actors to build strong personal brands and rely on their talent rather than fame or social media visibility for a sustainable career in Nollywood.

Speaking in an interview with Sunday Scoop, Abebi, who began acting as a child before moving into filmmaking and production, said having a distinct identity was essential for anyone seeking longevity in the industry.

“As an actor, you should have a brand. You should have something that makes you different. Your talent should be able to speak for you wherever your name cannot speak for you,” she said.

She also stressed the need for dedication and readiness to handle the demands of the profession.

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“Any young actor coming into the industry has to know that it is time-consuming, and you have to be fully ready to be diligent and ready for the stress,” Abebi added.

The actress reflected on her own experiences, noting that growing up in the spotlight came with pressure, particularly from being recognised for a character she played as a child.

She credited her family and friends with helping her navigate the attention and remain grounded. Her mother, she said, played a key role by helping her understand that she was separate from the character audiences associated her with.

Abebi also spoke about the challenges of combining her acting career with university education, describing it as stressful at times.

“Sometimes I might have to refund or sometimes I might have to go to the set after finishing my exam. So, that can be very stressful,” she said.

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She noted that her journey in the industry had taught her to take risks and build confidence in herself.

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Regina Daniels Spent Months In Wheelchair Due To Health Issues

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Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has revealed that she spent several months struggling with severe pain and mobility challenges that left her dependent on a wheelchair.

The actress shared the details in a video posted on her Instagram page on Saturday as she marked her 25th birthday, which she described as her “Silver Jubilee.”

Appearing in a wheelchair, Daniels explained that her prolonged absence from social media was due to the health difficulties.

“I know many of you may be surprised seeing me in a wheelchair. Well, welcome to another chapter of my life,” she said.

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She stated that the problem began as a minor issue but gradually became more serious, eventually limiting her freedom to move around as she pleased.

“For several months now, I lost my freedom to move around as I please. It started as something minor, very minor, but eventually led to this,” Daniels said.

According to her, the condition took a major turn after the last public gathering she hosted, a Children’s Day carnival. She said she underwent repeated medical tests during the period and joked that she had started calling herself a “lab rat.”

“The pain became excruciating. Sometimes I find myself walking well, and sometimes I just can’t move. I cried,” she added.

Despite the challenges, the actress said there had been significant developments in her recovery, which encouraged her to share the update publicly.

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“Well, me sitting here today, in front of this camera, sharing this with y’all, it’s because there’s been some really significant developments in my recovery. And I say, thank you, Lord,” she said.

Daniels did not disclose a specific diagnosis or the nature of the treatment she is receiving. She expressed gratitude to God and prayed for calm as she entered a new phase of her life.

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