• Lagos, Nigeria – December 25, 2024:

    (Burna Boy performs at Flytime Fest in Lagos)

    Lagos, Nigeria, was a haven for music enthusiasts as it hosted a sensational four-day music festival. Nestled against the backdrop of its vibrant nightlife and rich cultural scene, Flytime Fest was a massive success, drawing 30,000 fans to its sold-out venue from December 22 to 25, with Gunna, Olamide, Davido, and Ayra Starr serving as the festival’s headliners.

    Tyla, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Rema, Tiwa Savage, D’banj, Bnxn, Darkoo, Fireboy, Omah Lay, Fave, Ckay Odumodublvck, Shallipopi, Cobhams, and other performers were also on the bill. After the concert, Cecil Hammond, CEO of Flytime Promotions, reflected: “Gunna injected a new vibe for such a diverse and wide-reaching festival. It brings us so much joy to see Lagos as the new destination spot and Flytime is excited to be part of this transformation. Flytime Fest 2024 was another dream realized, and we can’t wait to see how much the movement will have grown by the time we return again in 2025.”

    (Gunna performs at Flytime Fest in Lagos)

    Gunna headlined the first night of Lagos’ Flytime Fest, a four-day music festival celebrating Africa and the African Diaspora that has previously hosted Megan Thee Stallion,Wizkid, Burna Boy, and more. Gunna hit the stage in front of a full crowd packing out Lagos’s Eko Convention Center, a premier entertainment venue in the bustling West African metropolis. After performing a slew of hits including “One of Wun,” “Drip Too Hard,” “Fukumean,” and “Yosemite,” the beat to “Jump” dropped as Tyla strutted out singing in a pilot’s cap, sequined mini skirt, and black bustier. “They ain’t never had a pretty girl from Joburg,” she purred as fans screamed.

    Gunna headline set capped Flytime Fest’s Coca Cola Rhythm Unplugged concert that served as the festival’s first night. Rhythm Unplugged is a two-decade tradition that has helped break Nigerian talent like Tems and brought global acts like Ja Rule and Ashanti to the country. 

    As the show continued, the electrifying presence of Burna Boy took center stage, igniting a frenzy among fans who eagerly battled for the prime spots closest to the stage. His single, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” was met with full support from the crowd and was followed by Dave’s “Location,” “Last Last,” and an energetic performance of “Ye.” among others.

    Day 2 saw Nigerian rap artist Olamide headline his three-hour long set that felt like a celebration of Nigerian music. The crowd was treated to surprise guest appearances from global superstars Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Fireboy DML,Wande Coal, Phyno, and Pheelz, turning the night into a spontaneous celebration of Afrobeats at its finest. The crowd went wild for Wizkid, who took his time and performed a slew of hits, including “Kese,” “Essence,” and Drake’s “One Dance.” Starting from the very middle of the stage on an enormous platform, he gradually moved closer to the audience with each song, to their inexplicable delight.

    (Olamide performs at Flytime Fest in Lagos)

    Olamide performed a medley of his chart-topping hits, including “Melo Melo,” “Durosoke,” “Triumphant” with Bella Schmurda, and the crowd-favorite “habibi.”

    Davido took the stage on Day 3, delivering a set full of his biggest hits, including “Aye,” “Unavailable,” and “Kante,” his chart-topping collaboration with Fave.  A mix of high-energy anthems and intimate moments kept the crowd on their feet, while Odumodublvck joined him onstage for a thrilling live rendition of “Funds.” To cap off the night, DJ Dope Caesar brought the crowd to a frenzy with her high-energy DJ set, ensuring the energy remained high long after the final act.

