Nigerian Music Stars Dominate the Global Stage in One Weekend
In a striking display of international influence, several leading Nigerian Afropop artists took centre stage across multiple continents over the weekend, signalling the genre’s accelerating global reach.
In New York City, Asake headlined the Red Bull Symphonic concert at Brooklyn’s historic Kings Theatre, where his biggest tracks were re-imagined with a live orchestra. The show featured surprise appearances by Wizkid, Gunna, Central Cee, Tiakola and Fridayy, underlining the cross-genre appeal of Nigerian talent. At the event, Asake also premiered a new track ahead of his upcoming album.
Meanwhile, in the United Arab Emirates, Davido, a Grammy nominee, electrified fans at Dubai’s Coca‑Cola Arena with a stop on his “5IVE ALIVE” tour, demonstrating Afropop’s growing footprint in the Middle East.
Over in the Caribbean, Nigerians were again the highlight as Olamide and Ruger commanded the stage at Afro Nation Punta Cana (Nov 7-9), drawing massive crowds and social-media buzz.
On the South American side, Tems represented Nigeria at AFROPUNK Brasil in Salvador, Bahia, performing on Sunday within an event celebrating African and diasporic culture.
In Europe, Kizz Daniel gave a full-band performance in Stockholm, Sweden, and BNXN (formerly Buju) lit up London’s Indigo at The O2 on Nov 7 as part of his “Captain Tour”. Rising star Fave also performed in Manchester, further illustrating the reach of Nigeria’s new talent wave.
UK-based media personality Adesope Olajide (known as “Shopsydoo”) captured the vibe on Instagram, describing the artists as “ambassadors promoting our culture and bringing nothing but positivity to our people and the rest of the world”.
These performances across New York, Dubai, the Caribbean, Brazil, Sweden and the UK within a single weekend underscore how Nigerian music, and Afropop in particular, is no longer simply a continental phenomenon but a truly global movement.