Some collections tell a story. Others ask a question. Fruché’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, KLEG, manages to do both, delivering one of the most thoughtful presentations to emerge from Berlin Fashion Week this July.

Named after the Nigerian Pidgin expression K-leg, a term that literally refers to knock knees but has evolved to describe something considered “not quite right” or flawed, creative director Frank Aghuno transforms an everyday expression rooted in ridicule into a meditation on body image, identity and self-acceptance. In an industry that continues to privilege symmetry, proportion and increasingly homogenized beauty standards, KLEG proposes a different visual language, one that treats difference as a point of departure instead of as something to be corrected.

Aghuno roots the SS27 collection in memory. Looking back on his school years, he revisits a time before appearance became something to negotiate, when school uniforms fostered belonging rather than comparison. That memory manifests through gingham, a textile synonymous with school uniforms across Nigeria, reimagined through handwoven Aso Oke and resist-dyed Adire.

It is one of the collection’s strongest ideas. Rather than reproducing school uniforms literally, Fruché elevates an everyday fabric through traditional Nigerian craftsmanship, allowing nostalgia to exist alongside technical innovation. The transformation feels organic and grounds the collection in both lived experience and sentimentality.

What distinguishes KLEG from many concept-driven collections is that the distortion never feels arbitrary. Fashion has increasingly relied on exaggerated proportions and asymmetry as visual shorthand for experimentation, often without a clear conceptual purpose. Here, every shifted seam, enlarged proportion and irregular silhouette directly reinforces the collection’s central argument. The garments respond to the body’s natural irregularities instead of attempting to discipline or disguise them. The asymmetrical tailoring, exaggerated proportions and deliberately distorted forms draw from physical features that society often encourages people to conceal, and that coherence gives the collection remarkable clarity. There is no disconnect between concept and execution.

It also offers a subtle critique of fashion itself. Despite ongoing conversations around inclusivity, much of the industry still operates according to ideals of correction. Fruché rejects that premise entirely. KLEG does not ask how clothing can improve the body, but instead questions why the body should require improvement at all.

The collection’s craftsmanship strengthens that argument. Aso Oke weaving, resist-dyed Adire, beadwork and traditional wood carving are integrated into the garments as structural elements. These techniques are not presented as heritage for heritage’s sake; they actively shape the silhouettes and reinforce the collection’s exploration of the body as both canvas and archive.

Equally compelling is the collaborative nature of the project. Artist Fredrick Aghuno, known professionally as Dricky Stickman, hand-painted diverse body forms across silk and Katsina-woven Funtua cotton, extending the collection’s conversation around representation through textile. Sculptors Emmanuel Opeyemi and Oluwalere Israel Adewale produced a hand-carved wooden bodice and sculptural headpieces that dissolved the boundary between fashion and contemporary art without feeling overly theatrical. Fola Olopade’s crochet work introduced softness and tactility, while emerging Nigerian label Dukun translated childhood paper hats into textile accessories that echoed the collection’s reflections on youth and memory. Footwear collaborations with sustainable leather brands Afora Official, Kiing Daviid and Renaissance by Janet reimagined the familiar Nigerian school shoe and beautifully reinforced the collection’s nostalgic foundation.

The breadth of these collaborations could easily have fragmented the collection. Instead, they demonstrate a clear creative direction. Each contributor expands the narrative rather than competing with it, resulting in a collection that feels cohesive despite its many points of reference.

What ultimately makes KLEG so successful is its refusal to separate concept from construction. Too often, collections addressing identity or social issues rely on accompanying statements to explain their significance. Fruché allows the garments to carry the argument themselves. Every fabrication, silhouette and collaboration contributes to a singular narrative about memory, heritage and the politics of the body.

At a moment when fashion increasingly rewards spectacle and immediacy, KLEG offers something more enduring. It demonstrates that the most compelling collections are not necessarily those with the loudest concepts, but those where every design decision serves the same idea. Rather than presenting the body as something to refine, perfect or reshape, Fruché treats it as a living archive, marked by history, culture and experience. In doing so, KLEG becomes more than a collection about body image. It becomes a radical proposition for what fashion can look like when it stops trying to fix us.

“Oh Yeah?” is a Soft Confessional Arc of a Bisexual Narrator

After four years of absence, Steve Lacy finally returns with a new project titled ‘Oh yeah?,’ a slow ambient ballad exploring his colourful love journey thus far, or the lack of it, revealing the challenges of modern dating through a Black queer lens, specifically as a bisexual fellow. With guest appearances from SZA, Erykah Badu, and more, Steve introduces an intricate sonic dance accompanied by minimal instruments such as a classic guitar, drums, and airy vocals; an approach that has since become his signature sound.

Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya, better known to the world as African-American Steve Lacy, is a 28-year-old singer-songwriter and producer who began his music career with the alternative group The Internet while still in high school. Perhaps what is most interesting about him, aside from his collaborations with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Tyler The Creator, and more, is that he recorded all his earliest songs with an iPhone. His 2022 project ‘Gemini Rights’ earned him multiple groundbreaking awards, while he currently has almost 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Thus, Steve Lacy has become one of the most sought-after voices of his generation.

Steve’s first single ‘The Feeling’ set up the tone for the rest of the project to follow. From the first listen alone, it appears as if Steve is going through the ember stage of heartbreak, but as one pays closer attention, the song can be interpreted as the painful grieving process of a one-sided love never explored, a common experience in the bisexual community. Its intimate, obsessive lyrics that seemingly address a male muse, from the verse, “When you start writing songs just to stop thinking about him,” coming at the final bridge, really gave us the first hint of a fluid turmoil Steve has been meaning to soft launch. Similarly, Steve chooses to start ‘Is It Cool?’ with the words “Never needed a man,” which really comes across when one goes through the lyrics word for word.

This jumpy, avoidant approach to same-sex attraction is nothing new, as in his 2022 song “Static,” Steve Lacy sings, “Looking for a b*tch because I’m over boys,” to a seemingly majorly hetero interaction with a woman of interest. It is that notion that bleeds throughout the project; Steve is not actively trying to hide his sexual identity through lyrics; he is trying to balance it, inside a universal language like music that offers little to no bisexual love narration.

Another standout track is ‘show you me,’ where Steve confronts his muse with the following line: “Are you even gay?” Steve showcases his longing for love at full display, whether with a man or woman, admitting to himself that the drive for this search is loneliness. A central theme to this project can be traced in the lyrics, “As of late, I guess I’ve been leaning closer to D.” It also becomes apparent that, whereas in the past, songs directed to his female muses were lived experience, his songs directed to men are a distant companionship, often with the male muses unaware that Steve has unresolved feelings with them.

In a track that reminds one of ‘Californication’ by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Steve Lacy really paints the modern dating scene well in ‘doom.’ In a time where sex is more accessible than ever, and social media encourages validation over authenticity, there is little room for genuine affection. However, Steve doesn’t run away from reality, also admitting that he’s been a willing participant in this ordeal. The nihilistic lyrics paired with the uplifting instrumental are the perfect recipe for disaster.

Perhaps one of the most underrated tracks from the project, which really encapsulates the longing of a bisexual individual, can be felt in ‘nothing.’ Accompanied by a solo guitar, the simple lyrics establish the intensity of Steve’s one-sided infatuation. There is a certain atmosphere of delusion coupled with obsession that perfectly captures the narrow lines of fluidity. Intimacy with one was accessible, yet on the other end, it is unattainable, often self-inflicted, a love he finds difficult to explore in the open.

Steve Lacy’s latest project, ‘Oh yeah?’ contains all of the complexities, delusions, obsessiveness, and overall confusing emotions surrounding queer fluidity in today’s dating climate. In its cover, where a circle in the colours of the bisexuality flag emphasizes Steve’s wondering gaze, it already foretold the loneliness and anguish that awaits. Steve Lacy is not just dealing with a longing for queer love; he is struggling to keep afloat in an environment where temporary satisfaction and distant glaze have replaced meaningful connection. This is Steve Lacy’s most vulnerable and honest piece of work yet.

If there was one thing that united pop culture fans this past week, it was the FIFA World Cup. Between the nail-biting knockout matches, endless debates online and Spain's historic triumph (¡Vamos, España!), it felt like the entire world was glued to football. I know I certainly was. But while the tournament deserved every bit of the attention it received, a handful of equally exciting moments quietly unfolded beyond the pitch. From Tyla sharing the stage with Shakira to Kenya landing the music industry's biggest power players, here are a few pop culture stories you may have missed in the World Cup frenzy.

Kenya Lands the Music Industry's Biggest Players

Kenya's music industry is entering a new era after President William Ruto announced that Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group will establish their first offices in Nairobi. The move positions Kenya as an emerging hub for music investment, talent development and international partnerships, while signaling growing confidence in the country's creative economy. For Kenyan artists and industry professionals, the arrival of the "Big Three" record labels could open new pathways to global markets without having to leave home. 

