Entertainment

Rema, Asake, Tems, and Ayra Starr get 2025 VMA nominations

Nigerian superstars Rema, Wizkid, Tems, and Asake are all nominated for the Best Afrobeats category alongside South African star Tyla and Ghanaian singer Moliy. Also nominated is Burna Boy, whose single ‘Higher’ earned the nod for the Best Video for Change, and Ayra Starr, who earned a nomination for Best Push Performance for ‘Last Heartbreak Song’ featuring Giveon.

Lady Gaga leads this year with 12 nominations, thanks to the success of her singles ‘Die With A Smile’, ‘Mayhem’, and ‘Abracadabra’. Bruno Mars is the second most nominated artist with 11 nods, boosted by his appearance on Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar is the third most nominated artist with 10 nods garnered from his album ‘GNX’ and hit single ‘Not Like Us’. The 2025 VMAs will take place on September 7, 2025.

Video of the Year
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – Timeless

Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Song of the Year
Alex Warren – Ordinary
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Doechii – Anxiety
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Gracie Abrams – I Love You, I’m Sorry
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Lorde – What Was That
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Tate McRae – Sports Car
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – Timeless

Best New Artist
Alex Warren
Ella Langley
Gigi Perez
Lola Young
Sombr
The Marías

Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Charli XCX
Justin Bieber
Lorde
Miley Cyrus
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae

MTV Push Performance of the Year, Presented by Bacardí® Rum
Ayra Starr – Last Heartbreak Song
Damiano David – Next Summer
Dasha – Bye Bye Bye
Gigi Perez – Sailor Song
Jordan Adetunji – Kehlani
Katseye – Touch
Lay Bankz – Graveyard
Leon Thomas – Yes It Is
Livingston – Shadow
Mark Ambor – Belong Together
Role Model – Sally, When the Wine Runs Out
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)

Best Collaboration, Presented by Under Armour
Bailey Zimmerman & Luke Combs – Backup Plan (Stagecoach Official Music Video)
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Luther
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Post Malone Featuring Blake Shelton – Pour Me a Drink
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Sunset Blvd

Best Pop
Alex Warren – Ordinary
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Best Hip-Hop
Doechii – Anxiety
Drake – Nokia
Eminem Featuring Jelly Roll – Somebody Save Me
Glorilla Featuring Sexyy Red – Whatchu Kno About Me
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
LL Cool J Featuring Eminem – Murdergram Deux
Travis Scott – 4×4

Best R&B
Chris Brown – Residuals
Leon Thomas & Freddie Gibbs – Mutt (Remix)
Mariah Carey – Type Dangerous
PartyNextDoor – No Chill
Summer Walker – Heart of a Woman
SZA – Drive
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – Timeless

Best Alternative
Gigi Perez – Sailor Song
Imagine Dragons – Wake Up
Lola Young – Messy
MGK & Jelly Roll – Lonely Road
Sombr – Back to Friends
The Marías – Back to Me

Best Rock
Coldplay – All My Love
Evanescence – Afterlife (From the Netflix Series “Devil May Cry”)
Green Day – One Eyed Bastard
Lenny Kravitz – Honey
Linkin Park – The Emptiness Machine
Twenty One Pilots – The Contract

Best Latin
Bad Bunny – Baile Inolvidable
J Balvin – Rio
Karol G – Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido
Peso Pluma – La Patrulla
Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos – Khé?
Shakira – Soltera

Best K-Pop
Aespa – Whiplash
Jennie – Like Jennie
Jimin – Who
Jisoo – Earthquake
Lisa Featuring Doja Cat & Raye – Born Again
Stray Kids – Chk Chk Boom
Rosé – Toxic Till the End

Best Afrobeats
Asake & Travis Scott – Active
Burna Boy Featuring Travis Scott – TaTaTa
Moliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea – Shake It to the Max (Fly) (Remix)
Rema – Baby (Is It A Crime)
Tems Featuring Asake – Get It Right
Tyla – Push 2 Start
Wizkid Featuring Brent Faiyaz – Piece of My Heart

Best Country

Chris Stapleton – Think I’m in Love With You
Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood – I’m Gonna Love You
Jelly Roll – Liar
Lainey Wilson – 4x4xU
Megan Moroney – Am I Okay?
Morgan Wallen – Smile

Best Album
Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Morgan Wallen – I’m the Problem
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

Best Long Form Video
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos (Short Film)
Damiano David – Funny Little Stories
Mac Miller – Balloonerism
Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

Video for Good
Burna Boy – Higher
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Doechii – Anxiety
Eminem Featuring Jelly Roll – Somebody Save Me
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Younger and Hotter Than Me
Zach Hood Featuring Sasha Alex Sloan – Sleepwalking

Best Direction
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Best Art Direction
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Lorde – Man of the Year
Miley Cyrus – End of the World
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.

