Everyone will agree that Bukola Folayan a.k.a. Bouqui is a queen as far as Nigeria’s gospel music is concerned.

Bouqui
It’s a talent that has taken her places and won her awards locally and internationally. It is a blessing she plans to make others enjoy too as recently, she disclosed that she will be launching an open mic show that seeks to discover new talents.

According to Bouqui “the concept of the contest is for the people to express their talent and art in a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

We discovered there are fewer opportunities for Christian artistes to express themselves and we want to provide a platform such as this” Bouqui says that participating artistes are expected to be “creative, have strong lyrics, must be earnest in their expression and be ready to alter acceptable norms.”

“I’m really excited about this. We planned D’Attic as an opportunity to have freestyle battles, poetry and spoken word all in a relaxed atmosphere. We are positive everyone who attends this event will enjoy it.”D’Attic which made its yesterday Friday, the 29th, holds every last Friday of the month.

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Tragedy struck on board a Lagos bound New York flight when 72-year-old highlife musician and guitarist, Alaba Pedro died while returning to Nigeria from a playing tour in the United States. He died two hours into a 12-hour flight from New York to Lagos.

According to agency report, the band had left Nigeria for the United States on a musical performance last Tuesday under the directorship of a Nigerian US-based promoter, Kunle Tejuosho.

Alaba
It quoted Fatai as saying upon landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos that the late Pedro was discovered to have been very weak while they were leaving their hotel for the airport.

He said the airline crew got confirmation from the late musician that he could make the flight. But one hour into the flight, the late Pedro was said to have developed breathing problems and started panting for breath.

He said medical personnel on board made frantic efforts to save him. He said the late Pedro had been ill for some time but ignored warnings from him and other members of the band to watch his excessive consumption of alcohol throughout their stay in the US.

The journal reports that Sunday Pedro, the first and eldest son of the late musician, who came to the airport to receive his father, was shocked to hear of his death.

The bereaved son, who was short of words, described his father‘s death as ‘an act of God‘. He said the family members would be contacted on the burial arrangements.

On the possible impact of the sudden death of their band member on the band, Pa Fatai Rolling Dollars said it was ‘sad‘ and ‘unexpected‘.

He, however, assured that it would not lead to the disbandment of the band.

Before his death, Pedro was a member of the Faaji Agba musical group led by Fatai Rolling Dollars.

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Toni Payne-Akande sent out a subliminal wedding anniversary shout out to her estranged hubby 9ice on Twitter.The message could not have been for 9ice who has been off the micro blogging site for sometime; but, for the discerning ones among Toni’s nearly 15,000 followers. ‘July 17, 2011…‘ she first wrote through her handle.

Then she adds ‘More important than love is true friendship. This alone can withstand all the ups and downs and still keep us standing. 3 yrs… God is GREAT!‘.

9ice and Tony
For those who don’t know, 9ice exchanged wedding vows with Toni on July 17, 2008 at the Surulere registry in Lagos. It was a hush hush wedding, planned in a hurry, and with only very few guests in attendance.

The bride was already heavily pregnant. The groom’s parents we conspicuously absent at the registry. The media celebrated their union; many were fascinated by their love story.

To the casual eyes, the marriage seemed made in heaven. But those who spent time with the pair feared the marriage was a union of convenience and it was only a matter of time before the centre would fall.

And things did fall apart in 2010 when the couple announced their separation. By January 8 when they issued the statement, they had already been living apart for months; and 9ice was already allegedly dating again.

It’s difficult to say exactly what caused the collapse of this union we all so admired. Because, the stories vary, depending on who you are and who you’re listening to.

Toni’s loyalists claim he beat her up and kicked her out, after she confronted him about affairs he was allegedly having. 9ice’s buddies insist Toni was troublesome and violent and totally impossible.

They also allege, that 9ice decided to take a walk, after he realized his wife and his friend Ruggedman had actually dated prior to him meeting Toni through Ruggedman (Toni and Ruggedman continue to deny this and no one has come out with any evidence to prove them wrong). The controversies that followed their separation are well documented; the relationships it destroyed remain in memory.

And now, there’s a whole new angle, as those close to the couple would want us to believe; as Toni’s Tweets suggest, and as our investigations reveal.