Kenya's President William Ruto with Phonographic Industry (IFPI) CEO Victoria Oakley and other officials | Credit: Afrika.World

The Children of Blood and Bone Hype Is Real

After years of anticipation, Children of Blood and Bone has finally offered fans their first proper look. Paramount unveiled the first new images from the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi's bestselling fantasy novel, showcasing a visually stunning world inspired by West African mythology. Led by South African actress Thuso Mbedu alongside a star-studded cast that includes Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Cynthia Erivo, the first look has already ignited excitement online, with many calling it one of the most anticipated fantasy films of 2027. 

Shakira & Tyla: A Full-Circle World Cup Moment

Just weeks after lighting up the FIFA World Cup final with their astonishing performances, Tyla made another career-defining appearance – this time alongside Shakira. The South African star joined the global icon on stage during the New York stop of Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour for a performance of ‘Hips Don't Lie,’ a symbolic passing-of-the-torch moment between two generations of global pop stars. For Tyla, whose international rise continues to gather pace, sharing the stage with one of music's biggest names is yet another reminder that she's no longer just breaking through – she's arrived. 

Mbappé Makes History – and Lands EA Sports' Biggest Cover

Kylian Mbappé has added another milestone to an already extraordinary career. Following France's run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 27-year-old became the tournament's all-time leading scorer with 22 World Cup goals, surpassing every player in history. As if that wasn't enough, EA Sports also unveiled Mbappé as the cover athlete for the EA Sports FC 27 Ultimate Edition, cementing his place as football's defining superstar of this generation. Between record books and video game covers, it's Mbappé's world right now.

Love Island's New Chapter: One Couple Ends, Another Star Levels Up

It's been a busy week in the Love Island USA universe. Season 7 fan favorites Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen – better known to fans as "Nicolandria" – have reportedly called it quits after more than a year together, bringing one of the franchise's most beloved post-villa romances to an end. Meanwhile, Season 8 winner Trinity Tatum is already entering her next era, signing with talent agency WME just days after leaving the villa. The move positions her for opportunities in fashion, brand partnerships and entertainment, proving that while one Love Island chapter has closed, another is only just beginning.

For many independent African filmmakers, making a film is only half the battle. Getting it in front of audiences is often the greater challenge. Cinema screens remain limited in many parts of the continent, television acquisitions rarely favour independent creators, and streaming platforms commission only a fraction of the stories being produced each year.

That is why Meta's new Instagram for TV app, currently rolling out on select smart TV platforms in the United States, deserves attention beyond the tech industry. If the app eventually launches across African markets, it could offer filmmakers and visual creators another way to bring their work from the smartphone to the living room without relying entirely on traditional distributors.

Meta's latest television push inevitably invites comparisons with IGTV, the company's unsuccessful attempt to popularise long-form video in 2018. But the two products are fundamentally different. While IGTV asked users to change how they consumed content on their phones, Instagram for TV extends the platform onto one of the largest screens in the home. Rather than replacing mobile viewing, it complements it, reflecting a broader shift in how social media platforms are beginning to compete with traditional streaming services for viewers' attention and for African filmmakers, the significance lies less in the technology itself than in what it could represent; another distribution pathway in an industry where opportunities remain scarce.

Africa produces thousands of films every year, yet only a small percentage secure wide theatrical releases or licensing deals with major streaming platforms. Services such as Netflix, Prime Video and Showmax have undoubtedly expanded the global visibility of African storytelling, but commissioning opportunities remain limited and highly competitive. Many independent directors, documentary filmmakers and experimental storytellers continue to struggle to find sustainable ways to reach audiences.

Instagram for TV will not solve these structural challenges overnight. But it introduces the possibility of a creator-led distribution model, where filmmakers who have already built communities on Instagram can showcase longer-form visual work on a platform their audiences already use. Instead of depending solely on festivals, broadcasters or streaming executives, creators could have another avenue for sharing their work at scale.

The opportunity extends beyond traditional filmmaking. Across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and other creative hubs, digital storytellers have spent years proving that compelling narratives can thrive on social media. Multi-part comedy series, relationship dramas, documentaries, travel films and culture-focused visual essays regularly attract millions of views online despite being designed primarily for mobile screens.

A television app could fundamentally change how this content is experienced. Rather than being consumed through quick scrolling on a five-inch display, stories could be watched on larger screens in living rooms, where families and friends often watch together. For creators whose work relies on detailed cinematography, thoughtful production design or immersive storytelling, that shift in viewing experience could be just as important as the platform itself.

The implications are equally significant for creators working outside traditional film. Documentary makers chronicling youth culture, travel creators showcasing destinations across the continent, fashion filmmakers capturing Africa's evolving style landscape and music video directors known for cinematic world-building all stand to benefit from a platform that gives visual storytelling more room to breathe.

If Meta hopes to build Instagram for TV into a truly global platform, Africa should not be treated as an afterthought. The continent is already home to creators redefining what digital filmmaking looks like with limited resources and remarkable creativity.

Nigeria's The Critics Company, for example, gained international recognition for producing ambitious science fiction short films using smartphones and modest budgets, demonstrating that compelling visual storytelling is not dependent on expensive equipment. Likewise, acclaimed music video director TG Omori has helped shape the visual identity of contemporary Afrobeats through bold cinematic storytelling that is designed to be appreciated on larger screens. Across East, West and Southern Africa, countless independent filmmakers, web-series creators and visual artists are already producing work that could thrive in a television-first social environment.

However, distribution alone is not enough. For Instagram for TV to become a meaningful platform for African filmmakers, Meta will eventually need to think beyond accessibility. Sustainable monetisation, meaningful creator support and investment in emerging markets will ultimately determine whether the platform becomes a viable ecosystem for storytelling or simply another place to upload content.

Instagram for TV is still in its early stages, and there is no confirmed timeline for a wider African rollout. Yet its arrival signals a broader shift in digital media. The line between social media and streaming continues to blur, creating new possibilities for how stories are distributed and consumed. For African filmmakers who have long built audiences one post at a time, the next stage of storytelling may not begin in a cinema or on a streaming platform. It could begin on the same app they already use every day – only this time, on the biggest screen in the house.

IG:@_stanleykilonzo

COVER IMAGE CREDIT: INSTAGRAM

The Adidas Superstar turns 56 this year. In that time, it has been worn by Run-DMC, adopted by skate culture, remixed by Pharrell, Kerwin Frost and Bad Bunny, and reissued in more colourways than anyone has properly counted. In all of that, no African skate community has ever designed one. On July 23, 2026, that changed. waf. (Wafflesncream) - the Lagos Island collective that has been building Nigeria's skate scene from the ground up for fourteen years  - becomes the first.

The collaboration is the Superstar ADV, Adidas Originals' skate-specific silhouette, and every design decision in it comes from one specific place. Not Lagos broadly. Lagos Island - the industrial waterfront, the sky that turns pink near the sea at certain hours, the heat that every skater on the island knows intimately. The upper is a dusty grey drawn from the island's landscape. The outsole is a translucent pink that references that particular sky. The side panels are breathable, built not for aesthetics but for the actual conditions the shoe will be skated in. "We didn't want to make a shoe that looked like Lagos," waf. co-founder Jomi Marcus-Bello said. "We wanted to make a shoe that felt like skating in Lagos - the heat, the texture, the light at certain times of day near the water."

The Superstar ADV is not a Lagos-themed shoe. It is a Lagos shoe - designed by people who have been skating these streets for over a decade, who built their headquarters, The Spot, on Lagos Island, and who have spent fourteen years creating a skate culture in Nigeria without institutional backing or global recognition. waf. started in 2011 as a skate crew founded by Jomi Marcus-Bello and Seun Nubi. It grew into something larger - a creative collective spanning skateboarding, music, art, fashion and community, a place where artists, musicians and designers move alongside skaters, all of them connected by a shared relationship to Lagos Island.

The campaign reflects the same logic as the shoe. Shot entirely on Lagos Island, it features waf. community members - the skaters, the creatives, the people who actually built the scene - rather than imported faces or global ambassadors. "waf. didn't just design a shoe," said Estee Erasmus, Adidas Director of Category Management EM South. "They told a story about a place and a community that global skate culture has never properly seen."

The Adidas Superstar is one of the most collaborated-on shoes in sneaker history. The list of designers, artists and communities who have put their stamp on it spans decades and continents. Africa, despite producing some of the world's most compelling skate communities and creative collectives, has never been part of that conversation - until now. In more than fifty years of the Superstar, waf. is the first African skate community to hold the pen. The shoe is available for presale today, July 23, with a limited drop at Adidas Lekki, Lagos. The global release follows October 12, 2026.

IG: @sophiannadozie

Before Banggz became Banggz,the emerging  rapper/producer extraordinaire based in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, he was Damilola Isa Salaudeen, a young boy raised in Lagos, Nigeria, with a persistent love of beats and bars. Through life’s challenges including immigration struggles and grief, his love of storytelling remained a constant way for him to get out of his head and uplift his community by telling their stories and speaking life into them. These sentiments inspired Banggz’s debut album, 4 THE BANGGERZ (2024), a project which proved his ability to craft infectious party starters including “OUTSIDE” and “WAKE UP”. “The whole idea [of 4 THE BANGGERZ] was escapism…making sure everyone was good, but I realized that I can't really do that if I don't help myself first,” he said. Followinghis debut came a few years of deep reflection amidst inner and outer turmoil, prompting him to write his new album, Love, Banggz, a coming-of-age story that plots a path between the formative stages of his life through love, loss and grief. “I wrote a love letter to my childhood self, he explained.” 