    (Ayra Starr performs at Flytime Fest)

    The final night of the festival was headlined by Ayra Starr, whose high-octane performance showcased hits like “Away” and “Sability,” along with tracks from her critically acclaimed album The Year I Turned 21. But it wasn’t just Ayra who got the crowd moving. Rema, one of the fastest rising stars in Afrobeats, made a surprise appearance, delivering pulse-pounding performances of “Ozeba” and “Azaman.” The surprises didn’t stop there – a rare duet between Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr left fans speechless, showcasing the timeless appeal of Nigerian female talent

    Flytime Fest 2024 also featured an emotional tribute to the history of the festival with a special photo collage celebrating Flytime’s 20-year journey. From its humble beginnings in 2004 to becoming a global phenomenon, the images reminded the audience of how far the Afrobeats movement has come and how much it has shaped the sound of modern music. 

    Flytime Festival will return for its twenty-first edition in December 2025.

  • South African-born Tyla Laura Seethal became the first-ever winner of the Best African Music Performance Grammys Award on February 4th, 2024. Since her hit song Water took the international stage by storm in 2023, she’s been one of the most promising global stars rising from Africa. 

    We made a timeline of her journey from Jo’burg to the Grammys.

    2019 — Tyla, Garth von Glehn and Getting Late

    Tyla had just graduated from high school and started posting singing and dancing covers on social media when a photographer named Garth von Glehn discovered one of her Instagram videos. She mistook him for an online scammer until he met her parents to discuss managing her in 2019. 

    Throughout that year, she and her bestie and stylist, Thato Nzimande, spent weekends writing and recording songs at von Glehn’s studio until she met South African DJ and music producer, Kooldrink, and recorded her eventual debut single, Getting Late. This was when she picked up her Popiano sound, a fusion of amapiano and afrobeats with R&B and pop music.

    2021 — Epic Records deal and Blood & Water series

    After a quiet COVID year, writing and recording, Tyla signed to Epic Records — home to Mariah Carey, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, the late Michael Jackson, among other icons. This happened in a joint venture with the Jo’burg/New York-based music company, Fax Records, in 2021. Soon after, she dropped her next song, Overdue, a collaboration between Tyla and DJ Lag, a South African DJ, producer and pioneer of the gqom genre (a style of electronic dance music). The song was featured in the season two trailer of Netflix’s South African hit series, Blood and Water

    2022 — Nomination at SAMA

    Getting Late music video was nominated for “Best Video of the Year” at the 28th edition of the South African Music Awards (SAMA). At this point, it had amassed several million views on YouTube. She didn’t win, but the nod was a big deal for such a new artist on the scene. In November, Tyla released To Last and made a remix with DJ Maphorisa and Young Stunna.

    Source: Ubetoo

    2023 — Tour with Chris Brown and breakout hit

    In January, Tyla released the dancefloor jam, Been Thinking. At Tricky Stewart’s Grammy party later that month, the head of Epic Records, Sylvia Rhone, asked Tyla if she’d like to open Chris Brown’s “Under the Influence” Europe and UK tour. She joined the tour on February 14th, solidifying her audience base, especially in the U.S.

    Source: Tenor

    For the first episode of our Valentine Special, we brought back three couples – one now with kids, one now married and the last, still best friends – to share how their relationships have evolved in the last five years. Watch below:


    During the tour, she attended Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall/Winter 2023 runway show, where she was seen with Kim Kardashian and performed at the after-party. She also featured Ayra Starr on her next promotional single, Girl Next Door, in May, and dropped what would be a life-changing global hit — Water — in August, the same month during which her iconic choreo went viral. Water debuted at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the only South African song to do this in 56 years, since Hugh Maskela’s Grazing in the Grass (1968).

    Source: Jacaranda FM

    In October, Tyla made her U.S. TV debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, performing Water. The same month, Water was considered for nomination for the Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammys Awards. In December, Tyla released her self-titled introductory EP. The project opened with Water and ended with its remix, but has now been extended to a full album coming on March 22, 2024.

    2024 — First platinum, Grammy nomination and win

    In January, Water was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. On February 5, Tyla won the first Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance with Water, among nominees like Nigeria’s Davido, Burna Boy, Asake and Olamide.

    Source: Yahoo

    The year is still young; who knows what more it’ll bring the aspiring global African popstar.

    Check Out the Complete List of Grammy Awards 2024 Winners