The pair is, as a matter of fact, considering reconciliation, trying for the umpteenth time, to see if they can save their marriage. The wedding anniversary tweet from Toni is one of many she’s written in recent times, suggesting she’s found some love for 9ice again.

She freely mentions him in her tweets, and promotes his appearances. On July 20 she wrote ‘Tune in to Rhythm 93.7, 9ice in the building‘.

And away from social media, we’re told they’ve met a couple of times, and, apart from their son Zion, one other key issue they’re speaking about is the possibility of ‘shaming intruders’ and getting back together as husband and wife. We’re unable to confirm for now, who’s initiating the talks, or whether they’ve actually reached an agreement.

‘It’s complicated‘, one of 9ice’s closest friends tells us. ‘You know 9ice has his twins in Abuja, he’s really keen to move on; but also, I think he may be confused because you really don’t know what tomorrow holds. Yes he and Toni have been seeing, but I can’t say for sure whether she’s moving back in or if 9ice is even considering that.‘

Another source tells us ‘They’re no longer fighting. Even when all the twins’ drama was on, Toni was determined not to let anything let her go wild again. She’s fond of 9ice, and in spite of what has happened, she’s talking to him about their future together. 9ice, whose star has dimmed in recent times, currently spends time between Lagos and Abuja, plotting a big comeback and working to get a university degree.

Toni, who lived in the US for years, has remained in Nigeria; living in Surulere with family. And she’s doing even better, business wise, than when she was with 9ice. She’s worked with W4, Adol, Olamide and Zara to give us some of the most impressive songs of 2010/2011.

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let me know when the next Episode will be out so i can prepare my muscle for it.

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MTN Project Fame West Africa Season 4 Registration has started. MTN Project Fame is a music talent competition which creates the opportunity of a lifetime for 18 naturally gifted individuals to end up becoming music superstars.

These lucky 18 hopefuls were chosen from a round of auditions and will be taken to the Performance Academy where they will live throughout the duration of Project Fame competition. They will be trained and coached into becoming music professionals by members of the Faculty. The Faculty is a group of music professionals whose main responsibility is to teach and train the contestants.

While in the Fame Academy, contestants will be filmed 24/7, a daily thirty minute show will air on several TV stations all over the country from Monday to Friday. Each Sunday the contestants will all perform. After their individual performances, the judges and members of the faculty will comment and afterwards members of the public get to vote for the contestant who they think had the best performance.

How to Register for Project Fame West Africa Season 4
Download and save an application form
Print and fill the form.
In Nigeria only, a pin is required to complete your form.
To receive a PIN, text your name to 35850 .
Ensure you keep the two text messages (requesting and receiving a PIN).
The PIN is compulsory for auditions in Nigeria only.

Complete your Application Form
Then train for the Audition coming to a city near you very soon
Bring your completed form to the audition centre.
The date for the auditions will be announced later.

Click here to download the application form

Click here for more information

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The Peak Talent Show invites applications from participants all over nigeria for Peak Talent Show 2011 edition. Are you talented? Do you have a special gift or talent? Acrobats/ jugglers, singers, ventriloquists, mimers, instrumentalists, dancers, comedians etc Showcase any kind of talent that you have.

About Peak Talent Show Nigeria 2011
The Peak Talent Show is all about giving participants from all over Nigeria the opportunity to showcase any special talent with a good amount of entertainment value which is then broadcast to TV viewers across the country targeted at mothers 22-45 years of families in the ABC1 SEC.

The Peak Talent Show, will kick off as screenings and auditions in 6 zones made up of 11 Nigerian cities viz-a-viz Abuja, Makurdi, Enugu, Owerri, Calabar, Uyo, Benin, Asaba, Ibadan, Akure and Lagos in search of extraordinary talents .

4 acts are selected by a seasoned panel of judges from each zone, to represent their various zones at an elimination/summary show in Lagos where the 24 acts  are reduced to 12 acts through a combination of judges decision and viewers votes.

The qualifying 12 acts will be treated to 5-star travel and accommodation in the Peak Talent House, where they go through weekly performance, judged by reputable judges and public voting, and losing acts are evicted through weekly eviction shows.

Prizes
1st Prize:  N10 Million Naira Package
2nd Prize: N1 Million Naira and IPad2 each
3rd Prize:  N1 Million Naira and IP ad2

Audition Dates and Venues
1.) Abuja
Audition Date: 29th - 30th July, 2011
Audition Venue: Press Centre Radio House, Herbert Macaulay Road, Area 10

2.)  Makurdi
Audition Date:  29th - 30th July, 2011
Audition Venue:  Haf Haven Hotels, plot 1985 Atiku Abubakar Roundabout.