One of the main tenets of Love, Banggz is the inherent nostalgia that comes with the retelling of a life story. Many of the songs speak candidly about love, a theme which Banggz says is central to his identity, particularly on “Pretty & Gorgeous”, “Love Letters” and “Blackberry Luv”. On the album, he embraces everything that comes with it, including heartbreak, while acknowledging his own flaws. “It's really important for me to tell my younger self that I love him, and it's really important for me to give myself another chance at love romantically, friendship-wise, [and with my] faith.” To capture finding love in the early digital age, Banggz wrote “Blackberry Luv” with the help of past Ottawa resident and rising afro soul/jazz singer Anaïs Cardot. 

In this quest for love, Banggz is entirely inspired by his faith in Allah. After escaping insurgent violence in Jos, Nigeria, at the tender age of 3, he was changed forever, but it wasn’t until his faith was rekindled at the age of 25 that he fully surrendered to divine will. Since diving deeper into the Islamic faith he was born into, he’s found inner peace and defined his values, which he calls “unshakable”. Banggz has also been able to navigate loss and grief through his faith, especially through the loss of his grandmother 4 years ago, another prominent theme on the record, especially on the introspective first track, “Don’t Leave Me, Please”. As he makes peace with life’s curveballs, Banggz is no stranger to feelings of regret or failure, but he remains grateful for it all. “When you say failure, I immediately think gratitude…I feel blessed to have become the person that I am today.” 

To create his most authentic music yet, Banggz leaned on live instrumentation to capture the jazzy, R&B inflected hip-hop soundscape that most of the album lives in. As executive producer, he made sure the production reflected the realities of the songs, most of which were initially written as journal entries and poems. “If you write an album called Love, Banggz, you know, you better make sure that you know it's really 100% honest, and the best way for me to do that was to just make it myself.” A star instrument that he made sure to include was the talking drum, which is prominent in the Yoruba storytelling tradition. “I needed [the talking drums] to move around the album a bit, because I'm talking about my life story. I wanted the instrumental to talk in that sense too.” For features, he picked people who inspired him, including his good friends jev. and Anaïs Cardot, two Ottawa acts whose talents have gone global. To Banggz, jev. is the kind of rapper and friend who motivates him to see his own worth. “[jev.] trusts his taste so much, watching him really helped me, and listening to him helped me trust my own taste too.” On the previously released “JAM ME!,” jev. and Banggz combined forces to create a highly captivating track, perfect for the dance floor. Banggz’s best friend Anaïs Cardot also has a similar commitment to her own taste. “You’re almost scared when working in the studio [with her], and it's because her ear does not lie. If one note is off, she knows.” Both remain personal and professional sources of motivation for Banggz; their recent successes do not intimidate him. “I don't really see it as [an] ‘I wish it was me’ type of thing, because for me, it's even great. If I didn't have somebody to look to who's my peer, I think I'll be in a worse situation.” 

Speaking of Ottawa, Love, Banggz is also a love letter to Canada’s capital. Though Ottawa is often derided as a boring city with no entertainment offerings, artists like Banggz have bucked against those expectations. “Shout out to Ottawa, very underrated city… I love this place, man. The support is wild.” Though his sophomore project is less community-centric than his last, it still pays homage to his community, which has supported him unconditionally even when he finds it hard to ask for help. Part of Banggz’s offering to his community on this project is the phrase: “It’s your duty to learn how to enjoy yourself”, which is repeated on the second track, “Worldwide Banggerz!”. He believes that enjoyment is not just something you receive; it’s something you have to learn how to bring from within to those around you. To sum up his convictions, he says, “At the end of the day, the reason why I'm doing the things that I do, it's all gonna boil down to God, my guys, and love.” 

Banggz hopes that this new record causes listeners to feel and listen more to those around them. He recommends listening to it in totality, in order to grasp its full message. “This project is one of those ones that years from now people will look back, and then they keep hearing new things as you grow because I grew to make this album.” As he prepares for the release of the project and a potential tour, he is fully focused and excited for what’s to come.

We are already halfway through summer in the UK, with two heatwaves under our belt and performances from British Summer Time in Hyde Park, Piano People in the Park, Cross The Tracks and City Splash. However, we still have a month of summer left, and with exactly one month till All Points East is among us, the excitement and countdown begins with all the fantastic vibes still to come.

The lineup features Jorja Smith and Tems, who will be kicking off the festival this year. The double headliners have put together a lineup for R&B, Soul, and Afrobeats music lovers. We can already predict that the opening day of the festival is set to be one for the books and will be worth braving the dusty terrain of Victoria Park. Joining them will be the likes of KWN, Uncle Waffles, Elmiene, Odeal, Ayra Starr, Bellah, Nia Archives and more who are set to provide a great day of musical vibes.​

​Tyler, The Creator will also curate a two-day lineup across Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th of August. With his extensive catalogue, he is sure to bring two distinctive sets that will have Victoria Park going off.

Joining him across the two nights will be Yebba, Dijon, Clipse, Khamari, Mariah The Scientist, Jim Legxacy, Ravine Lenae, Vince Staples, Natanya, Syd, SexxyRed and so much more.

​Before we call a wrap to the end of summer, there is still something to look forward to as All Points East promises another stellar lineup of music that will no doubt be a highlight of the festival season.  

Haute Couture Week has always been fashion's grandest stage. It’s where fantasy, craftsmanship and artistry collide in ways that ready-to-wear simply cannot. However, this season in Paris, the most memorable collections were not necessarily the loudest.

There were, of course, moments of spectacle: glowing latex gowns, sculptural silhouettes that defied gravity, and dramatic entrances worthy of couture's theatrical reputation. But beyond the visual extravagance, many designers returned entirely to craft. Hand embroidery, experimental textiles, centuries-old techniques and sculptural construction took precedence over gimmick, making this one of the strongest couture seasons in the past few years.

It also felt like a pivotal week for some of fashion's biggest houses. Jonathan Anderson continued defining a new era at Dior, Pierpaolo Piccioli made his highly anticipated couture debut at Balenciaga, while Daniel Roseberry once again proved why Schiaparelli is one of the most exciting maisons working today. Beyond the established names, Rahul Mishra continued making a compelling case for why couture's future is becoming increasingly global. If there was one takeaway from the week, it was that couture is no longer simply about excess. It is about execution.

Rahul Mishra delivered the week's strongest collection

Among an exceptionally strong schedule, Rahul Mishra's Devi: The Eternal Muse stood apart.

Inspired by India's ancient temple sculptures and the eternal feminine, the collection transformed couture into sculpture through thousands of hours of hand embroidery. Mishra built breathtaking garments through accumulation and layers upon layers of zardozi, dabka, crystals and bugle beads until the surfaces appeared carved.

What made the collection so successful was not just the level of craftsmanship, though that was extraordinary. It was the discipline behind it. Couture embroidery can easily become excessive, overwhelming the silhouette beneath. Mishra avoided that trap entirely. Every embellishment served the garment's structure, creating movement, depth and dimension without ever feeling ornamental for ornament's sake.

Collaborations with clay artisan Sumant Kumar, milliner Stephen Jones and Tanishq Natural Diamonds reinforced the collection's commitment to celebrating Indian craftsmanship across multiple disciplines.

Perhaps most importantly, Mishra continues to challenge traditional ideas of where couture excellence originates. He doesn’t position Indian craftsmanship as an influence on European couture, but places it at the very centre of the conversation. At a time when luxury fashion increasingly speaks about global craftsmanship, Mishra is one of the few designers genuinely redefining what the couture canon can look like.

Schiaparelli remains couture's greatest risk-taker

Daniel Roseberry has built Schiaparelli into one of Paris' most consistently fascinating houses because he refuses to think about clothing conventionally. His Autumn/Winter 2026 collection, The Call of the Void, emerged from a period of creative uncertainty, prompting Roseberry to abandon familiar techniques in favour of complete experimentation. Latex replaced silk, silicone became fabric, sculpted paint formed garments, while preserved flowers, shells and treated fish scales found unexpected new life through couture. The collection felt almost extraterrestrial. Models emerged like surreal sea creatures, glowing from within as sculptural silhouettes twisted and reshaped the human form.

What makes Roseberry's work compelling is that every season begins with a completely different question, continuously reinventing Schiaparelli's visual language.

That said, there were moments where the concept threatened to overshadow the clothes themselves. Certain looks functioned more successfully as sculptural objects than wearable couture. But perhaps that is precisely the point. Schiaparelli has never existed to produce conventional elegance. It exists to provoke curiosity.

Few designers working today embrace creative risk with this level of conviction.

