New Stars To Watch Out For In 2024

January 14, (THEWILL) – With the New Year comes a new class of rising stars that are set to dominate the Nigerian entertainment scene.

From the highly competitive music industry where everybody is expected to bring their best foot forward to the movie industry, otherwise known as Nollywood, which is currently enjoying the attention of international streaming giants; to content creators daily keeping us doubled up with rib-cracking skits as well as the business community. The list is endless. IVORY UKONU presents some of these rising stars:

Music

Tosin Tellem

 

The Netherlands-based Nigerian singer is an Afromelody artiste who is passionate about pushing musical boundaries with diverse global influences in a very seamless manner that creates a dynamic musical fusion which in turn appeals to a wide audience while maintaining a distinct and innovative sound. He recently released his latest Extended Play, EP with a seven-track masterpiece. One of the songs which is already catching on like wildfire is ‘Otunba of Lagos,’ where he combined Afrobeats with contemporary sounds to showcase his passion and commitment to new innovations.

Shalipoppi

Shallipopi, whose real name is Crown Uzama, gained recognition in 2023 with the success of his track, ‘Elon Musk’. Though many criticised the song, it was named on the Nigeria Top 100 Apple Music chart. Building on that achievement, he released his debut album titled, ‘Presido La Pluto’, which not only secured the top spot on the TurnTable Top 50 Albums but also reached the fifth position on the Apple Music Top 100 Albums chart. He was also one of the most-searched Nigerian artistes of 2023 on Google.

Raebel

Born Christianah Ademuyiwa, Raebel is currently carving a niche for herself in the music industry with a fresh sound that is a blend of alternative rhythm & blues, neo-soul, reggae/dancehall and a sprinkle of the traditional Nigerian flavour. She has loved music since childhood and gained attention by posting song covers online, especially after covering songs by Oniyide Azeez, aka Zinoleesky, Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel, aka Mayorkun and Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman, aka Oxlade.

Raebel’s biggest song ‘Miniskirt’ was originally freestyle. It became a smash hit after she teamed up with Timbun who produced the song. In 2023, she created more songs and with the latest song, ‘Kash and Karry,’ she’s definitely up to something for her fans, especially THE RAEBELLIONs, the name of her fan base worldwide.

Yarden

Okereke Blessed Jordan, popularly known as Yarden, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. The 23-year-old artiste from Abia State comes from a music and entertainment family and possesses a unique sound that features a dark, groovy, and ominous vibe, which is a new and different sound for the world to accept and relate to on an unlimited scale.

Currently signed to Etins Record Limited, Yarden started from performing in school and the church and enjoys the thrill of adding emotions to music. The reception to his songs such as ‘Wetin’ and ‘Busy Body’ have been surreal, and this is a confirmation that Yarden is one of the new kids on the block to watch out for.

TML Vibez

Born Timileyin Sulaimon, the 23-year-old is a talented Nigerian singer and songwriter making significant strides in the Nigerian music industry who has managed to draw attention to his exceptional talent.

Signed under the management of Vibez Incorporation, the record label of fellow singer, Balogun Afolabi Oluwaloseyi, aka Seyi Vibez, TML Vibex has an infectious energy and genre-blending sounds with which he hopes to take the music scene by storm. Following the release of his debut project, ‘Timileyin EP’ last year, he sprouted up the chart with his single titled ‘Goated’ featuring his label boss, Seyi Vibez.

Nasboi

Although he is known more for his hilarious skit-making abilities, Lawal Michael Nasiru Bolaji, aka Nasboi, started out on the entertainment scene as a singer. Unable to make a headway with his singing, he resorted to mimicking David Adeleke, aka Davido, which he did so well until he got his attention.

Unknown to many music fans, the graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Uyo has already released several singles, such as ‘I’m Tired’, ‘Oga No Stress Me’ and ‘Bless Me’. He has also collaborated with Folarin Falana, aka Falz, and Simi. But rather than continue singing, he decided to focus and improve on his craft as a skit maker until late 2023 when he released another single titled, ‘Umbrella’ in which he featured Wande Coal. With a well-orchestrated social media promotional campaign, involving dance challenges and skits with other content creators, the song spread like wildfire. It is currently one of the trending songs in the country.