3.)  Enugu
Audition Date: 5th - 6th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Blue Island Hotel & Suites, 12 Bissalla Road, Independence Layout.

4.)  Owerri
Audition Date: 5th - 6th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Cooncord Hotel, Concord Avenue, Off Port Harcourt Road, Owerri.

5.)  Calabar
Audition Date: 12th - 13th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Adrian's Place, Plot 171 Asari Eso Layout, Off CC Road.

6.)  Uyo
Audition Date: 12th - 13th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Francines Place.

7.)  Benin
Audition Date:  19th - 20th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Oxygen Ent. Ltd, 42 Aiguobesimwin Crescent GRA, Benin.

8.)  Asaba
Audition Date: 19th - 20th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Hotel Beniza, 1-4 Kingsley Emu Sttreet, Behind Fine Homes, off Surmit Road.

9.)  Ibadan
Audition Date: 26th - 27th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Premier Hotel, Makola Hill.

10.)  Akure
Audition Date: 26th - 27th August, 2011
Audition Venue: Owen Motels, Parliament Road, Alagbaka.

11.)  Lagos
Audition Date: 2nd - 3rd September, 2011
Audition Venue: Adebola House, Opebi Road, Ikeja.

Application Deadline
24th July, 2011

How to Register
Click Here to Register Online

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Maltina Dance All 2011 - Season 5 Registration

Maltina Dance All - Welcome to the fifth exciting season of Nigeria's premiere dance TV Reality Show – Maltina Dance All 2011. The show has kept viewers amazed and inspired as talented dancing families showcased their moves in steps from Hip Hop, Jive, Pantomine, Wazobia and Salsa in the chance to become Nigeria's No.1 Dance Family.

Maltina Dance All 2011 Registration
An initiative of The Nations No.1 Malt Drink, Maltina, MDA as is mostly called has traveled across the country from Lagos to Benin, Enugu, Jos, Abuja and Owerri, in search of dancers who represent the best in Nigeria with fun and excitement. The Maltina dance all team has spread their tentacles across the six geographical locations of the nation, searching for the best talent in dance, along with a supportive and equally good dance family.

Maltina Dance All Season 5 Registration
About the Show
The show is in Two parts :

   1. Competition
   2. Academy

At the competition, the best dancers are rewarded on the spot, following a very keenly contested competition across age bands.

On day 2, the aim of the competition is to select suitable family representatives that would lead their various family members into the maltina dance all academy.

Having been selected, they go through a number of fitness tests, 15 successful ones are invited along with their families to compete for a place in the academy.

In the academy, dancers go through some dance training from professional dance instructors. They then perform the dance style learnt and are graded by dance professionals as well.

3 families make it to the grand finale which is a one-hour show, transmitted live.

Prizes

1st prize Winner:

    * Family SUV + 5 Million

2nd Prize Winner:

    * 1 Million Naira


3rd Prize Winner:

    * 500,000 Naira


Maltina Dance All 2011 Regional Audition, Venues and Dates

Abuja

    * Nicon luxury hotel Garki Abuja  22 & 23 rd July 2011

Enugu:

    * Dannic hotel , New Haven, Enugu 22 & 23 rd July 2011

Port Harcourt:

    * The Atrium, Stadium Road, PH 28 & 29th July 2011

Ibadan:

    * Jogor Center, Liberty Road, Ibadan 29th & 30th July 2011

Benin:

    * Excalibur Hotel, GRA, Benin City 5th & 6th August 2011

Lagos:

    * National Arts Theater Iganmu 5th and 6th August 2011


How To Participation
To participate, Nigerians of all ages can fill forms online or can pick up/drop off forms at designated points. Forms will also be made available at the Screening centers to enable those who did not register online to fill out forms and register at the screening centers.

Eligibility
The regional competition is open to all age categories, while only dancers within 18-30 age category qualify for the Reality/Academy.

