Wizkid, Burna Boy and some other Nigerian A-list artistes, on Wednesday at the iconic Tafawa Balewa Square, left their fans in awe as they gave mind-blowing performances during the Greater Lagos Countdown to usher in the  New Year.

The event, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture was an unforgettable night of music, excitement, and celebration.

The annual end-of-year celebration brought together people from all walks of life, united by their love for music and desire to celebrate the start of a new year.

The show featured star-studded lineups like Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Niniola, Olamide, Adewale Ayuba, Runtown, Bnxn, Nice, Seyi Vibez and several others.

Wizkid, known for his captivating stage presence, got the audience singing along to his hit tracks, while Burna Boy brought his signature energy and passion to his performance.

Tiwa Savage, the Queen of Afrobeats, delivered a sultry and energetic set, showcasing her impressive vocal range and captivating stage presence.

Niniola, the soulful songstress, delivered a heartfelt and emotive performance, showcasing her powerful vocals.

Fuji Maestro, Adewale Ayuba, took his fans to a heightened level of excitement as he performed his old musicals like  “Ejo”, “Ijo Fuji”, and others.

Nice also brought back the “Alapomeji” vibes back on stage with ‘steeze’.

Another highlight was the moment host of the show, renowned comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, taught Gov.  Babajide Sanwo-Olu the popular ‘Oblee’ moves.

Earlier, Sanwo-Olu appreciated Lagos residents for demonstrating resilience throughout 2024.

Sanwo-Olu said: “It is indeed another honour to be here at the Tafawa Balewa Square for the countdown 2024 to 2025. Last year, we were all together, and this year, even bigger, better and brighter.

“We are all together at the Tafawa Balewa Square for the countdown to the year 2025. I want to say that indeed this outgoing year was a year of tremendous opportunities for the young.

“It is a year that you have shown true resilience that makes you true Lagosians. If we are together we can succed together.

“So, for your resilience and productivity, I want to say thank you for staying with our government throughout the year 2024, and we wish all of us as we go into 2025 that the very best will happen to each and everyone of us.

“2025 will be a better year for you, for you and for you. To my people in Ajeromi, Ajegunle, Victoria Island, Ajah, Ibeji-Lekki, Ojokoro, Oworoshoki, we will see you bigger and better in 2025.”

The Greater Lagos Countdown 2025 held simultaneously at the five divisions of the state. (NAN)

The UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar, Cross River, was abuzz with excitement on Friday night as Nigerian music sensations, Runtown and Iyanya, displayed electrifying performances at the 2024 Calabar Carnival Live Concert.

Report says that the duo’s energetic performances were a perfect blend of their hit songs, infectious beats, and captivating stage presence.

Runtown, known for his unique sound and style, performed some of his biggest hits, like “Mad Over You” and “For Life”.

Iyanya, on the other hand, brought the stage down with his signature blend of R&B and Afrobeats, performing crowd-pleasers like “Kukere” , “Ur Waist” and more.

The crowd was thoroughly entertained, singing along to every song and dancing.

The energy was palpable, with fans waving their hands and screaming for more.

A reveller, Kennedy Amadi, from Imo, in an interview said he deliberately travelled from Abuja, his base, to experience performances by Runtown and Iyanya.

Amadi said he was not disappointed as he got value for his money after being entertained.

Also, Jidenna Akpan who was attending a live concert for the first time, said she enjoyed every bit of the artistes’ energetic performances.

“This is so interesting and I will be looking forward to the next edition of the carnival concert. Then,  I believe other artistes will be allowed to perform as well,” she said.

For Frank Udo, meeting Runtown at the concert was the highlight of the carnival for him.

Report says that other up-and-coming artistes also performed to the excitement of the revellers. (NAN)

Nigerian music artistes have dominated nomination for the Best African Music Performance category of the 67th Grammy Awards.

The Recording Academy announced the nominations on Friday.

This year, Nigeria dominates the category , including returning contenders Burna Boy and Asake, the former earning a nod for his hit song,‘Higher’.

Davido also earn his second nod in the category for his contribution to Chris Brown’s “Sensational,” with Lojay picking up his first Grammy nomination for the same song.

Yemi Alade earns her first solo nod for her hit “Tomorrow”,while Tems’“Love Me Jeje” also receives a nod for for Best African Music Performance.

Notably, Tems is the only African artiste with three nominations across the global music categories; as her debut album, “Born in the Wild” is up for Best Global Music Album and Best R&B song for “Burning”.

Young music sensation Rema.is nominated in the Best Global Music Album category for his sophomore album, “HEIS”.

Other Nigerian stars nominated for the Grammys include Jordan Adetunji known for his viral “Kelani,” and his ‘Bloody Civilian’ also earns nomination for the ‘Best Reggae Album’ category on the Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ soundtrack.

This year’s nomination marks Burna Boy’s sixth consecutive Grammy nomination, making him a Nigerian artiste with highest nomination so far.

Since Burna Boy’s first nomination for Best Global Music Album at the 2020 Grammys, and his win in 2021 for “Twice as Tall”, there has been an increased representation of African music on the global stage.

On the global scene, Beyoncé leads the Grammy pack with 11 nominations for her genre-crossing album Cowboy Carter, competing across categories including record, song, and album of the year, along with entries in pop, rap, country, and Americana.

Other leading nominees include Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, and Post Malone, each with seven nominations, while Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter follow with six nominations each.

The 67th Grammy awards ceremony is scheduled to hold on February 2, 2025 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles United States. (NAN)