Movies

Uzoamaka Onuoha

Uzoamaka Onuoha might be a relatively new face, but her impeccable acting skills and the ability to interprete her roles perfectly have ensured her rise from an upcoming-and-coming artiste to a breakout star.

Honing her skill as an actress, Onuoha belongs to a generation of stars that are redefining Nollywood through diversity and sheer passion. The Imo-State-born actress has appeared in several films, television and theatre productions. Her stage appearances include a lead in ‘Folly of Men’, ‘Emotan’, ‘Chapters’ and ‘The decision’.

Onuoha received her most notable role yet by playing the eponymous character in Showmax’s six-part psychological thriller ‘Diiche’.

‘Diiche’ is the first Nigerian original limited series that tells the story of an actress who goes to a great length to vindicate herself from the high-profile murder of her fiancé, Nnamdi.

Onuoha had always been interested in film from a young age. She had been mimicking stars she saw on TV, reenacting their actions and mouthing their words. No surprise, then, that she made up her mind, even at that early stage, that she “wanted to go into film’.

Chukwuemeka Joseph

He is an actor, model, and television host who has captivated audiences with his amazing performances in movies like ‘Dark October’ and the web series ‘Schooled.’ He has also starred in ‘Leaked’ and will be the lead in the TV series ‘Masquerades of Aniedo.’

From Imo state, Chuks as he is fondly called, showed a strong interest in performing as a teenager and has always aspired to be a well-known actor. He was a bright young guy and his parents encouraged him to pursue his goals by taking some acting classes to help him polish his skill.

He acquired more skills and a distinctive style in the African International Film Festival Acting Masterclass, Royal Arts Academy, and Ebonylife Creative Academy. His capability to communicate with audiences is unmatched, and he infuses each character with authenticity and depth.

In addition to his acting career, Chuks is a skilled model. In 2020, he placed first runner-up in the Mr. Ideal Nigeria competition and was elected Mr. Ideal Nigeria Earth. He has demonstrated his charisma and appealing qualities in a number of fashion shoots and advertising campaigns. Chuks has been making a big name for himself in the Nigerian entertainment scene and is a rising star to watch out for in 2024.

CJ Obasi

For 2024, filmmaker, CJ Obasi will make so much buzz on the global film space. In 2023, his film, ‘Mami Water’ got several nominations and got quite a number of awards, but failed to make the final OSCARS nomination despite being Nigeria’s representative.

Undeterred, Obasi has begun activities for 2024. Already, the filmmaker has been selected to join notable world opinion and industry leaders for the Rockafella Foundation Residency. He will be joining several industry leaders as a resident for the 2024 Bellagio Centre Residency Programme by the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation. This move will not only catapult his visionary acumen but also underscore his commitment to advancing innovative projects that contribute to positive societal impact.

Obasi’s debut feature – a zero-budget film titled, ‘Ojuju’ – premiered at the Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, in November 2014 and it won an award in the Best Nigerian Film category. He also won the Trailblazer of the Year award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

Abiodun Jimoh

Filmmaker and director, Abiodun Jimoh will also be making a buzz on the film scene with his highly anticipated film, ‘Luwo Gbagida.’ Jimoh will be telling the story of the only female Ooni of Ife that ever existed in the new project. Sources claim that he is working on the final stages of the film scheduled to premiere in the cinema in 2024.

Creativity has always been a part of Abiodun who grew up writing comics and interesting stories. After his university education, he got into filmmaking and wrote a couple of novels and also did a bit of acting. He was forced to become a director because of lack of attention on the part of movie directors. He writes all his scripts and directs them himself.

Korede Ajayi

He is more popularly known as Korexx, a multi-talented skit maker well known for his entertaining content, chef and actor. He gained popularity by creating hilarious skits alongside Nigerian comedian and activist, Debo Adebayo, aka Mr Macaroni.

Korexx has also made appearances in some movies, such as ‘Brotherhood’, ‘Her Mine Ours,’ ‘One Lagos Night,’ and showcased his talent in stage plays, such as ‘The Journey to One’ and ‘The Gods Are Not To Blame.’ One of his notable roles was in Africa Magic’s ‘Itura,’ where he portrayed the character of Omo Oba Sijuade, the arrogant prince and ‘rightful’ heir to the Ibaokuta throne. This role highlighted his undeniable star power and showcased his ability to excel in both dramatic and comic roles.