Jonathan Anderson's Dior is beginning to find its rhythm

Jonathan Anderson's second couture collection for Dior felt considerably more assured than his first. Drawing inspiration from American sculptor Lynda Benglis, the collection translated sculptural form into clothing through elaborate draping, hand-plissé, metallic textiles and richly manipulated fabrics. Floral appliqués, sparkling tweeds and cascading fringe transformed the runway into something resembling a moving gallery exhibition.

Anderson also continued exploring Dior's relationship with global craftsmanship, incorporating eighteenth-century Indian chintz, floral references inspired by Gujarat and jewellery produced by artisans working between Jaipur and France.

The collection succeeded because it never became overwhelmed by its references. Benglis' work informed the clothes without becoming literal, while the textile experimentation felt genuinely integrated rather than academically researched.

Still, Anderson appears to be searching for Dior couture's emotional identity. The technical accomplishment is unquestionable, but there were moments where the intellectual framework felt stronger than the garments themselves. His ready-to-wear collections already possess remarkable confidence; couture may simply require more time before its emotional language becomes equally distinct.

Nevertheless, Dior continues moving in an exciting direction under his leadership.

Pierpaolo Piccioli brings romance back to Balenciaga

Few collections arrived with higher expectations than Pierpaolo Piccioli's couture debut at Balenciaga. Known for transforming Valentino through colour and emotion, Piccioli approached Cristóbal. Balenciaga's legacy without attempting to imitate either the founder or his immediate predecessor, Demna. Instead, he introduced warmth.

Electric pinks, luminous greens, saturated oranges and sweeping monochromatic tailoring softened Balenciaga's architectural precision without compromising its sculptural integrity. Hooded cloaks, dramatic feathered gowns, exaggerated hourglass silhouettes and fluid eveningwear demonstrated Piccioli's remarkable understanding of couture volume.

The collection also introduced notable technological innovations. Three-dimensional body scanning allowed the atelier to create entirely new mannequins for leather construction, while Amsilk, a bioengineered silk alternative developed through protein engineering, offered an intriguing glimpse into couture's evolving relationship with material science.

At times, those technological developments risked becoming a larger talking point than the clothes themselves. Fortunately, Piccioli's strongest looks required no explanation. Their beauty lay in proportion, movement and impeccable construction. His Balenciaga feels refreshingly sincere.

One of the most interesting threads connecting this couture week's collections was their relationship with materials. Roseberry experimented with silicone and latex. Anderson manipulated metallic textiles into sculptural forms. Piccioli introduced bioengineered silk alternatives. Rahul Mishra elevated centuries-old embroidery into architectural construction. Designers increasingly approached it as something capable of evolving through collaboration, technology and experimentation. It also reinforced an important distinction between haute couture and luxury ready-to-wear. Couture remains one of the few spaces within fashion where designers are still afforded the time, resources and atelier expertise to genuinely experiment.

If there was one critique of the season, it was that a handful of collections still equated complexity with impact. Couture can sometimes fall into the trap of demonstrating technical ability simply because it can, layering embellishment upon embellishment until craftsmanship begins to obscure silhouette.

However, these selected collections resisted that temptation. Rahul Mishra exercised remarkable restraint despite extraordinary embroidery. Dior allowed sculptural techniques to enhance rather than dominate the garments. Even Balenciaga, despite its dramatic palette, remained grounded in impeccable tailoring. Only Schiaparelli occasionally crossed into theatrical excess, though the house has arguably earned that creative freedom. Roseberry understands that couture should sometimes feel unsettling as much as beautiful.

Paris Haute Couture Week reminded us why couture continues to occupy such a unique place within fashion. Collectively, the week suggested that couture is entering a fascinating new chapter. Designers no longer seem interested in proving how extravagant they can be. Instead, they're asking a more compelling question: how can extraordinary craftsmanship make us look at clothing differently?

This season offered several convincing answers.

For 96 years, the FIFA World Cup final had no halftime show. On July 19, 2026, Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, the Muppets and a Venezuelan conductor fixed that - in 11 minutes, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, directed by Hamish Hamilton, and produced by FIFA and Global Citizen, was built to raise funds toward a $100 million target for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund  which aims to expand access to quality education and football for children worldwide.

‍Madonna opened the show the way she tends to open things - on her own terms. In a pre-recorded segment, she arrived through the stadium tunnels in a dune buggy driven by Brazilian legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, singing a reworked version of her 2000 hit “Music” fused with elements of "Disco Inferno" and "Danceteria," before appearing on the pitch to hand over to Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Dudamel, in a custom pinstripe suit with his name and the number "1" on the back, styled like a football jersey,led musicians from the New York Philharmonic and Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra through "Seven Nation Army," with The Muppets' Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem alongside them.

‍BTS followed in matching red motorcycle-inspired looks, delivering a turbocharged performance of their hit 'Dynamite' with rewritten football-themed lyrics. Then Ted Lasso’sJason Sudeikis in character, alongside Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard, appeared on the field to introduce Justin Bieber, who took the volume down with a soulful, solo acoustic rendition of ”Everything Hallelujah” from his Swag II album, just him and a guitar on the world's biggest stage.

The show's peak came next when Shakira, in pink and yellow sparkles, took the field with Burna Boy and Uganda's Ghetto Kids for ”Dai Dai” - the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, performed live for the second time this tournament after its debut at the Mexico City opening ceremony on June 11. For Burna Boy, the moment carried specific weight. "To represent Africa on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show is a privilege and a responsibility that I don't take lightly," he said ahead of the performance.

Chris Martin himself closed the show alongside the PS22 Chorus - the viral New York elementary school choir - Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest of the Muppets cast, the field filling into a giant "LOVE" tableau as fireworks went off overhead. The whole thing ran just a few seconds over the allotted 11 minutes, giving none of the headliners more than roughly two minutes on the field - and somehow still delivering one of the most talked-about halftime shows in recent memory.

As Billboard put it, the show was "slightly unhinged, deeply overstuffed and undeniably memorable." Ninety-six years was a long time to wait. The 11 minutes made it count.

IG:@sophiannadozie

Before taking the stage at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, opening for the phenomenal Bad Bunny, Puerto Rican group Chuwi entertained a sold-out crowd with their first-ever London headline show, presented by Hennessy. Bringing the essence and vibe of Puerto Rico to the London heatwave, the crowd embraced the energy from start to finish.

​The show took place at the peak of a heatwave and gave a strong Puerto Rican summer feel as the group took to NT’s Loft, playing to a sold-out crowd and entertaining the masses ahead of their opening slot on Bad Bunny’s DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour.

For the group, made up of siblings Lorén, Wester and Willy, alongside childhood friend Adrian Lopez, it was their first time playing in London. The energy they brought and received from the crowd was a real moment for them. The show lasted just over an hour, showcasing their musical style and Puerto Rican flavour to the London crowd.

Formed during COVID, they have released music since then, including several EPs and singles that have grown their fanbase and popularity over the years. A significant moment in their musical journey came with the inclusion of Bad Bunny’s 2025 DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS, on which they featured on WELTiTA. Since then, they have garnered international attention. They joined him as part of his No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency and the subsequent world tour, which is currently underway.

Beyond Bad Bunny, they have won fans over with their indie-electric sound and a musicality that blends with the vocals of Loren, Willy and Wester. Earlier this year, they featured on Tiny Desk, a sneak peek of what they have to offer.

Now, with their headline show, the energy was amplified, and the whole room was singing along, making it feel more like a jam session than a show.

The setlist included tracks like Uwu, which they opened with, as well as Judy, Durmiendo, Mundi, Bipal Falta Algo and Tierra, before closing with WELTiTA. As an introduction to the group for a London crowd, there is no doubt that their energy has travelled well beyond Puerto Rico, representing their current impact and everything that has unfolded over the last year. As somebody who is a fan of music in general despite the language barrier, there is nothing that speaks greater than the feeling that music gives and how it moves, and the performance Chuwi gave was a strong representation of how that was brought to the UK.

​The sweltering heat and crowd energy were felt as you came up the stairs into the venue, and it was a memorable feeling from entering to leaving. As we continue to watch the group, we look forward to their next show.  

I don’t know about you, but my screen time reached an ungodly high this past week, and for once, I’m not even going to blame my group chats. Between losing my mind over late-stage football matches and watching some of pop music’s most elusive giants casually step back into the spotlight, the culture has been giving us back-to-back spectacles. If you’ve been slightly offline trying to preserve your sanity, don't worry. I’ve sifted through the noise to bring you the only pop culture updates that actually matter this week. Let’s get into it. 

Jay-Z Closed Yankee Stadium Residency Shows With Beyoncé and Rihanna

Yankee Stadium became the center of the pop culture universe this past weekend. Jay-Z celebrated three decades since his iconic debut ‘Reasonable Doubt’ with an epic NYC residency finale that turned into an absolute masterclass in staging surprises. Beyoncé made a stunning appearance to duet on ‘Drunk in Love,’ fresh off the heels of shocking the internet with her brilliant new track ‘Morning Dew (Donk).’ But the evening’s loudest roar was reserved for Rihanna. Ending a three-year hiatus from live performances, Riri looked effortlessly iconic as she breezed through fan-favorite chart-topping hits from the hey-days, ‘Umbrella,’ ‘Run This Town,’ and a solo rendition of ‘Bitch Better Have My Money.’ She even teased the crowd about feeling a bit "rusty," but the performance did exactly what it needed to do – give the Navy a massive dose of optimism that the superstar might finally be coming back? Only time will tell. 

