Kenyan Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, 31, has been named the world’s most beautiful person for 2014 by People magazine.
She said she “never dreamed” she would be praised for her looks and find herself on the US weekly’s cover.
Nyong’o shot to fame in the film 12 Years a Slave, winning the Oscar for best supporting actress last month.
She subsequently won her first major endorsement when she became the new face of French cosmetics giant Lancome.
Nyong’o said it was “exciting and a major, major compliment” to be on the cover of People.
“I was happy for all the girls who would see me on it and feel a little more seen,” she is quoted by the magazine as saying.
She received an Academy Award this year in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Patsey in the Steve McQueen-directed film.

One of Uganda’s forgotten reggae artistes, Henry Tigan  resurrected musically after setting up an exciting music performance at Peppbles bar in Bugolobi on Friday evening.

The Alex Muhangi hosted event dubbed Soul and Motown saw Henry Tigan perform most of his now forgotten songs like Muzude, Aneganye, Empisa Za Nzikoye, Wadawa and many more.
In a post event interview, Tigan revealed that he is back in full swing and fans should expect new hits soon.
“I am back and fresh quality music will be out soon. My fans, be sure you will enjoy what you have been missing. The king has returned.”
It is alleged that Henry Tigan’s music career was thrown in a ditch he started abusing drugs like Marijuana and Alcohol.

One of the Gambia’s kora ambassadors and lead singer of the Kaira band - Pa Bobo Jobarteh has released a sign single dubbed ‘Respect’. The new single featured the newly crowned king of Kora –Jaliba Kuyateh of the Kumareh Band.
The 36 year-old Brikama Sanchaba born musician, who has been away for a while, believes this latest track is another inspirational move in his quest to broaden his endless creativity to the world. Starting his solo career at the age of 11, Pa Bobo as widley call in the  music scene has survived the test of time and plays a lead role in nurturing and propagating the art of Kora among the younger generation.
In an interview with What’s On, Pa Bobo explained that the new single is the second hit track in the town after his famous Kairo song called ‘Peace, Love and Unity’.
Going by what is happening in the world today, the star in the song called on people especially the young ones to respect each other especially the elderly.  To him without respect and love,there couldn’t be any  meaningful national development . “I’ve released  many tracks, but  people seem to be un aware of them. Pa Bobo, is one of the country’s greatest kora players who is promoting Gambian music outside; and has travelled far and wide which  accorded him the  opportunity to robbed shoulders with many great stars in the west.
Currently, he is working on a  track about the President which is supposed to be officially  out as part of celebrations marking the great July 22nd anniversary. ‘Gambians should be proud of our own artistes, especially the upcoming artistes, as they are really trying” he said.
While, urging people  to help  Gambian artistes, Pa Bobo also advised  his fellow artistes to sing about something meaningful which the children can learn from, than singing or insulting each other.
It could be recall that it was in the year 2004, when he released his hit track Kaira which was appreciated by many.  Later on, he dropped another captivating song -‘Badinya’ and ‘Africa War’, which were all recorded in his ‘Touba Bai Faal’s Studio’.

In a testament to her fearlessness and anticipation of her summer tour of Europe TMD Recording artist Tenza continues to build, her ever growing fan based with the released of her brand new single “Go wild” for free download to her fans.
“I started working on this record more than a year ago, because when I gave something for free I want it to be good and since then, I have found my creative clarity on the direction I wanted it to sound like and the energy I want it to have”. It was almost a whole surge of fresh energy, and I pushed myself to be even more creative,” Tenza explains.
“ Go Wild” is available for free download from Tenza official website www.tenzamusic.com,  Di Boss Lady is now set to depart the UK for her Summer Tour of Europe which will kick off in Spain and Andorra where she will performed four live show between June 30th and July 7th. 

Singer Shuga has launched a campaign pushing for more play on local radio for female artistes.
On her new song, Ride The Riddim, she takes aim at disc jockeys, appealing for equal air-time with male acts.
"I think we should just drop off the songs at the library and if the songs are good, they deserve to be played," Shuga told the media.
She claims she has heard disc jockeys 'juggling a riddim' on which female artistes have recorded, yet their songs are not played.
"Being female in the industry is not an easy task unless you have an aggressive male around you," she said.
The 2009 Digicel Rising Stars winner believes there are several female artistes who are being overlooked by Jamaican radio.