Tiwa Savage

Although she is the queen of Afrobeat, Africa’s leading female music superstar is all set to give other actors a run for their money in 2024 with her cinematic content due to debut on Amazon Prime Video this year. Titled ‘Water and Garri,’ the movie is a production of Everything Savage and Unbound Studios and will see the debut of the award-winning star known for her soulful voice and hit songs.

Directed by Meji Alabi, ‘Water and Garri’ joins Prime Video Nigeria’s expanding slate of rich Nollywood content as a great way to begin 2024. The drama tells the story of Aisha (Savage), an ambitious fashion designer, as she returns to her native country following the loss of a family member after she has been away for 10 years in the United States. With changes having taken place at home, including escalating violence and building tensions, Aisha must learn to live with her scars and confront the guilt she left behind while reconnecting with family, old friends, and her past love.

Shot in neighbouring Ghana, the feature presents a great blend of cinematography and storytelling. If Tiwa’s acting is anything to go by, then she will be one of the breakout stars in that industry in 2024.

Content Creators

Isaac Olayiwola

A skit maker, Layi Wasabi, wormed his way into the hearts of many with the lawyer character he plays in his skits. In 2023, the skit maker who studied Law at Bowen University gained more fans and won a handful of awards. His talent also caught the attention of comedian and actor, Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth, as the latter featured him on an online comedy series titled, ‘The Slurply Life of Basketmouth and Layi’. The lanky funny man is one of the most promising talents in the skit making industry, having proven himself even with less collaborations with his peers.

Layi has been able to build a fanbase in a short period of time with different skit series like Mood, University Skits, GNCC and The Law. All aforementioned episodes are built on different characters that are very relatable to his audience.

Neekah

Rita Uwayah Ginikachukwu, more popularly known as Neekah, started out as a luxury bead maker and promoted her craft on social media. Not long after, she began to create hilarious content for her very few followers and before one could say Jack Robinson, Neekah’s craft of leaving her followers in stitches catapulted her to stardom, way beyond what she could imagine. In December, she emerged winner of the Best Online Content Creator among several heavy weights in a poll organised by NXT Honours, a platform dedicated to celebrating extraordinary individuals across Africa. Her followership keeps growing in leaps and bounds. Coupled with a hilarious face filter that has now become her signature feature, the sky is the limit for Ginikachukwu in 2024.

Nasboi

As earlier stated, Lawal Michael Nasiru Bolaji, aka Nasboi, started out on the entertainment scene as a singer. Unable to make a headway with his singing, he resorted to mimicking David Adeleke aka Davido, which he did so well until he got his attention. But rather than continue singing, he got better with his craft as a skit maker. He expanded his comedy career which was mostly based on everyday scenarios and experiences with his unique style of humour and delivery. He created various characters such as Baba landlord, Mama Chi Chi and Brother John, all who became fan favourites.

Aderonke Adepoju

Content creator, Aderonke Adepoju, aka Omooba, tried to keep busy during the lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic by making videos and posting them on Instagram and she has not looked back. Although she took a break in 2021, because of her studies in the university, she resumed content creation fully in May 2022 after her final examination and there has been no stopping her since then. Not only are her contents relatable for families, she has successfully created characters, such as Daddy Ronke’, ‘Mummy Ronke’, ‘Ronke’ and ‘Wale’.

The law graduate, who says she gets her ideas from nostalgic memories, from things happening around her, during discussions with people and via the Holy Spirit comes from a royal background which explains the reason for her alias, Omooba.

Muhammed Gilmore

He likes to refer to himself as the ‘president of Gen Z’. A sensational and talented comedian, TikTok star and content creator, Muhammed Gilmore is the gift that keeps giving. One of the reasons his skits are so popular is because they are incredibly relatable to Nigerians. He has a unique talent for capturing the humour in everyday situations and experiences that Nigerians can identify with. His skits touch on topics like Nigerian parents, school life in Nigeria, social situations, old fashion trends, transportation, nostalgia and more.

By portraying these experiences in a humorous and lighthearted way, Gilmore is able to connect with his audience and make them feel seen and understood.

Wonder D Talk

Born Ukenwor Faith Ikechi, Wonder D Talk gained recognition from featuring frequently in skits with Emmanuel Chuwkwuemeka Ejekwu, aka Sabinus.