Love Island USA Season 8 Crowns Its Winners 

We can all agree that it has been a wild, unhinged summer in the villa, but Love Island USA Season 8 has officially drawn its final curtain. This season shattered streaming records for Peacock, feeding us premium reality TV drama every single evening. Host Ariana Madix called the final results, announcing Trinity Tatum and Bryce Dettloff as the official winners of the $100,000 grand prize. Trinity and Bryce won over the public via an authentic, steady slow-burn relationship that kicked off on day one and survived every hurdle thrown at them. In an interesting formatting tweak, the show eliminated the old "share or steal" card gimmick, deciding to split the money evenly between the two by default, leaving the villa on a genuinely wholesome note. 

Final four couple from the Love Island USA Season 8. Credit: Peacock

The 2026 World Cup Fever Pitch…So Far

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have officially entered the business end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the stakes have never been more terrifyingly high. The semi-finals kicked off Tuesday, July 14th, with a heavyweight European clash between France and Spain – with the latter winning – while Argentina takes on England the day after. The sheer zeal and unpredictability on display this year have global fanbases on edge as the final four battle for the ultimate trophy. Looking back, Africa’s representation made serious waves during this expanded tournament. A record-breaking nine out of ten CAF teams historically advanced out of the group stages. While giants like Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Ghana unfortunately faced agonizingly close exits in the Round of 32, debutants like Cape Verde captured the world's heart as tournament underdogs, and Morocco and Egypt proved once again that African football is a force to be reckoned with on the world stage 

Pedro Porro of Spain celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's second goal. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images 

Shakira and Burnaboy Dai Dai Tops Charts

Speaking of the World Cup, we obviously can’t fail to mention some of the music keeping us in tournament spirit. Shakira and Burna Boy’s ‘Dai Dai’ is completely running the globe, officializing its chokehold on the culture by rocketing straight to Number 1 on the Billboard Global Charts. For those of you who haven’t heard it by now, it’s an Afro-pop meets Latin-pop masterclass that blends Burna’s signature heavy rhythm with Shakira's stadium-ready anthemic energy. And given her legendary history with tournament soundtracks, ‘Dai Dai’ is cementing itself as an instant classic, providing the perfect tune for the high-intensity championship final stretch.

‍LADIPOE Announces a Hip-Hop 'REVIVAL' 

Finally, if your playlist has been yearning for a different groove, Mavin Records' resident wordsmith LADIPOE is ready to answer the call. The Afro-fusion pioneer is officially rolling out his highly anticipated studio album titled ‘REVIVAL’ out July 17th. Clocking in at a solid 16 tracks, the project marks a significant and refreshing return to the spotlight for the rapper. Poe has already been teasing the sonic direction of the album with standout singles like ‘Many People’ (featuring Ema Onigah) and the hard-hitting ‘NBA’ alongside Ayo Maff, signaling that ‘REVIVAL’ is set to be a masterclass in balancing commercial appeal with uncompromising rap bar execution. 

There is a distinctive, unmistakable energy that belongs strictly to New York City. It is an effortless transition between high-fashion luxury and raw pavement that balances immense swagger with unyielding grit. But in an industry that constantly copies and capitalizes on this cultural footprint, true authenticity is rare. Most chase the wave; very few actually create it. Queens-born artist Lloyd McKenzie Jr., known globally as Bay Swag, is one of those rare creators. Coinciding with the highly anticipated premiere of his new documentary, ‘The Story - The Sound’ Presented by Nothing Bout Us Regular and directed by Bonsu Thompson (@bonsudreamz)

Through his pioneering role in the high-energy, infectious "Sexy Drill" wave, Bay Swag has flipped the traditional, dark drill formula on its head, proving you can float over hard-hitting New York beats with feel-good energy rather than standard, aggressive themes. Yet beneath this vibrant sound lies a heavy personal reality including his mother’s battle with breast cancer and his father’s 85-year prison sentence. " Refusing to let trauma break him, Bay Swag uses his acclaimed album, Damaged Thoughts, to turn ‘pain into champagne" He leans directly into the vulnerability of his journey, showing fans that raw honesty is the only real path to longevity. Below, the artist breaks down the blueprints of his grind, his brotherhoods, and his refusal to ever have a Plan B.

The title of the film is ‘Bay Swag: The Story - The Sound’. In a music industry that constantly tries to copy and capitalize on New York’s style, how does this film show your audience that you and your crew are the ones actually defining the currency, rather than just chasing it?

It takes people behind the music so they can see where the sound actually comes from, the people around me, the city, and the process. Once you see that, you see we’re not following a wave, we created it. It's a blessing, of course. You know, you gotta thank God first and foremost. Actually, it’s a good thing. There's nothing wrong with it. Some people don't like that, and they’ll start, saying stuff or try to diss people about it. Like ‘I don't know why you sound like me’ or this and that, but we actually appreciate it and really acknowledge it because that means you're doing something good. You know, you started a whole new sound, and now everybody's messing with it and liking it and now everybody’s doing it. It's a good thing. I feel really good about it. It actually makes me happy.

‍Your latest album Damaged Thoughts was a massive turning point because you were willing to show the trauma and stress that a lot of artists hide behind a confident exterior. What was the hardest part about letting the documentary cameras into those exact same dark spaces, and why did your fans need to see that side of you?

It's actually crazy because it's not hard for me. I'm not scared to speak about the truth and my life. A lot of people are scared to speak the truth and talk about things that they're actually going through in their lives. It’s hard for them to talk. To talk about things that they go through, their trauma, or things that hurt them or things that broke their hearts. I'm not really afraid to. I guess that's just me. But I actually feel a lot of artists should do that because it'll make things way easier. It’ll make the music way easier. It’ll make life just way easier. Just be honest and speak your truth. That's why it's so easy for me to go in the studio and record, because I'm always speaking the truth.

There’s a heavy quote from you where you mention that "being an artist is the most dangerous s**t in the world" because you always have to be seen and posted. How does this documentary give fans an inside look at the anxiety and paranoia that comes with that lifestyle and things the average listener never gets to see?

It can be dangerous. You have to post where you’re at, you gotta post the time, you gotta post the location. You gotta post literally everything. Imagine you have problems with some people and they literally know exactly who you are and where you are. If somebody's hating on you and you don't even know, they could just be jealous of you, come up to you acting like a fan and you and you’re just being supportive thinking they're fan and then they could just be on some whole other type of time. It's crazy. Really imagine that.

You’re known for driving the "Sexy Drill" wave music that is purely about good energy, dancing, and having fun without the violence. Yet, your reality includes heavy personal chapters like your father’s 85-year sentence and your mother beating cancer. How does the film explain that intentional balance using high-energy music to heal and escape deep personal pain?

I'm trying to show that you can turn the pain into champagne. No matter what you’re going through, you can't let it stop your motion or let it stop you from doing the things that you're supposed to do. A lot of people, when things happen like that, like something crazy - they get crazy news or bad news or somebody passes away or like me, my mom got diagnosed with breast cancer, my dad got sentenced to 85 years in jail. Some would take that and have a whole totally different way in life and just cry about it or just be sad about it. Nah, you gotta turn that pain into champagne.

You’ve openly stated that you don’t believe in using life's tragedies as an excuse to stop elevating, saying "that’s supposed to motivate you". How does this film capture your growth as a man who chose to carry the weight of his family on his back, rather than letting it break him?

Looking back, we really created something that changed the world. We created a whole new genre. I dropped a great album, performed on big stages, got a gold RIAA plaque. Everything in that way has helped me.

A massive lesson in your journey has been pure, unadulterated patience. You’ve said, "I don’t have a plan B, I'mma make sure that plan A work." Looking back at the footage of your early grind, what do you think that relentless mindset says to the kid watching this documentary who feels like their own dreams are taking too long to happen?

As you can see, patience is key. Just keep grinding, keep working as much as possible. I'm not a loser, you gotta have that winning mentality. Tell yourself like this 'I gotta make this work. This has to happen' Once you actually put that into your regular life, every day, it'll work. Not necessarily everything will work out, but I would rather try my hardest and fail rather than just sitting back and not doing anything. At least try. At least you'll know you put your all, you tried your hardest. Its better to know you put your all into it rather than going halfway with it.

Most music documentaries are made twenty years after an artist hits their peak. Why was it vital for you to give your audience an inside look at the blueprint right now, when your career is taking off and your future is still being written?

I feel like now is the time to give people that motivation. My documentary is obviously not the end. I'm not done. To be continued. It's just my journey from then to now, and showing what's possible.