Best Cinematography
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Miley Cyrus – Easy Lover
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild

Best Editing
Charli XCX – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From F1® the Movie)

Best Choreography
Doechii – Anxiety
FKA twigs – Eusexua
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Tyla – Push 2 Start
Zara Larsson – Pretty Ugly

Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – Brighter Days Ahead
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
Rosé & Bruno Mars – Apt.
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching (From F1® the Movie)
The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow

Entertainment

Housemates see each other naked almost every day – BBN’s Adekunle

Former Big Brother Naija housemate Adekunle Olapade has added his voice to the controversy surrounding intimate videos from the ongoing edition of the reality show. Tagged the 10 over 10 season, intimate videos of housemates on the Season 10 of the BBNaija show have been making the rounds online, and they have drawn criticism from a section of fans of the show.

Some of the intimate videos have involved housemates Koyin and Isabella, Jason Jae and Sultana, as well as evicted Kayikumi and Isabella.

However, addressing critics of the intimate videos during a podcast interview with Pulse, Adekunle described them as ‘hypocrites’ as he insisted that it is perfectly okay for two consenting adults to get intimate with each other if they so decide.

Drawing on his experience as a former housemate on the show, Adekunle noted that it is commonplace for housemates to see each other naked.

He therefore explained that it shouldn’t surprise anyone if two adults of opposite genders who have seen each other naked become sexually attracted to each other.

Adekunle said, “A lot of people who watch the Big Brother Naija reality show are very hypocritical. Secondly, there is actually nothing wrong with two people who like each other deciding to get intimate.

“All the housemates see each other naked, in case you don’t know. So, you cannot be in a house with someone you see without clothes almost every day and not be attracted to that person. It won’t work.”

Adekunle has appeared on the BBNaija show twice: first, in 2022, on the BBNaija ‘Level Up’ season, and then again as a housemate on the ‘All Stars’ season one year later.

Entertainment

Phyna’s sister passes away after a truck accident

Ruth’s death comes following her involvement in an accident where she was hit by a Dangote truck. The sad news was announced in a statement released via Phyna’s Instagram page on Sunday.

The statement reads, “We remain Solicitors to Ruth Otabor, Josephine Otabo (Whose moniker is Phyna) and the Otabor Family and have their instruction to inform the public this.

“With a heavy heart, the family regrets to announce the passing on to glory of their daughter, sister, and mother on this 31st Day of August 2025 at about 06:30.

“The Family is presently grieving and would appreciate being given a private moment to mourn the departed. The funeral arrangement will be communicated to the oubluc in due course.”

The news of Ruth’s demise comes hours after reports started spreading online that Phyna is down and has been hospitalised. A photo of Phyna lying on a hospital bed had gone viral online amid the reports.

However, Nollywood filmmaker Stanley Ontop has dismissed the reports as false, claiming the photo was not genuine but taken from a movie set in Asaba, where Phyna is currently working on a film.

He explained that the hospital scene was part of a production and that the medical props, including the drip and hospital gown, were costumes belonging to a local team member.

Initially believing she was truly hospitalised, Stanley said he felt misled after learning the image was staged.

He criticised Phyna for creating false impressions, especially after many people had publicly defended and supported her.

According to him, Phyna had only received minor treatment, such as drips and injections at her hotel, and was never admitted to any hospital.

He heavily fumed over what he described as a deliberate attempt to manipulate public sympathy, stating that such actions could damage credibility and trust.

Entertainment

Toke Makinwa welcomes a newborn baby girl

Nigerian media personality Toke Makinwa is on cloud nine after revealing the birth of her first child, a baby girl, after many years of waiting. She shared the big news on her Instagram page, where she posted pictures of her newborn holding her thumb, with the caption, “I’m a Mommy…… This is the happiest I’ve ever been.”

She also shared the names of the newborn, which included Yoruba, Hebrew, and English names that captured the blessings and beauty of her birth.

“Yakira Eliana, Olakitan, Iyanuoluwa, Ikeoluwa, Adunola, Meet my miracle, Yakira Eliana — Precious, Beloved — of great worth, My God has answered.”

Well-wishers have flooded the comment section of her Instagram posts, congratulating the 40-year-old, who joins the list of Nigerian celebrity mothers.

Media Personality Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Actor and Media Personality Uti Nwachukwu, actress Tonto Dike, and many other celebrities commented on the post.

Toke Makinwa’s baby is walking into the world with a wardrobe full of designers waiting for her.

In a post on her Instagram account, the media personality showed off the designer gifts her celebrity friends have showered the newborn with.

From luxury brands like Chanel, to personalised keepsakes, Toke described the unboxing as more than just showing off items, but a dream she had waited years to experience.

“For me, this is not just an unboxing video but such a priceless moment because I’ve waited so long to do this,” she wrote.

While celebrating the defining moment in her life, Toke shared a word of kindness and hope to all those waiting on a miracle, whether for marriage, children, health, or career breakthroughs.

“Live your life, you are not defined by what has not yet happened for you,” she encouraged.

For a celebrity who has been in the news for over a decade, Toke Makinwa’s pregnancy announcement expectedly sparked reactions online. Some accused her of faking the baby bump, which led Afrobeats queen Tiwa Savage and Nollywood box office giant Funke Akindele to speak in her defence.

In the world of celebrity babies, the newborn will be walking into a life of glitz and glamour as the biggest gift to one of Nigeria’s most talked-about celebrities.