Entertainment
Sprite, Omah Lay Embrace in All-New Music Format to Inspire Youth
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
Sprite, a refreshing brand from the stable of Coca-Cola, has announced the launch of its new campaign, Sprite Limelight, which seeks to reignite life of purpose and aspiration for the youth, offering them encouragement at the tip of the heat by soothing them through music.
The new music program is in sync with Sprite’s new global brand narrative, ‘Heat Happens’, which positions the brand as the drink that helps people cool-down in the face of everyday heated moments.
A statement from Coca-Cola on Tuesday describes it as “one musical starting point reinterpreted through different creative and cultural lenses and was released for public consumption via streaming platforms.”
Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Bunmi Adeniba, said, “Sprite Limelight seeks to help keep the youths clear-headed, encouraging them not to lose themselves to the heat of the world during their discovery stage.”
She stressed that Sprite would connect with music fans through music that speaks to the heat in their lives, as the platform would have music from fearless artistes who take on the heat, using their creativity to make music that fans love, which speaks to them to create refreshing moments of clarity.
“Heat is the occasion. Sprite is the solution. And music is the connection”, she asserted.
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It was gathered that Sprite Limelight is a global music program produced in collaboration with a diverse collection of international musical talents and anchored by Grammy-winning producer, Mercury Prize Winner, and BRIT Award nominee, James Blake. The Sprite Limelight song dropped on July 29 across various streaming platforms.
In Nigeria, Sprite Limelight is headlined by the popular Omah Lay, Nigerian singer, songwriter and social sensation whose self-produced track ‘Bad Influence’ garnered viral status; and who remains a teen sensation across the country.
With Omah Lay leading the Nigerian front alongside two other global music stars, the campaign seeks to inspire Nigerians and young artistes with fresh perspectives, music, and experiences, vocalizing the brand’s resolve to help Gen. Zs not to lose their cool to the heated moments of everyday life.
Other global artistes on the campaign include American rapper, Coi Leray who has previously worked with Nikki Minaj; and prolific singer Hua Chenyu, from China, whose unique fusion of C-Pop and rock sold out shows in Olympic-sized stadiums in minutes, with all artistes selected for their authentic and unique styles.
On the Sprite Limelight project, Omah Lay expressed excitement and optimism around the work done to deliver an amazing sound and experience to the Nigerian audience. “It means a lot to me to be part of the Sprite Limelight Program, an incredible opportunity for me to share my culture with the world. I feel blessed to stand among these other amazing artistes to bring something refreshing and positive to the world; big Shout out to James Blake for masterminding the music, absolute Legend!”, he remarked.
With James Blake providing a central hook and lyric narrative, rooted in the core Limelight philosophy of keeping life’s heat at bay, three other distinctive global artists, who in turn had taken the hook and used it to inspire and create their own completely original songs.
It was gathered that the original content will be available on both YouTube and Spotify, as individual tracks and in the form of artistic documentary-style music films. These immersive “Heat Confessionals”, that shine a light on the artistes’ stories overcoming their own moments of heat through their iconic music, as well as artiste curated playlists for their fans, will be created on different music streaming services worldwide.
Sprite Limelight was created in partnership with Universal Music Group for Brands as the key content creator.
Grammy-winning Nigerian-British singer and songwriter Talay Riley has died after being stabbed in East London, a tragic incident that has prompted a murder investigation by British police.
Talay, whose real name was Mark Yinka Orabiyi, was reportedly attacked around 9 a.m. on Friday on Pankhurst Avenue in Silvertown, East London. Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene but were unable to save the 35-year-old musician.
Homicide detectives from the Specialist Crime Command have since launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
READ MORE: Talay Riley
Confirming the heartbreaking news, Talay’s family released a statement expressing their grief and paying tribute to the late artiste.
“It is with overwhelming sadness that we confirm that Mark ‘Yinka’ Orabiyi professionally known as Talay Riley passed away yesterday morning,” the family said.
They described him as a Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum-selling songwriter and artist whose humour, generosity and presence touched countless lives.
“We are deeply grateful for the enormous outpouring of love and support that we have received through messages, calls and visits over the past hours,” the statement added.
Talay, the brother of renowned music producer Scribz Riley, built a successful career spanning more than a decade in the R&B music industry.
He secured a publishing deal with Global Publishing at the age of 18 before later signing with Jive/Sony Records after featuring on rapper Chipmunk’s 2009 single.
Reacting to the tragic loss, Scribz Riley shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, describing his late brother as a mentor, inspiration and a light to many.
“My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream. Just before he went to sleep we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do. I never imagined that would be our last conversation,” he wrote.
He continued: “Yinka wasn’t just my brother. He was my mother’s son, a friend to many, a mentor, an inspiration, and a light in so many people’s lives. He had one of the purest hearts I’ve ever known. He loved deeply, gave freely, and touched countless people through his talent, kindness, and spirit.
“The outpouring of love already shows how many lives he impacted. You inspired so many people and your legacy will continue to live on through your music, your family, your friends, and everyone blessed enough to have known you.”
Tributes have continued to pour in from across the music industry, with notable artistes including Stormzy and Craig David among those mourning the late singer.
Police investigations into the fatal stabbing remain ongoing.
Nigerian afro-house singer Niniola has announced the death of her husband, Michael Ndika, in a series of emotional posts shared on her Instagram story in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Grammy-nominated artiste disclosed the heartbreaking news with short but emotional messages accompanied by photos of herself and her husband.
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“God took him,” she wrote in one of the posts.
In another post, the singer added, “My husband died,” before sharing a third message that read, “God took him. 13 years. 13 f***ing years.”
Until his death, Michael Ndika was the Chief Executive Officer of NaijaReview, a multimedia platform known for promoting afro-house and contemporary African music.
Details surrounding the cause of his death were not immediately made public, as the singer has largely kept her private life away from social media and public attention over the years.
Niniola, 39, rose to fame after emerging as one of the top contestants on Project Fame West Africa in 2013. Since then, she has built a successful music career and gained international recognition for her afro-house sound.
Her hit single “Maradona,” released in 2017, earned global acclaim and attracted recognition from international stars including DJ Snake, Drake, Timbaland, and Beyoncé.
Fans, colleagues, and well-wishers have since taken to social media to sympathise with the singer over the tragic loss.
The Nigerian entertainment industry has been thrown into mourning following reports that popular Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo has died at the age of 40 after an alleged battle with kidney cancer.
The heartbreaking news surfaced on Tuesday after fellow Nollywood actor Godwin Nnadiekwe shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, expressing shock and sadness over Ekubo’s reported passing.
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“I’m struggling to find the words. This news has truly broken me,” Nnadiekwe wrote.
“Nollywood has lost a rare soul, and I’m lost for words because this wasn’t the plan, Alex Ekubo.
“To think you already prepared your will — it’s a heartbreak I can’t quite describe. Rest well, my friend.”
According to a Nollywood source, Ekubo was rushed to the hospital on Monday after reportedly battling kidney cancer.
The source claimed the actor died on Tuesday afternoon after spending hours on life support.
The development comes months after concerns emerged over the actor’s health due to his prolonged absence from social media.
A check on his pages showed that his last post was made on December 30, 2024, raising questions among fans about his wellbeing.
Since the news broke, social media has been flooded with tributes from fans, celebrities, and colleagues mourning the actor’s reported death and celebrating his contributions to the movie industry.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Ekubo’s family nor his management team had issued an official statement regarding the reports.
Ekubo was widely known for his roles in several Nollywood blockbuster films and remained one of the most recognised actors in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
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