On the album Damaged Thoughts, you collaborated with heavyweights like Young Thug, Meek Mill, and Quavo. Beyond just making hits, those are men who have stood by you, with Thug even offering to pay for your father’s lawyer. How does the documentary pull back the curtain on those genuine, behind-the-scenes brotherhoods that go way deeper than a studio session?

Honestly, I have a second part to the documentary and I got Cash Cobain in it. He talked a bit, but I want to do a part three to really dive into the artist side and get their look on everything. But I feel like those are my big brothers and I'm blessed to be able to call them that. I'm blessed to get calls from them. Blessed that they answer whenever I call. I can call every one of the guys that's on my album. It's deeper than music, you know, and they guide me. They give me their thoughts on what I should do, or they used to do this or they should do. I can call Young Thug and talk about life, talk about things I'm going through. Shout out to Future because Future is also a guy that I get a lot of game from, and he teaches me a lot and we have talks. He actually called yesterday. There's a song on the way. I can't say when, but it's on the way.

You’ve pointed out that when a new wave starts, everyone tries to sound like someone else, but your superpower is just being yourself. How does The Story - The Sound prove to your audience that honesty is the only way to build longevity in this game?

‍I feel like it's written, literally. If you go back through the history of rap and hip-hop, you can tell that when people are talking about their life and the things they're going through, people relate to it more. You never know what somebody else is dealing with. Music heals people. That's a fact.

‍When the credits roll on this film, I think people’s perception of Bay Swag is going to be completely different. As you step into this next era of your life and career, what do you want this chapter to say about Bay Swag, and what legacy do you hope it leaves behind?

‍Answer: I want people to know that no matter what you're going through, and no matter what you went through, keep going. The devil will always try to come and stop you when things are going good, man, but you got to overcome that, and keep God first, man. Just keep God first and just keep grinding no matter what. When you're going through those hard times and when you get out of it, you'll be like, wow. God is real, man. I did what I had to do. I kept grinding. I kept putting my foot on the gas.

Looking Forward

Ultimately, Bay Swag’s journey is a masterclass in holding onto your identity when the world demands you dilute it. As his story unfolds in real-time, Nothing Bout Us Regular Presents Bay Swag: The Story - The Sound leaves us with a sharp, undeniable truth: longevity is earned through honesty, and there is no substitute for standing firmly in your own lane.

Cover Credit: cozzylens

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Adidas's global campaign is built around a simple message - "You Got This" - and a film called Backyard Legends that places Timothée Chalamet, Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham in a neighbourhood game rather than a stadium. The grassroots argument is deliberate. So is what Adidas has been doing in Lagos, quietly and at its own pace, since 2023. The Adidas Yard - a five-day World Cup viewing activation at Bature Brewery on Victoria Island - is not where the Lagos story starts. 

In 2023, Adidas opened the first flagship store of its kind in West Africa on Victoria Island, Lagos. The choice of architect was the first signal of intent. Tosin Oshinowo - one of Nigeria's most internationally acclaimed architects and founder of Oshinowo Studio - was commissioned to design the space following a competitive brief. Her response was specific to Lagos in every detail. The two-storey, 380 square metre project is a retrofit of an existing 1970s building, its façade clad in corrugated aluminium sheets drawn from the roofing material found throughout Lagos's mass housing communities. LED linear lighting runs across the ridged surface. Twenty-five-year-old Roystonea regia trees on the site were preserved. A basketball court and stage were built in for community events and activations.

Inside, murals and installations by Nigerian artists Chinelo Ezewudo, Osa Okunkpolor, Dennis Osadebe and Ayoola Gbolahan shaped the retail environment. The store was not simply a place to buy trainers. It was a cultural argument - about what Lagos means to Adidas and what Adidas intended to mean to Lagos.

Two years later, in July 2025, Adidas opened a second Lagos flagship - a 3,000 square metre waterfront store on Admiralty Way, Lekki, developed in partnership with LATC and BrandCo. Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat cut the ribbon. The store was designed around Nigerian music, art, film and technology. At 3,000 square metres, it became the largest Adidas store in Africa. The investment was no longer a first move. It was a pattern taking shape.

In July 2026, during the World Cup, Adidas Nigeria announced Korty EO as the new face of the Adidas Superstar in Nigeria. The campaign, shot by photographer Thompson Ekong, arrived weeks after her Tony Elumelu interview on Flow with Korty crossed 200,000 views - a reminder of why she carries the cultural weight she does. Korty is not a footballer. She is not a global celebrity whose name travels without context. She is a storyteller whose authority is built on understanding Nigerian culture from the inside, someone whose platform exists because of the quality of attention she pays to other people's stories. The Superstar campaign reads as a continuation of the same logic that brought Tosin Oshinowo into the Victoria Island project - find people who understand the city and let them shape how the brand shows up in it.

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On July 14, Ayanfe opened the private launch night of The Adidas Yard Lagos with a live set at Bature Brewery, 256 Etim Inyang Crescent, Victoria Island. From July 15, the activation opened to the public - free entry, free drinks, gates at 5pm daily, live DJ sets before each World Cup kickoff. Abiodun performed July 15. Farati follows on July 18. Kiss closes on July 19, the same day as the World Cup final.

The programming is specifically Lagos. The venue is a local Lagos institution. The DJs are names the Lagos creative community knows. Wrapped around all of it is the global energy of the World Cup's final week and the "You Got This" campaign message - built around grassroots play, neighbourhood legends, and the idea that greatness is not born in stadiums. In Lagos, that message lands differently when the brand has already spent three years making its presence about architecture, local artists, local faces and local venues rather than global celebrity drops.

Adidas has not announced a Lagos strategy in any press release. There is no grand declaration of commitment to the Nigerian market, no campaign that explicitly says "this city matters to us." What exists instead is a series of deliberate, unhurried moves - a flagship designed by a Nigerian architect, a second flagship that became the largest in Africa, a Superstar face chosen for her cultural fluency, a World Cup activation at a brewery rather than a stadium. 

The Adidas Yard closes July 19. The World Cup ends the same day. 

IG:@sophiannadozie

Embracing his heritage has always been one of the things Ayetian holds closest to his heart. Raised by Haitian parents and born and brought up in Jamaica, he grew up in a deeply cultured environment that shaped the person and artist he is today. Proud of both his Haitian roots and Jamaican upbringing, Ayetian carries the spirit of the Caribbean into everything he does. Deeds Magazine caught up with him to talk about his upbringing, music, creative process, collaborations and the journey behind the name.

Hi Ayetian, it's a pleasure meeting you. I'm Ruqayyah, a writer with Deeds Magazine. Let's start with your background. Could you tell our audience who Ayetian is?

Ayetian is more than words can describe. You have to experience me in person. My charismatic spirit, vibrant personality, humour, kindness, and genuine energy make me unforgettable. I embody the Caribbean.

It's known that your parents immigrated from Haiti to Jamaica, and that you were born there. What was your upbringing like? and how did it shape you into the person you are today?

I was raised in a deeply cultural environment shaped by my parents, where lessons were not meant to be changed, but understood and adapted. In my household, there was no wrong way of teaching. While alternative paths weren’t discouraged, they weren’t indulged, so it was either follow the foundation laid out or take full responsibility for becoming something else. That upbringing shaped me into someone independent and creative.

How did your collaboration with Rvssian, Moliy, and Tyga come about?

The collaboration with Rvssian, Moliy, and Tyga came together organically. It was purely a vibe, with no overplanning, yet executed seamlessly. Rvssian saw the vision and brought me onto the track to add a Caribbean flair, tapping into the energy of dancehall and soca.

You're known for your freestyles. What's the best freestyle you have ever made, and where was that made?

One of the best freestyles I’ve ever made was back in Grade 11, under Cornwall’s iconic towering almond tree. It was raw and authentic. It reflected my lifestyle, touching on girls and money without being explicit.

How does your name Ayetian connect to your Haitian roots?

I wanted something distinctive that connected to the Haitian side of my background. “Ayetian” felt right; it's one of the best names I could have chosen.

How does your name Ayetian connect to your Haitian roots?

My creative process isn’t a secret. It’s driven by vibes, music, and a little bit of magic.

What's a must-do daily routine you do every single day?

One habit I always maintain is reading; it helps expand my vocabulary and sharpen my expression.

In an interview with Television Jamaican, you’ve talked before about staying consistent with your craft, dropping something every month, and not wanting to be a seasonal artist. How has that been going?

As you can see, my name stays in conversation, there’s a presence attached to it. Say my name, and something happens.

Which artists would you love to collaborate with in the near future?

I don’t limit my catalog or collaborations. If the energy aligns and the business makes sense, I’m always open to working.

Final Question: What’s a side of Ayetian that fans don’t usually get to see?

My alter ego: Nino Espartarno.