From being his protege, Wonder D Talk has grown to carve a niche for himself in the skit industry. The Port Harcourt-based comedian has since started his skit series where he adopts the lifestyle of a street scammer who takes no chances in scamming locals, even with zero knowledge of the business.

Wonder D Talk has not only broken even from just being behind Sabinu but also creating a new character of his own building a fanbase with over 216,000 followers on TikTok alone. His slang, “I’m the don of a praying mother” is fast gaining popularity among young people.

Business

Adegoke Olubusi

More than half of the private healthcare facilities in Nigeria lack access to external financing and to bridge this gap, Adegoke Olubusi, the CEO of Helium Health, launched the start-up to digitise electronic mediva; records in the country.

Today, Helium Health is the largest Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Hospital Management Information (HMI) Systems provider in West Africa. In 2020, Olubusi and his team launched HeliumCredit to give hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and diagnostics centres loans to buy medical equipment and medication and facilitate business expansions. Helium Health bridges the data gap by enrolling hospitals in HeliumOS—its core product which digitises electronic medical records.

Recently, it raised $30 million in a series B funding round led by global investment leader, AXA IM Alts. Other participants in the funding round include Capria Ventures, Angaza Capital, US-based Flatworld Partners and existing investor, Tencent. Helium Health intends to use this new investment to scale up operations and expand credit in the African healthcare sector.

Sandra Dozie

She is the Chief Executive Officer at Salpha Energy. She brings deep passion and proven business acumen in creating and implementing innovative business models for delivering off-grid solar solutions to communities and micro-enterprises in Nigeria.

Sandra also serves as Director at Dozzy Group, a conglomerate with holdings in diverse business segments from oil and gas, power generation, manufacturing and real estate across Nigeria.

Having worked with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation as a Sustainable Development Consultant, with a focus on clean energy and energy efficiency in industrial development for developing countries, Sandra holds advanced degrees from the University of Manchester and University of Dundee Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP).

Equipped by the diversity of her accomplishments, she offers a fresh, practical and futuristic paradigm in tackling the challenge of energy poverty globally.

Victoria James

At just three years old, the Veekee James luxury fashion brand stands shoulder to shoulder with some of the already established fashion brands in Nigeria and towers gigantic over some others that have been in operation for decades. Victoria James, the name behind the brand attributes it all to consistency, dedication, constantly improving on her craft and above all, God. Although her craft was inborn having understudied her mother who was and is still a seamstress, the urge to show forth what she is capable of forced her to abandon her tertiary education where she was studying for a degree in Biochemistry in order to focus on her passion. And she has not looked back since then. She broke fashion protocols in 2023 by making some very daring moves, this 2024, the world waits to see what next daring move she will be embarking on.

Samuel Okwuada and Victor Benjamin

This duo set up Remedial Health, an e-health startup that has developed solutions to make Africa’s pharmaceutical value chain more efficient. The start-up delivers a range of technology solutions that make it easier for healthcare providers to access affordable and genuine retail medicines, consumables and medical devices from manufacturers and distributors.

Remedial Health operates at the intersection of healthcare, supply chain management, technology and financial services, delivering the digital procurement infrastructure to power effective healthcare distribution for Africa’s 1.2 million pharmacies. Since commencing operation in the country, it has built an effective operating system for pharmaceutical buyers and suppliers, working with more than 300 manufacturers and serving more than 5,000 hospitals, pharmacies and PPMVs across 34 of Nigeria’s 36 states, with regional hubs to enable a seamless experience across the country.

In August 2023, the start-up announced that it raised $12 million in Series A equity-debt funding, with a mission to scale operations in the West African country, before expanding to the rest of Africa. The funding will enable Remedial Health to deepen the reach of these services across Nigeria and deliver more game-changing solutions to drive greater efficiency across the pharmaceutical value chain.

Bayo Lawal and Lukman Shobowale

They are the co-founders of and CEOs of Dukiya Investments, a real estate firm created on the notion of giving her quota to bridge the housing shortfall while also defining new trends in real estate development. In a country where the real estate industry seems saturated, both Bayo and Lukman bring a burst of fresh air with the way they broker deals for billions of naira. Their primary mission at Dukiya is to redefine comfort, create joy, and guide their clients’ homes safely. They aspire to extend their mission statement across all segments of society by enhancing their real estate experience sustainably while championing innovative housing solutions that tackle Nigeria’s current housing crisis estimated at 24 million.