Entertainment
AMA 2026 Full Winners List: Tyla Stuns Burna Boy, Wizkid and Rema in Biggest Upset of the Night
She came, she competed, and she conquered. South African superstar Tyla has delivered one of the most electric moments of the 2026 American Music Awards, claiming victory in a category that put her head-to-head with some of the most dominant names in contemporary African music — Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Rema. The result sent shockwaves through the internet almost instantly, with fans of all four artists flooding social media to process an outcome that, depending on who you ask, was either a long-overdue recognition of Tyla’s extraordinary global ascent or the most controversial upset in recent AMA history. Either way, nobody was indifferent.
Tyla’s win is not without context. The young Johannesburg-born artist has been on one of the most remarkable runs in global pop over the past two years, riding the stratospheric success of her breakout single Water into a full-blown international career that has seen her grace major stages, earn Grammy recognition, and build a fan base that stretches from South Africa to South Korea. Her sound — a seductive fusion of Amapiano, R&B, and pop that she has described as Afro-pop — sits comfortably at the intersection of African authenticity and global accessibility, and it has resonated with audiences who may have previously had limited exposure to the depth and diversity of the continent’s music output. The AMA voters, it seems, have been listening.
But the weight of who she beat cannot be understated. Burna Boy is a Grammy-winning giant whose influence on the globalisation of Afrobeats has been immeasurable, a man who has sold out arenas on multiple continents and whose catalogue reads like a document of contemporary African excellence. Wizkid is perhaps the single most important architect of Afrobeats’ mainstream Western crossover, the man whose collaboration on Essence introduced the sound to rooms it had never entered before. And Rema, the youngest of the trio, has already demonstrated a ceiling that appears to have no ceiling — Calm Down became one of the longest-charting African songs in Billboard history and turned a kid from Benin City into a genuine global phenomenon. To beat all three in a single category is not a small thing. It is a statement.
The full list of 2026 AMA winners reflects a ceremony that leaned into diversity, rewarded longevity in some categories and breakout momentum in others, and once again demonstrated that the boundaries between regional and global music have effectively ceased to exist. African artists across multiple categories proved that the continent’s dominance in the conversation around popular music is not a trend with an expiration date — it is a permanent shift in the cultural order. Tyla’s victory sits at the peak of that shift tonight, a South African woman holding an American Music Award in a room full of the world’s biggest stars.
For Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Rema, the loss stings in the way that losses only sting for those who compete at the absolute highest level — which is to say, it stings precisely because they belong there. Their nominations alone confirm what their catalogues have long established. But tonight belonged to Tyla, and the internet will be talking about it for a very long time.
Nollywood faith-based film Agbara Nla: The Return has grossed ₦354.5 million at the Nigerian box office, emerging as the highest-grossing film in the country’s cinemas over the latest reported weekend.
The film, distributed by Nile Entertainment, achieved the milestone following its cinema release on October 1, 2026. The distributor announced the figures on Tuesday, attributing the film’s performance to a marketing campaign that appealed to longtime fans of the original production and younger audiences.
The latest earnings represent a significant increase from the ₦307.2 million the film reportedly generated by October 16, highlighting its continued commercial performance in cinemas.
Agbara Nla Leads Weekend Box Office
According to Nile Entertainment, Agbara Nla: The Return topped the Nigerian weekend box office with ₦47.50 million.
It was followed by Street Fighter, which generated ₦36.43 million, while The Other Mummy came third with ₦8.67 million.
The three films collectively earned ₦92.61 million, accounting for 58.9 per cent of total weekend box office revenue. The distributor said its entire slate of films contributed 68 per cent of the weekend’s cinema earnings.
Nile Entertainment attributed the film’s success partly to a promotional strategy built around the popularity and nostalgia associated with the original Agbara Nla.
The campaign reportedly included engagement with the Mount Zion community, endorsements from church leaders and online promotional activities. The distributor also said the promotional effort generated more than ₦71 million in advance ticket sales in a single day.
A Christian Classic Returns to Cinemas
Agbara Nla: The Return is a remake of the 1993 Christian film produced by renowned filmmaker Mike Bamiloye under Mount Zion Film Productions.
The new version was directed by his sons, Damilola Mike-Bamiloye and Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, popularly known as Jay Mikee.
The story centres on Muwonleru, a village controlled by Isawuru, a powerful herbalist. The narrative follows the conflict that unfolds when Christian evangelists enter the community to spread their faith, challenging the influence Isawuru holds over its residents.
Mike Bamiloye reprises his role as Isawuru in the new production, which brings the familiar story to cinema audiences more than three decades after the original became popular among Christian film viewers.
Film Records Strong International Opening
Beyond its Nigerian performance, the film has also recorded an opening weekend gross of $120,660 in selected cinemas in the United Kingdom and Canada, according to its distributor.
Nile Entertainment described the international performance as a significant achievement for a Nigerian faith-based production, reporting several milestones in the UK market.
The film’s reception demonstrates how an established story with a longstanding audience can attract viewers through theatrical distribution while introducing the production to a new generation.
Nile Entertainment’s General Manager, Nowe Segun-Ojo, said the company’s performance reflected its distribution strategy, which involves tailoring promotional activities to the genres and audiences of individual films.
The company began operations in August 2024 and said having three of its titles occupy the top three positions at the weekend box office was an encouraging milestone.
With Agbara Nla: The Return continuing its cinema run, its latest earnings add to the growing commercial profile of faith-based films within Nigeria’s film industry.
Veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri has spoken about his decades-long friendship with fellow actress Saje, which dates back to their early days in the movie industry.
According to Quadri, Saje was already close to his wife before the couple married, and she has kept that bond over the years without engaging in gossip. He said she knew about some of his relationships with other women but never passed the information on to his wife, describing her as someone who can be trusted.
The Agba Aki of Oro Kingdom also recalled a time he considered helping Saje’s husband, Rafiu Balogun, during a difficult period in their marriage. He told Saje that Rafiu wanted to accompany him to a movie location, expecting her to object because of their misunderstanding. Instead, she welcomed the idea. Quadri said he felt obliged to inform her because of her friendship with his wife.
The actor also spoke on pay in the movie industry, insisting he would not expect to earn more than younger colleagues simply because of his experience.
Citing Funke Akindele and Lateef Adedimeji as examples, he said, “If I’m being called to a job, and Funke Akindele and Lateef Adedimeji are going to be paid the same amount, I’m an enemy of God if I’m expecting that they should pay me more than him.”
The veteran actor added that actors negotiate their fees differently. Some accept whatever they are offered, while others insist on the amount they want. He concluded that such differences are simply part of life.
Celebrities
Funke Akindele’s “THE FOUR: No One Fights Alone” Releases Soundtrack “WAJE” Ahead of December Cinema Debut
Nollywood icon gives fans an early taste of the film with a new track featuring SHODAY, now streaming on YouTube.
Ahead of its big-screen release, Funke Akindele’s highly anticipated film THE FOUR: No One Fights Alone has unveiled one of its soundtracks, “WAJE,” featuring SHODAY. The track is out now on YouTube via the FAAN TV channel.
By releasing the music before the film, the team is giving audiences a glimpse of the story’s tone and emotion. The accompanying visuals show a graduation scene with students in caps and gowns, surrounded by family members in colourful traditional attire who applaud the moment. It’s a fitting image for a film that stresses community and the idea that no one has to face life’s battles alone.
THE FOUR: No One Fights Alone opens in cinemas nationwide on December 11.
Fans can watch the video and share their thoughts in the comments using #TheFour and #TheFourNoOneFightsAlone.
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