Culture

Ghana’s Afua Asantewaa sets world record for longest singing marathon

Published

11 months ago

December 29, 2023

Ghana’s Afua Asantewaa Aduonum, on December 29, successfully ended her attempt at setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest singing marathon by an individual, after she exceeded the previous record set by India’s Sunil Waghmare.

The unheralded singer, who began her musical marathon dubbed, “afuaasantewaasingathon” on December 24, successfully sang for five days, incorporating various positions such as standing, lying down, sitting, and squatting into her act, accumulating a total of 126 hours of continuous singing.

Afua’s achievement thus eclipses the official record of 105 hours held by Waghmare, a renowned Indian singer.

While awaiting a confirmation of her record-breaking feat by GWR, Afua unofficially sang for 126 hours and 52 minutes, surpassing Waghmare’s mark by an additional 21 hours.

While Waghmare, who achieved fame in 2012 as the GWR holder for the longest singing marathon, started his musical journey at 14 and is a professional musician, Afua has always claimed that she is not a professional singer but only has a passion for music.

In the five days she was in the Akwaaba Village trying to set the record, thousands of her countrymen turned out to cheer her and rally support for her, including Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, A-list celebrities and top politicians.

After paying her a solidarity visit, Bawumia wrote in a social media post:

“Wishing Afua Asantewaa Aduonum all the best as she takes on the challenge of breaking the singathon record set by Indian singer Sunil Waghmare.

“Your passion and talent shine brightly, and I am confident you’ll definitely make history. Keep shining your heart out. We are with you.”

Ghanaian celebrities, who visited Afua include Nana Ama McBrown, Sista Afia, Cina Soul, Clemento Suarez, Lawyer Nti, and OB Amponsah, who all stormed the Akwaaba village to offer her their support.

Click to comment

Culture

Chidimma Adetshina makes history as she emerges first runner-up for Miss Universe 2024

Published

14 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Chidimma Adetshina, Nigeria’s representative at the 73rd Miss Universe Competition held in Mexico, made history as she finished as the first runner-up at the pageant.

The reigning Miss Universe Nigeria finished on the podium of the event held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Sunday morning after an electrifying final face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women looked poised to claim the crown.

Adetshina, who competed against over 120 contestants from around the world, delivered Nigeria’s best-ever performance in the prestigious competition.

The competition, which was described as one of the most thrilling in recent years, celebrated the talents, intelligence, and elegance of women from around the globe.

A post by the pageant organizers on Instagram said:

“The final two! Nigeria and Denmark, two incredible women, one unforgettable moment.

“Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.”

The top five were rounded out by Miss Mexico, María Fernanda Beltrán Figueroa, in third place, along with contestants from Thailand and Venezuela.

This year’s pageant was celebrated as one of the most inclusive in Miss Universe history, featuring first-time entries from Iran and Somalia and an expanded lineup of 30 semifinalists, showcasing greater diversity and global representation.

Chidimma’s path to the Miss Universe Nigeria was controversial at best as she had previously entered the Miss South Africa pageant but withdrew following criticism of her nationality and allegations from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs concerning her mother’s documents.

She was later invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria and emerged as the winner of the beauty pageant ahead of 24 other contestants.

Culture

Tyla set to drop new single ‘Tears’ on November 20

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

South African “Ampiona” crooner, Tyla, is set to thrill her fans to her new single titled, “Tears’, which is set to drop on November 20.

According to a statement by her management team, Tyla’s fans should expect something different from the “Water” singer as she is set to release a brand-new single in collaboration with Coke Studio.

“This exciting partnership follows her announcement as part of the Coke Studio 2024 line-up alongside R&B star Usher Raymond in September,” the statement said.

Tyla who is fondly called the “Pretty girl from Joburg,” also took to her Instagram page to share the news with her fans.

Posting a snippet of the video on her Instagram story with the caption, “‘Tears’ coming November 20th! A song in partnership with @CocaCola”, confirming the November release date, she urged her fans to look forward to something different from what they are used to.

The brand has also shared on its social media platforms that Tyla will be performing this highly-anticipated single when she returns to Johannesburg, South Africa, at a special Coke Studio live event.

In an interview with Coke Studio, the 22-year-old singer shared how she breaks away from her original sound with “Tears”.

“I feel like in a lot of my songs, I’m dancing a lot. I really wanted a song where I could just sing, be more raw with people, and showcase my voice this time,” she said.

Snippets from the new single has showcases Tyla’s enchanting vocals, revealing a more vulnerable side that is different from her previous work.

“Breaking away from the amapiano and pop sound she’s best known for, Tyla embarks on an exciting new journey with this project,” one of the reviews said.

“Through “Tears”, she wants to connect with listeners in a raw, captivating way as she partners with Coke Studio to bring this new sound to life.’