"Tessanne Chin is the perfect example. If she didn't go to The Voice, she would not have been getting some of the breaks now," Shuga stated. "Many people think Hideaway is the only song she recorded, but she has so many more, they are just not being played."

Shuga's campaign officially got underway at the Countryside Club in St Andrew on Thursday, with a show dubbed 'Ebony Empowering Sisterhood' which had an all-female cast.

She also used the forum to launch the video for Ride The Riddim.

Even though female dancehall/reggae artistes have recorded gold and platinum albums, Shuga believes more needs to be done for them to gain recognition.

"We need to start thinking outside the box if we are to win international awards like a Grammy," she said.

Tenza De Bosslady Summer Tours kicks off in Spain. The crazy waistline artist spoke to Jah-africa about the preparation for the Tour and a lot more.

 

Have you perform in Spain before?

Yes I have, 2 years ago in Madrid, I perform at the gay pride and earlier this year in Benidorm at the IWADA event.

How are you feeling about returning to Spain, to performing at a totally different kind of event, which is not music orientated?

I am looking forward to it, it’s a hair fashion show, and I love crazy hair and fashion in general, so I will sure be feeling at home. The audience maybe different from the audience I normally perform to. However I am a versatile artist, I have songs and style to entertain various crowds; so I am feeling excited.

Where can people expect to find you this summer?

Spain, Austria, UK slough, UK Luton, Switzerland, Denmark and my team is still waiting on some confirmation for other places.


How have you prepared for your tour, what is your preparation based around?

 My tour preparation is based on been prepared physically, spiritually and mentally.  Most of my show entails an hour performance. I am an artist full of energy so I have to ensure my body and mind are prepared totally, to enable full satisfaction to my audiences.

I have been training in the gym, doing boxing, I have been rehearsing, also swimming and keyboard lesson to relax my mind. I have been eating a lot but healthy that all the preparation for my tour so far.

Your Charity has been doing very well supporting schools all over how does this make you feel

I am very pleased and over joy! I have been receiving support from various companies more than I expected, I just have to keep giving thanks to Jah to keep guiding me on this mission.

 We know you have sponsored a school in Gambia earlier this year. What school are you sponsoring next?

 I will be sponsoring a school in Jamaica. The Bucking Primary school that’s the school I attend when I was younger. I am feeling blessed and excited to give back to my school.

What can people expect from you in the coming months?

 Lots of new releases, mixtape, album and videos, radio show ,TV show a lot is in the pipeline. After my visits to my home Jamaica, I will be heading back to Gambia with Bosslady Charity Team, to complete my school mission there, then moving on to Kenya to my next chosen school.

 How can your fans keep up to date with your movements?

I am every where! They can find me at the following links.

I love my fans to the maximum! mauhhh!

www.tenzamusic.com

www.tenzafansite.com

www.tmdrecords.co.uk

www.facebook.com/tenzafanpage

www.twitter.com/bossladycahrity

@tenzafoster

@tmdrecordz

Instagram @bossladytenza

Catch Tenza live in spain June 5th and 6th

Ninja president Wallace Chirumiko, popularly known as Winky D, has dropped a sizzling single titled “Pazvikona” in which he blasts the elderly for failing to discipline the youths. The song offers the singer’s view on social vices that are rampant among the urban youths, specifically drug abuse.Commenting on the track, Winky D’s manager Jonathan Banda said this is a wake-up call to the senior people to be exemplary to the youths.
“Winky D provides empirical insights into how appalling the situation has become in the context of abuse done by the youths and older brothers everyday.“It is now difficult to encourage the youths to stop taking drugs when they are now doing it with senior people.
“We have lost our culture and something must be done to curb this virus spreading in our society
“Thus he tries to come up with a panacea for addressing destructive youth behaviours.”
The chorus goes: “Mirai kusimbisana pazikona, ndinopa mhosva kunemi madzikoma vana vazhinji varikurasika imi muchiona.
“Angokutengera pint atove mukoma nyamba izera remwana wawakazvara . . . vakuru dziripi tsika dzedu . . . ”
The song was released under Vigilance Music last week and the riddim was produced by Bhobho.
Early this year, the “ Musarova Bigman” hit-maker also made headlines when he fused dancehall music with sungura on his hit song titled “Sungura Like”.
The track also teaches importance of African culture and creating culturally acceptable content rather than imitating international music without due consideration of our morals and ethics as Zimbabweans or Africans.