How To Register
Interested applicants should register online.
Click here to register online

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The BET Awards took place last night at the Shrine Auditorium in LA and in a very odd twist our peeps Tuface Idibia and D’Banj won Best International Act For Africa. Nope it wasn’t as a group, but supposedly it was a tie between them. Fally Ipupa (Congo DR) D-Black (Ghana), Angelique Kidjo (Benin), and Teargas (South Africa) were also nominated in that category.

Pretty odd to have a tie, and give the same award to 2 people. But congrats to them both. Nigeria owned that category :)

COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS

Best Male R&B Artist

Chris Brown – Winner

Cee-Lo Green

Bruno Mars

Trey Songz

Usher




Best Group

Diddy Dirty Money – Winner

Cali Swag District

N.E.R.D.

New Boyz

Travis Porter



Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Nicki Minaj – Winner

Diamond

Cymphonique

Lola Monroe



Best Male Hip Hop Artist

Kanye West – Winner

B.o.B

Drake

Lil Wayne

Rick Ross



Best Collaboration


Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes, “Look At Me Now” – Winner

B.o.B ft. Haley Williams of Paramore, “Airplanes”

Kanye West ft. Rihanna, “All of the Lights”

Chris Brown ft. Tyga & Kevin McCall, “Deuces”

Waka Flocka Flame ft. Roscoe Dash & Wale, “No Hands”

Rihanna ft. Drake, “What’s My Name”



Best New Artist


Wiz Khalifa – Winner

J. Cole

Bruno Mars

Miguel

Willow Smith



YoungStars Award – TIE


Jaden Smith – Winner

Willow Smith – Winner

Shenell Edmonds

Keke Palmer

Diggy Simmons



Best Gospel


Mary Mary – Winner

Byron Cage

Deitrick Haddon

Karen Clark Sheard

BeBe & CeCe Winans



Centric Award


Marsha Ambrosius – Winner

Eric Benét

Cee-Lo Green

R. Kelly

Kem



Best International Act (Africa) – TIE


2Face Idibia (Nigeria) – Winner


D’ Banj (Nigeria) – Winner

D-Black (Ghana)

Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)

Angelique Kidjo (Benin)

Teargas (South Africa)

D'banj Nigeria

Tuface (Nigeria)

Best International Act (UK)


Tinie Tempah – Winner

VV Brown

Chipmunk

Laura Izibor

Skepta

Tinchy Stryder



Best Actress


Taraji P. Henson – Winner

Halle Berry

Regina King

Zoë Saldana

Kerry Washington



Best Actor


Idris Elba – Winner

Laz Alonso

Chris Brown

Don Cheadle

Jamie Foxx



Best Movie


For Colored Girls – Winner

Death at a Funeral

Takers

The Book of Eli

Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married, Too?



Sportswoman of the Year


Serena Williams – Winner

Tamika Catchings

Candice Dupree

Maya Moore

Venus Williams



Sportsman of the Year


Michael Vick – Winner

Carmelo Anthony

Kobe Bryant

LeBron James

Derrick Rose



Viewers Choice Award

Chris Brown – Look at Me Now



Lifetime Achievement Award


Patti LaBelle



Humanitarian Awards

Steve Harvey

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She wowed thousands at Glastonbury a week ago and Beyonce has now seen her new album shoot straight to number one, according to the Official Charts Company.

The album, called 4, was released in the UK on June 27 - a day after her headline performance at the festival.

Its meteoric entry means that Beyonce now has two albums in the top 40, with her 2008 effort I Am... Sasha Fierce still at 38.

It's the second time the pop diva has scored a number one in the UK album chart after her solo debut Dangerously In Love reached the summit in 2003.

Beyonce also made it straight into the singles chart this week at number three with Best Thing I Never Had, and Irreplaceable at 38.

But a relatively unchanged singles chart was topped for a second week running by R&B singer/songwriter Jason Derulo's Don't Wanna Go Home.

Coldplay crept into the singles chart with a number 40 entry for In My Place, a track they originally released in 2002.

The previous week's number one album, Lady Gaga's Born This Way, was knocked back down to number three.

Adele continues to have two albums in the top five with 21 at number two and 19 at number five.

There were two new entries in the album chart's top 10, Biffy Clyro's Revolutions/Live At Wembley and Kaiser Chiefs' The Future is Medieval. Revolutions/Live At Wembley is a double CD/DVD set which comes with a documentary, a poster, stickers, a tour programme and even some confetti from a Wembley gig Biffy Clyro played in December 2010.

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