Broadcasting
Here Are the Emerging Artists to Watch in 2023
Few things are quite as exciting as discovering new talent to listen to on repeat, add to your favourite playlists and lean on for emotional support over the course of the year.
For fans of African music on Spotify, 2023 promises another roll-call of amazing artists, ready to break through to fame and mainstream streaming success.
If anything, African music has consistently unfurled waves of new, fresh talent every year who have propelled the global interest in Afrobeats, Amapiano and its many other sub-genres. 2022 was a breakout year for artists like Buju, Costa Titch and Asake, whose success propelled them into Wrapped top lists at the end of 2022.
And while those talents took their voices to the main stage, a slew of rising stars was also laying the groundwork for their own breakout year. Some of these musicians are primed to release their best music in the coming months. Others have enjoyed early success on Spotify, and show many indications of even greater success on the horizon. Others are relatively new elements, developing new takes on familiar sounds that harken towards major shifts in popular music.
Hailing from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with a wide array of styles, cultures and perspectives, these artists are, according to Spotify data, the ones to watch in 2023.
KHAID
At 17, Khaid is a Gen Z starboy in every sense. His debut, With You was an instant darling, evoking a syrupy teenage love story at its crescendo. As part of a generation of artists first discovered on social media, Khaid’s songs resonate with a core online audience, inspiring many viral challenges. His Afrobeats inspirations come to the fore on songs like Akpako, but Khaid also shows his emo-trap side on Ski, a fave among young Nigerians in 2022.
TEMPOE
Known for his producer tag, MAD!, the young producer is behind some of Afrobeats’ biggest songs. A long-term friendship with CKay birthed the global smash Love, Nwantiti, now certified double platinum in the United States. 2022 showcased a new pace to Tempoe’s hit churning powers; he produced Joeboy’s viral hit, Alcohol and performed in Soweto, the global sensation by Spotify RADAR alumnus, Victony. With over a hundred million Spotify streams under his name, Tempoe is primed to deliver more hits this year.
POCO LEE
First introduced to fans for his dance skills, Poco Lee has since applied his skill set to crafting some of the biggest street pop hits of 2022. Poco Lee has built a huge fanbase by backing some of the most interesting emerging talent – including Bella Shmurda and HotKid. Whether it’s his ear for a future hit or his ability to put the right creatives in the same space, Poco Lee has blessed hit records like Otilo and YARD. Wherever Afrobeats goes this year, you’ll find Poco Lee cooking close by.
BAYANNI
Bayanni has hit 2023 running. The newest artist from Mavin, the house that produced Rema & Ayra Starr, introduced himself with an eponymous four-track EP in September 2022. Ta Ta Ta has risen on the shoulders of a viral social media challenge to become almost inescapable. And it has not stopped there, finding its way into the dressing rooms of Manchester City, where Algerian footballer, Riyad Mahrez chose the song to celebrate a stellar performance.
BRUME
With just one release under his name, Brume is still a mysterious entity to some. His song, Workaholic isn’t. Released in 2021, the unassuming hustler’s anthem extols the virtues of perseverance and hard work as the young singer pursues his own holy grail. Brume first drew attention with occasional freestyles on social media before Workaholic and as 2023 kicks off, ears are perked for what new music Brume has to offer.
YKB
Formerly known as YusufKanbai, YKB is an eclectic artist on many Ones to Watch lists. He’s released a number of cult favourites over the years and built a steady community while winning The One, a competition by online publisher Clout Nigeria. YKB leveled up with 2021’s Before I Blow, spinning fan favourites like Practice Patience and Oshofree. He’s converted even more fans with 2022’s San Siro, a football themed love story that has many convinced it’s YKB time.
KAESTYLE
Kaestyle boasts a certain dexterity with words and narratives that, aligned with soothing melodies, has eased him into libraries of many music fans. The singer‘s debut EP, Kae’s Study shows his ability to play in different lanes, offering drill on Moving Mad and some groovy Afropop on Blessings. His collaboration with Victony, True Love is an early fan pick, and fans will be eager to stream more easy hits from Kaestyle.
The heartbeat of Lagos is about to receive a powerful new rhythm as KONFAM 89.5 FM officially launches in Lagos tomorrow, Wednesday.
Kayode Adegbite, founder, KONFAM FM,
KONFAM FM, Kayode Adegbite, brainchild of seasoned entrepreneur and media innovator, is a cutting-edge radio station poised to redefine the broadcasting landscape in Nigeria.
It promises to bring a fresh, tech-driven, and culturally rich approach to radio transmission.
Described as a fusion of technology, creativity, and community, KONFAM FM aims to captivate Lagosians with content that speaks directly to their experiences.
