Entertainment
Spotify’s ‘Wrapped’ unveils Nigeria’s most popular soundscapes, listening habits in 2023
Spotify, on Wednesday, unveiled this year’s edition of ‘Wrapped’, its highly anticipated annual recap of listeners’ musical journeys. This immersive experience provides users with a comprehensive overview of their year in music, allowing them to reflect on their preferences and discover hidden gems. This year’s Wrapped showcases the remarkable diversity of music and the passionate listening habits of Nigerian music enthusiasts.
As the year comes to a close, Spotify Wrapped takes users on a personalised journey through their favourite songs, artists, albums, and genres that defined their musical experience in 2023. Nigeria once again echoed with a vibrant tapestry of musical voices, as talented artists emerged and reigned supreme on the charts. For the third year in a row, Nigerian artistes and songs make up Nigeria’s top ten most streamed artistes, in true showcase of Nigeria’s pride in their own music.
“Nigeria is a hotbed of musical talent, and we’re incredibly proud to showcase the diversity and passion of Nigerian music lovers through Wrapped,” said Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa. “This year’s Wrapped is a testament to the power of music to connect people and bring them closer to the culture and traditions of Nigeria.”
In 2023, Nigerian music took the world by storm, reaching unprecedented heights and breaking down barriers. Rema, one of the genre’s brightest stars, has had an extraordinary rise to fame. His collaboration with American pop star Selena Gomez on the hit single Calm down has won him legions of fans worldwide and has become the first African-led single to reach a billion streams on Spotify. A landmark achievement for African artistes, this song is the first by a Nigerian Afrobeats artiste to feature on the top 10 chart of most streamed recordings globally on Spotify. It also tops the Nigerian song export chart, solidifying its position as a global musical phenomenon.
Rema and Asake have also cemented their positions as Afrobeats’ global ambassadors, with Rema holding the title of the most globally exported artist and Asake captivating audiences across Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo, earning him the coveted title of most streamed artist in each country. This continued international success further underscores the enduring appeal of Afrobeats as the most exported genre of the year.
Asake’s dominance continued in the Top 10 most streamed tracks, with three of his hits – Lonely At The Top, 2:30 and Amapiano making the cut. His reign extended to the Gen Z demographic, with Asake becoming the most streamed artiste among Nigerian and Ghanaian Gen Z listeners. His song Lonely At The Top further cemented his popularity among Nigerian Gen Zs, topping the charts for their age group.
Interestingly, Mohbad secured a position in the top 20 list of the most streamed artistes in Nigeria, an attribute to an increased interest in his music following his untimely death. His track Ask About Me was the top streamed track everyday between September 13 and 25.
On the top most streamed female artistes, Spotify RADAR alumnus and 1st time Grammy Nominee, Ayra Starr clinched the title of the most streamed female artist in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Mercy Chinwo, a gospel artist, secured a spot among the top 10 most streamed female artists in Nigeria, underscoring the enduring popularity and influence of gospel music.
The throwback charts for 2023 were dominated by the legendary 2Pac, with his song Hit ‘Em Up – Single Version and album Greatest Hits securing the top spots. This resurgence of interest in 2Pac’s music is likely due to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the numerous headlines surrounding his death this year, and his enduring status as one of the most influential and successful rappers of all time. As a result, many Nigerians turned to Spotify to stream his music, solidifying his position in the charts.
On top local podcasts in the hearts of Nigerian listeners, the spotlight falls on Apostle Joshua Selman, KOINONIA with Apostle Joshua Selman, The HonestBunch Podcast, I Said What I Said, Tea with Tay, and Koinonia Experience With Apostle Joshua Selman (ENI). The leading position of these podcast shows come as no surprise, given their widespread popularity among the youths, especially the Gen Zs and Millennials. Their popularity can also be attributed to their engaging and entertaining content, their keen awareness of trending subjects and their unfiltered and candid conversations.
Here’s what the Spotify Wrapped data says about Nigeria’s listening habits in 2023:
1: The demand for local music in Nigeria continued to skyrocket, with consumption growing by an impressive 284 per cent.
2: Average streams of female artists in Nigeria experienced a remarkable 150 per cent surge year-on-year
3: Music lovers in Nigeria turn up the volume on Fridays to indulge in their favourite tunes
4: Rema topped the list of most searched queries, while Burna Boy topped the list of both most searched artists and most viral artistes.
Asake’s Lonely At The Top claimed the first spot on most viral tracks
Eligible users can access their personalised 2023 Wrapped experience exclusively in the Spotify mobile app (iOS and Android) and also this year, via web view on mobile or Desktop by heading to Spotify.com/Wrapped.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
She noted that her journey in the industry had taught her to take risks and build confidence in herself.
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.
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.
“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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