Credits:
Ayetian Credits
Photographer & Creative Director: Zekaria Al-Bostani
Lighting: Nicola Sclano
Stylist: Ramario Chevoy
Styling Assistant: Rudina Brika
Hair Stylist/Grooming: Lauraine Bailey
Writer: Ruqayyah Sadiq
Design: @dianeadanna
BTS: Blair Watson
Studio: @blankboxstudio
PR: @myblaqbook @giovannamae

The FIFA World Cup has always attracted audiences beyond the football-watching public - people who follow the spectacle, the stories, and the characters rather than the tactics. In 2026, that non-football audience has grown significantly, pulled in by something the tournament produces in ways that few other events can match: genuinely unscripted human moments that travel faster than any campaign. Every World Cup cycle throws up its unexpected figures - players whose presence on the tournament’s periphery generates more conversation than the matches themselves. This edition has four of them. 

‍Erling Haaland: The Internet’s Babygirl

Erling Haaland arrived at the 2026 World Cup as one of the most decorated strikers in the world - six foot five, 208 pounds, seven goals across five tournament matches, Norway’s best chance at a trophy they have not contended for in decades. None of that is why most of his new fans know his name.

Rather than the usual hustle-grindset content athletes tend to post, Haaland has been winningly disarming - fluent in the chatty, bubbly language of memes. A Snapchat selfie with a low-res Shrek captioned “Selfie with my twin.” A proud announcement that he “raw-dogged” a seven-hour flight. The “Ornaldo” moment - in which he misspelled Orlando during the 2025 Club World Cup, then posted a correction reading “Not even allowed to write something wrong now in this perfect world. Sorry to all the perfect brothers and sisters out there” - resurfaced during Norway’s run and became the defining text of what fans now call Haalandism. A Kygo remix of his teenage rap song “Kygo Jo” hit number one in Norway. AI deepfakes of him circulated everywhere, proving that modern football stars are now remixable digital figures as much as athletes.

‍Sarah Wilson, a 31-year-old baseball content creator in New York who had never followed football, captured the spirit of the moment in a now-viral video: “I love Erling Haaland more than life itself. I cannot fathom being such a pretty Norwegian princess and also being one of the best strikers in all of football.” His domineering physical appearance and goofy online persona produced the specific combination the internet cannot resist - simultaneously scary and hilarious, elite and dorky, a large Viking who is also, somehow, everyone’s babygirl. 

The tournament added another dimension when Norway drew England in the quarterfinals, meaning Haaland would face his closest friend and former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham on opposite sides for the first time at a World Cup. Their friendship is well documented -  the 2021 moment when Bellingham wandered into Haaland’s post-match interview and planted a kiss on his cheek, the Valentine’s Day video the two made for Dortmund’s YouTube channel exchanging deliberately terrible pick-up lines. The internet treated the quarterfinal matchup as a parasocial goldmine, with edits, memes and fan fiction arriving before the match had even kicked off.

Maduka Okoye: The Ladies’ Man Who Didn’t Qualify for the 2026 World Cup

Nigeria did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Maduka Okoye, Nigeria’s goalkeeper, became one of the most talked-about footballers of the tournament without having set foot in a single stadium of the competition.

During a pre-World Cup friendly between Nigeria and Portugal, a clip of his pre-match walk went viral, gathering millions of views and earning him the nickname “the sexiest footballer in the world” across several entertainment outlets. Phrases swept the internet within hours -  “Dear readers, I am pleased to inform you that we are witnessing the diamond of the season,” “Block me, I am married,” and most cruelly, “When does Nigeria play?” - the answer to which was never, Nigeria having been eliminated in the African play-off against DR Congo on penalties.

American R&B icon Toni Braxton joined the conversation after seeing a video of an elderly woman losing composure over footage of the goalkeeper. His Instagram following surpassed one million in under a week, rising from 250,000 before the tournament began. The attention extended beyond social media entirely when Okoye attended the Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture Show at Paris Fashion Week on July 8, where he was seen helping Cardi B to her front-row seat before the two sat side by side to watch the runway presentation. They were also spotted together at the Messika showcase later that week. Neither confirmed a romantic relationship, but the internet had already decided what it wanted the story to be - a Nigerian goalkeeper, six foot six, speaking six languages, escorting one of the biggest names in American music to her seat at a Parisian fashion show, while his national team was at home watching the World Cup on television. 

Vozinha: The 40-Year-Old Who Built 20 Million Followers in a Month

Josimar José Évora Dias -  known as Vozinha - arrived at the World Cup at 40 years old, without a club contract, from a nation of roughly 500,000 people that nobody gave a chance against Spain in their opening group match. His nickname, which means “granny” in Cape Verdean Creole, came from childhood teasing. His career had taken him through Angola, Moldova, Portugal, Cyprus and Slovakia before arriving here, at football’s biggest stage, for the first time.

At 40 years and 12 days old, he became the oldest player ever to appear in a nation’s first World Cup match, made seven saves against Spain -  ranked second in the world - kept a clean sheet, and was named Player of the Match in a game that finished 0-0. In an emotional post-match interview, he expressed that he wished his mother could have been there to witness the moment, a visa issue having prevented her from travelling. The story spread globally, US officials intervened, and on June 22 she watched her son play against Uruguay in Miami. His Instagram following jumped from 46,000 to over 20 million during the tournament. A sea slug was named after him. Cape Verde were eventually eliminated by Argentina 3-2 in extra time, and Vozinha returned home on July 5 to thousands waiting at the airport -  the reception coinciding with Cape Verde’s Independence Day, turning the team’s arrival into a national celebration.

 Sidny Lopes Cabral: “We Know You’ve Found the One”

In the 103rd minute of Cape Verde’s match against Argentina, with the score level at 2-2, fullback Sidny Lopes Cabral cut in from the left wing and curled a shot inside the far post. He wheeled away in celebration, unsure at first of what to do, before vaulting the advertising boards and going in search of his girlfriend, Jayley da Cruz, in the stands.

Athletes running to their partners in moments of triumph is not new -  Mondo Duplantis did it at the 2024 Paris Olympics, sprinting straight from a world record pole vault to embrace his girlfriend in the crowd, a moment that swept the internet before the cheering had fully stopped. Hunter Woodhall, the double amputee sprinter, became one of the most celebrated figures of the same Games partly through the visible tenderness of his relationship with his wife Tara Davis-Woodhall. What Cabral’s moment added to that tradition was something specific to this World Cup: the art world crossover. LJ Rader, the person behind the account @ArtButMakeItSports, matched the image of Cabral and Jayley da Cruz’s embrace to a Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting -  a woman looking directly at the viewer, a fan in her hand, the composition finding its twin across more than a century. Football fans around the world then voted Cabral’s goal the best of the Round of 32, with 88.7 per cent of the public vote, with Lionel Messi - who also scored in the same match -  finishing second with 4.1 per cent.  

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The public fallout surrounding Tomi Adeyemi's film adaptation has dominated headlines. But the project's turbulent journey to the screen reveals the complicated bargain between Black storytelling and the limits of creative control inside Hollywood.

With only months left before Children of Blood and Bone arrives in cinemas, the fantasy epic has caught headlines recently when author Tomi Adeyemi publicly announced that she was distancing herself from the film adaptation of the novel that made her one of contemporary fantasy's most exciting new voices. In a series of Tiktok posts, Adeyemi said she would neither promote nor watch the finished film, describing years of emotional strain during the adaptation process before declaring that she was "officially separating" herself from the project. What followed was a wave of online speculation after she shared screenshots of private messages exchanged with one of the cast members, actor Amandla Stenberg; reigniting conversations about casting, colourism and creative disagreements that had lingered around the adaptation for years.

For context, Children of Blood and Bone isn’t just another film adaptation. From the moment Hollywood began competing for its rights in 2017, the award-winning literary work has stood for something larger: one of the first blockbuster fantasy franchises rooted unapologetically in Yoruba cosmology, West African history and Black cultural memory. It arrived carrying enormous expectations–not only as a commercial property but as a cultural milestone that many hoped would do for African-inspired fantasy what Black Panther had done for superhero cinema.

With almost 9 years in, the journey from page to screen has become an unusually revealing case study of what happens when culturally specific Black stories enter Hollywood's blockbuster machine. In an industry coupled with studio mergers, production delays, fan expectations, colourism debates and ultimately, the uneasy limits of authorial control once hundreds of millions of dollars begin shaping a creative vision. The recent fallout only simply makes those tensions impossible to ignore.

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After its publication in 2018, Children of Blood and Bone became an instant commercial hit and a massive fan favorite. Drawing from Yoruba spirituality and West African traditions, Adeyemi imagined the kingdom of Orïsha, where magic had been violently erased and a new generation fought to reclaim what had been stolen. While the novel embraced familiar fantasy conventions–a chosen hero, political conflict and epic quest–it distinguished itself through a world rarely afforded such scale in mainstream publishing.

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Readers found dragons, kings and revolution, but they also found names, belief systems and histories that reflected African traditions rather than medieval Europe. At a time when publishing was slowly beginning to embrace more diverse fantasy worlds, Children of Blood and Bone became proof that Black-centred speculative fiction could achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success.