Does marriage bring blessings or misfortune to female artistes? This question boggles the mind considering how female musicians struggle to keep their careers after marriage. Do you remember Betty Makaya who hogged the lime light with song “Kurwizi” in 2004 that saw her clinching a prestigious award as the Best Urban Grooves Artiste?
She also made headlines with the hit songs “Amai”, “Ndakusuwa” and “Wakaenda” before she went into oblivion.
For years, she was off the limelight until it was discovered that she got married and relocated to South Africa.
Though she tried to revive her career with two singles “Chokwadi” and “Maybe” last year, she could not reach the bar she set for herself before her marriage.
She was quoted saying, “I have always been singing for as long as I can remember. So let’s just say I have never stopped music, but I only took a break five years ago.”

Biblically it is known that marriage is a blessing from God but one wonders why for most female artistes, marriage seems to signify a career downfall.

Our local music industry gave birth to talented female artistes, who made names for themselves but where are they now?
Can it be that they married men that do no support their careers or marriages become their ultimate achievements in life.
Gospel sensation Bethany Pasinawako became very popular before getting married. After marriage she has produced nothing in eight years. She seems to have faded into a back up vocalist for other singers like Mathias Mhere, Sabastian Magacha and Trymore Bande.
The “Ndinzverei” hit–maker said she has not recorded because she was focusing on her marriage and studies.
Amanda Sagonda last year tried to revive her fame when she acted on a local drama “Gringo Troublemaker” and even promised her fans an album that never was.

Her last album was “Jesu Havakundikane” which was released in 2006, the same year she got married to Request Machimbira. The “Jesu Number One” singer said her long abscence from the music scene was a result of her mother’s death in 2008. She said her mother was her source of inspiration.

In 2012 Plaxedes Wenyika made the headlines when she announced that she was quitting her marketing job to focus on her music career. It had been 10 years without releasing an album.

The soul singer made her name with her first two albums “Tisaparadzane” (2002) and “Kamumhanzi” (2004).
She later released “Sentiments” in 2007 and “Full Circle” in 2009 and “Brighter Day”. But she has since gone quiet.
While it is believed that once a woman marries they get committed to family issues more than their careers there are some female artistes who have done well proving that women are good at multitasking.
There are examples of musicians like Fungisai Zvakavapano- Mashavave, Caroline Mujokoro, Dudu Manhenga, Sandra Ndebele among others who have done well both at home and career-wise.
Fungisai said she has maintained her presence because she has a supportive husband.
“Of course demands are very high as mother but it is made easier if your marital partner supports you,” she said.
“It depends with how passionate and determined you are about your career and having a supportive husband is just the icing on the cake,” said afro jazz singer Dudu Manhenga.

Gagamel Phamily boss Big Size Bebe cool has blasted DJs, TV and Radio Stations that opt to play more of Nigerian and Jamaican music than Ugandan music.
“I personally pity them coz they do not have a single idea how hard it was to push out Lingala music making Ugandan music a priority hence creating jobs for our brothers and sisters who today r stars.,” charged Bebe Cool on Social Media.

The Kokodiosis singer further advised his fellow musicians to ignore the Djs who promote Nigerian Music instead of Ugandan music.

“My advice to Ugandan artists, ignore all Ugandan DJS, TVS and Radio Stations who opt to play Nigerian music more than Ugandan.”
He however applauded the patriotic DJs who have made it a point to play Ugandan Music before.
“I fully respect all DJs who are taking Ugandan music as a priority and all the other music next.
Am not saying Nigerian music should not be played, it should be played as much as any other country music but Ugandan music must be played more. Patriotism (don’t forget in Nigeria they play Nigerian music more).”
This is not the first time people are coming up to blast the DJs for playing more of Nigerian and Jamaican Music.
Last month a concerned Uganda wrote a letter the Ugandan DJs complaining about the same issue however the DJs argue that Uganda Music still lacks quality and that the musicians should put in much effort to produce quality work.