MUSIC

Photo Credit; Getty Images

The late Nigerian music legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been officially recognised by the global music industry as he becomes the first African to receive the Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award. The honour will be given posthumously almost three decades after his death in 1997 at the age of 58. For many fans who have long regarded him as the king of Afrobeat this moment represents overdue global acknowledgement of an artist whose influence reshaped music culture and political expression far beyond Africa.

Fela Kuti’s son and fellow musician Seun Kuti described the recognition as a moment of balance in his father’s long story. Speaking to the BBC he said Fela had lived in the hearts of the people for decades and that the Grammys acknowledgement felt like a double victory. Long time friend and former manager Rikki Stein also welcomed the award calling it better late than never and noting that African music had not historically received strong attention from major global institutions.

The award comes at a time when African music has gained increasing international visibility. Following the worldwide success of Afrobeats a genre inspired by Fela’s original Afrobeat sound the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category in 2024. Nigerian superstar Burna Boy has also received a nomination in the Best Global Music Album category. Despite these recent developments Fela Kuti remains the first African to be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award which was first introduced in 1963.

Photo Credit; Getty Images

Harry Styles has officially announced his return to the stage with the launch of his 2026 "Together, Together" tour, revealing a global residency run that includes only one stop in the United States, a 30-date residency in New York City.

The tour was announced on Thursday, January 22, days after Styles unveiled his upcoming fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, which is set for release on March 6. The tour will span 50 shows across seven cities from May through December.

Styles, 31, will kick off the tour with six nights in Amsterdam beginning May 16, followed by six shows in London. He will then take the stage for two shows in São Paulo and two in Mexico City before moving on to an extended residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The residency, which marks his only U.S. tour stop, will run from August 26 through October 31 and includes two special "Harry-ween" performances scheduled for October 30 and 31.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

India’s music lovers are coming to terms with an emotional moment in contemporary Bollywood history. Renowned singer Arijit Singh has announced that he will no longer take on new playback singing assignments, bringing an end to a chapter that shaped the sound of Indian cinema for more than a decade. The announcement has prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans across the country, many of whom describe his voice as the background to their heartbreaks, celebrations and everyday lives.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, Jan. 21, confirming that the global pop star will become the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at age 36. According to the organization's records, Stevie Wonder remains the youngest overall inductee, having received the honor at 32 in 1983.

Photo Credit; Getty Images

Justin Bieber is set to make his first major public performance in four years at the 2026 Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 1, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The pop star, who is nominated for four awards this year, will take the stage following a period of relative quiet, during which he focused on family life with wife Hailey Bieber and raising their young son, Jack Blues.

Bieber's nominations this year include Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Swag, Best Pop Solo Performance for "Daisies," and Best R&B Performance for "Yukon." This marks his third career nomination for Album of the Year, following Purpose in 2017 and the deluxe edition of Justice in 2022. With a total of 27 Grammy nominations to date, Bieber has previously won two awards, for Best Dance/Electronic Recording in 2016 and Best Country Duo/Group Performance in 2021.

Photo Credit; Getty Images

Harry Styles and Doechii have been officially announced as presenters for this Sunday’s Grammy Awards, adding even more star power to one of music’s biggest nights. The Recording Academy revealed the news ahead of the ceremony, which is set to bring together some of the most talked about artists of the year, both on stage and in the audience.

In the days leading up to the show, the Academy has already confirmed a strong lineup of performers. These include Sabrina Carpenter, Clipse with Pharrell Williams, and all eight nominees for best new artist. The best new artist contenders include Sombr, Addison Rae, The Marias, Alex Warren, Katseye, Olivia Dean, Lola Young and Leon Thomas. Their inclusion highlights the Grammys’ ongoing focus on emerging talent alongside established names.

Photo Credit; Getty Images

Grammy winning artists Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, alongside producer Blake Slatkin, have shared new insight into the creation of their original song “Drive,” written specifically for the film F1. The track was released on June 20, 2025, as the fifth single from the movie’s soundtrack album and has already stood out as one of the most memorable songs connected to the project.

Speaking for Variety’s Behind the Song series, the trio explained that the idea for “Drive” came together quickly after Slatkin viewed the film. Slatkin revealed that he was invited by Atlantic Records, which was working on the soundtrack, to watch an early cut of the movie. The experience immediately sparked inspiration.

According to Slatkin, he walked out of the screening room and called Sheeran and Mayer right away, telling them they needed to make a song for the film. After being shown several scenes that would eventually include music, all three artists gravitated toward the same moment. It was the closing sequence featuring Brad Pitt’s character riding into the sunset. Slatkin recalled that this scene felt like the emotional landing point of the movie. Sheeran agreed, noting that it was the moment where the audience leaves the cinema with the song still ringing in their ears.

From the start, Mayer knew the track needed a strong rock and roll foundation. Within minutes of their first session together, he came up with a riff that became the backbone of the song. Mayer praised Sheeran’s songwriting instincts, saying that his ability to move from nothing to a finished song is almost instant. He described Sheeran as someone who simply starts writing without hesitation and lets intuition guide the process.

While the music came together quickly, the lyrics took shape under unusual circumstances. When Sheeran returned to England, the group had planned a session to write together. Instead, Sheeran ended up at a friend’s bachelor party at a budget holiday camp. Despite the setting, he wrote the lyrics on his own. Slatkin recalled waking up to find that the song was already finished, with Sheeran ready to sing it down the phone.