Whether it’s music, news, entertainment, lifestyle, or talk shows, the station is built to reflect the soul of the city and the pulse of its people.
Adegbite is no stranger to transformation.
As CEO of MediaCrush Nigeria Ltd, a leading Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising company, he has spent the past decade revolutionizing how brands engage with audiences across Nigeria.
With over 20 years of experience spanning finance, marketing, and media, he is now channeling his vision into broadcasting.
“KONFAM is not just another radio station,” Kayode said in a pre-launch interview.
“It is a movement, a platform for authentic voices, compelling stories, and meaningful conversations that empower and entertain.”
From its sleek state-of-the-art studio in the heart of Lagos to its impressive lineup of on-air personalities and programs, KONFAM FM is designed to be interactive, engaging, and youth-focused.
Festus Sanmi Onifade, subscriber and legal practitioner, has withdrawn his lawsuit challenging alleged unfair price hikes by MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Also listed as a defendant in the suit is the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a notice of discontinuance, dated April 1, 2025, the claimant formally informed the court of his decision to wholly withdraw the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2025.
However, the notice, signed by Onifade, did not advance reasons for the withdrawal.
Onifade had earlier approached the court to challenge what he described as an unfair and unjust price increase announced by MultiChoice Nigeria, slated to take effect from March 15, 2025.
In the originating summons, he asked the court to determine, among other things, whether, given Section 128 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, and other relevant laws, the notice of the impending price increase issued by the first defendant was not unfair, unjust, grossly inadequate and a breach of his consumer rights; whether, considering the subsisting appeal in MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd & Ors v. Festus Onifade & Ors, the defendant was not stopped from further increasing the price of its services.
The suit centred on legal tussle between Onifade and MultiChoice over price hikes, which the claimant insisted were being implemented in defiance of regulatory standards and without adequate consumer engagement.
Uche Nnaji, minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has, said that the federal government has been exploring measures to curb the growing exploitation of satellite technologies, lamenting that Starlink, DStv, and a few other service providers pay ‘peanuts’ to operate in Nigeria.
According to him, some foreign investors have been known to find a way to bypass the system and deprive the government of its mandatory revenues.
The minister made the revelation at a stakeholders’ Workshop on Space Regulation organised by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) in Abuja.
Addressing the gathering, Nnaji noted that if the regulation of space is properly handled, it would not only boost revenue, it will also whittle down the growing activities of pipeline vandals, insurgents and criminal groups.
He said, “In the near future, we will move from the $ 1 trillion economy to $ 5 trillion. So with this space regulation and licensing. Starlink and most of them, including DSTV will come here, some will pay peanuts and shortchange Nigerians. These are part of what we want to address through this space regulation and license.
“You can be sure that yearly, if we are going by what my capacity DG of NASRDA has said, we will be looking at over N200 billion annually, with annual increment of 18-20 per cent. This is just one of the initiatives coming out of the agency.”
Continuing, Nnaji said the era of satellite pay-tv or radio losing signal when it is raining will soon be a thing of the past.
The minister said they have discovered some service providers are not operating on the right bandwidths hence the loss of signal when there is a change in weather.
“All these challenges of your TV or radio not working or losing signal whenever it is raining are because the DSTV and the likes are not hosting their equipment at the right bandwidth. They will host it at the lower bandwidth, where they will not spend money on the higher bandwidth.
“But with the regulation, we will force them to move it up to where it’s supposed to be. Because if you move it up to where it’s supposed to be, you won’t have any of those problems of losing signal as soon as it starts raining. So this is part of the many reforms that are going on under this very capable man, Dr. Olumide Adepoju.
KONFAM 89.5 FM Hits Airwaves in Lagos Tomorrow
CBN Pumps in Additional $150m into Forex Market to Safeguard Naira
Sanwo-Olu, Others Grace Launch of 50-Bed Hospital in Surulere by Avon Medical
GenCos Threaten Nationwide Blackout over N4 Trillion Debt
SERAP Calls for Withdrawal of Nigeria’s Data Act Amendment
E-Business1 day agoNITDA Warns Against Fake Google Play Store
News1 day agoNOA Uncovers Fraud by Banks, Universities in Students Loan Scheme
E-Financial1 day agoAfrica Loses $88.6Bn Yearly to Corruption- ECOWAS
E-Financial1 day agoUBA Redefines Banking with Next-Gen PoS Terminals and Revamped MONI App
General News1 day agoLagos Commences Integration of NIN with State Single Social Register
E-Financial1 day agoNIBSS Heads to Court to Recover N4Bn Lost due to System Glitch
E-Financial1 day agoSEC Bans Unregistered Digital Asset Exchanges, Online Forex Platforms
General News1 day agoNigeria Records $6.83Bn Balance of Payments Surplus in 2024 Amid Economic Reforms