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And Hollywood noticed almost immediately. Before the novel had even reached bookstore shelves, Fox 2000 acquired the adaptation rights in what quickly became one of publishing's most talked-about film deals. It seemed like the ideal trajectory: an acclaimed debut novel, a major studio investment and an opportunity to build a large-scale fantasy franchise led predominantly by Black actors.

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Then came Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Like many projects caught within the merger, Children of Blood and Bone entered a prolonged period of uncertainty and development slowing. Years passed with little visible progress leaving fans wondering whether one of the decade's most anticipated Black fantasy adaptations would ever materialise.

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Eventually the project found new life at Paramount Pictures, with filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood taking over directing duties. Known for balancing intimate character work with large-scale action in films such as The Woman King and The Old Guard, Prince-Bythewood appeared to many fans to be a reassuring choice. Paramount assembled an expansive ensemble cast featuring Thuso Mbedu as Zélie, Tosin Cole as Tzain, Damson Idris as Inan, Amandla Stenberg as Amari, alongside veterans including Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

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Children of Blood and Bone's (from left) Chiwetel Ejiofor, Regina King, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, and Damson Idris arrive for the Paramount Pictures 2026 CinemaCon presentation at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Candice Ward/Getty Images

But the adaptation became the subject of intense debate on how it would represent the very cultures that inspired it, way before production even began. The loudest conversations centred on colourism. Many readers had long understood Zélie as a visibly dark-skinned heroine whose appearance carried political significance within Adeyemi's world. Fans scrutinised every casting announcement through that lens, questioning whether Hollywood's longstanding preference for lighter-skinned Black women was once again shaping the visual language of a story explicitly rooted in African identity. Others defended the casting choices, arguing that reducing actors to skin tone ignored their performances and reinforced another form of gatekeeping. Neither side was really arguing only about casting.

Their arguments about representation–not simply whether Black actors had been cast, but which Black bodies continue to be seen as commercially desirable, globally marketable and worthy of occupying the centre of blockbuster fantasy–echoed conversations that have followed Hollywood for decades, where diversity is often easier to celebrate than specificity. Understanding the core of Children of Blood and Bone is to know that it promised more than representation but rather cultural translation, a subject that hasn’t historically been Hollywood’s forte. 

The challenge is not unique to Children of Blood and Bone. It is built into the economics of blockbuster filmmaking itself. Hollywood has become increasingly willing to finance stories centred on non-Western cultures, but those stories often must pass through production systems designed to maximise global accessibility. The goal is not necessarily to erase cultural specificity but to make it immediately legible to audiences across dozens of international markets. In practice, that can mean familiar narrative beats, recognisable character archetypes and emotional arcs that fit comfortably within the conventions of contemporary franchise cinema.

There is nothing inherently wrong with a three-act structure or the hero's journey. Most stories, regardless of their cultural origins, share common narrative patterns. The tension emerges when the industrial demands of blockbuster filmmaking begin to outweigh the rhythms, philosophies and worldviews that make a particular mythology distinct in the first place.

‍Yoruba cosmology has never simply been a collection of fantastical creatures or magical powers. It is a living spiritual tradition built around interconnected relationships between ancestors, deities, nature and community. Its cosmology resists neat binaries of good versus evil, often privileging balance, reciprocity and moral complexity over singular heroes destined to save the world alone like those often depicted in the West. 

Adeyemi's novels draw inspiration from that tradition while creating their own fictional universe. They are not direct retellings of Yoruba mythology, but they borrow its philosophical texture–its understanding of power, lineage and spiritual inheritance. Translating that texture into a two-hour blockbuster is an enormous creative challenge. It requires more than reproducing African-inspired costumes or landscapes. It asks whether Hollywood's dominant storytelling language is capable of accommodating worldviews that were never designed around Western narrative assumptions.

That question has followed countless adaptations before this one. What makes Children of Blood and Bone particularly revealing is that the conversation has been very public.

The same is true of the debates surrounding colourism. Much of the online discourse reduced the controversy to a question of whether individual actors were "right" or "wrong" for their roles. But beneath those arguments seats a deeper frustration about visual politics. For many readers, the appearance of characters like Zélie was never incidental. Dark skin was not merely descriptive; it carried symbolic weight in a story deeply concerned with power, hierarchy and oppression.

Hollywood's history has made audiences especially sensitive to those choices. For decades, darker-skinned Black women have struggled for equal visibility in leading roles, while lighter-skinned performers have often been positioned as more commercially palatable within global entertainment industries. Whether or not one believes the casting of Children of Blood and Bone reinforces that pattern, the intensity of the reaction demonstrates how audiences increasingly understand representation as a question of nuance rather than numbers.

It is no longer enough for a film to say it centres Black characters. Viewers are asking which Black identities are centred, whose features are considered beautiful, whose bodies are considered heroic and which versions of Blackness continue to be celebrated while others are shunned. 

That shift reflects a growing sophistication among audiences. Representation is no longer measured simply by presence. It is measured by precision. Yet perhaps the most revealing development arrived only last week, when Adeyemi herself stepped away from the project. For years, the adaptation had been presented as an example of meaningful collaboration between a bestselling Black author and a major Hollywood studio. 

‍Adeyemi received executive producer credit and was initially involved in developing the screenplay. From the outside, it appeared to embody the industry's evolving commitment to giving creators greater influence over adaptations of their work.

Her public statements however, complicated that narrative. While the details of what occurred behind the scenes remain known only to those directly involved, Adeyemi's decision to distance herself from the finished film stating, “...I can’t keep being hurt and attacked behind the scenes,” highlights an uncomfortable reality about contemporary franchise filmmaking: participation does not necessarily equal control.

An executive producer credit can signal involvement, advocacy or consultation, but it rarely grants final authority over a production of this scale. Once a project enters that all too well ecosystem of studio executives, financiers, producers and international distribution strategies, authors inevitably become one voice among many. Creative decisions are negotiated through commercial priorities, production logistics and the collective interests of an enormous filmmaking apparatus.

That does not mean studios inevitably compromise artistic integrity, nor does it mean Children of Blood and Bone cannot emerge as an exceptional film. Cinema is filled with masterpieces born from difficult productions and creative disagreements. Audiences should ultimately judge the adaptation on its own merits rather than on speculation surrounding its development.

But the production's history remains instructive regardless of the film's eventual reception. In many ways, Children of Blood and Bone exposes/is exposing the paradox facing Black creators in Hollywood today. The industry has become more willing than ever to invest in stories rooted in the continent’s culture. Yet those stories still enter institutions built around commercial imperatives that often diffuse individual creative authority.

One thing we can finally agree on however is that visibility is expanding but power remains negotiated. Children of Blood and Bone may still become the landmark fantasy adaptation many readers have hoped for since 2018. It may introduce millions of viewers to an African-inspired world unlike anything previously attempted at this scale. It may prove that stories rooted in motherland traditions can thrive within the commercial architecture of global blockbuster cinema.

The Story of a French-Ivorian artist winning against all odds

When thinking of contemporary artists and the modern wave of Neo-pop art, who are the first names that come to mind? KAWS? Maybe Takashi Murakami? Truthfully, their easily recognizable characters, such as the skeleton Mickey Mouse and the rainbow flower, are objects adored by both art and youth culture enthusiasts alike. Today, they participate in the art world as much as fashion, pop culture, sneakers, and so many more avenues and doors that have opened as a result of what we can only describe as a highly marketable brand image they managed to create for themselves. Little did the world know that secretly, there was a self-taught artist from Toulouse scribbling in his garage, paving his own way for years in the background.

Karl N’da Adopo is a 27-year-old Ivorian-French multidisciplinary artist based in Toulouse, France. Learning to draw before he could even speak, one could almost assume that this creative field was destined for him. However, it did not come without any hardships. Rejected by every art institution he applied to, Karl is entirely self-taught. Coming from an African background, where children are often asked to pursue “guaranteed careers,” such as becoming a doctor or a lawyer, artistry was not something Karl’s relatives may have outright encouraged. It is only in his recent success, including an exposition he had in Paris this June 2026, that his family grew to better understand the dream he was chasing.

Sama, which is the name of Karl’s character, is not just a mere object he draws for pleasure. In his own words, the mainly blue elephant is his alter ego. One could also define it as an escape, so to speak, to make sense of the world around him, and to interpret his social commentaries. The word Sama means elephant in Dioula, a trade language belonging to the Mande family tree rooted in West Africa, mainly spoken in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Mali. It goes without saying that the elephant is also both the coat of arms and the national animal of the Ivory Coast, Karl’s African heritage. It is supposed to symbolize strength and endurance, a direct tie to the Ivory trade during French colonization between 1893 and 1960, and when the country got its name.

In the span of just a couple of years, Karl has presented his work in art galleries, school campuses and even at the well-respected Le Musée imaginaire d’Oli, both in his hometown of Toulouse and in the capital city of Paris. Through the use of vibrant colours and strong imagery, first drawn in crayons and collages, before pivoting to painting, Karl sought to display different humours. Not restricted to, but fairly common, the red elephant often pictures an individual in anger, while the blue elephant creates an air of substance. Moreover, the green elephant could embody an individual’s wittiness and pride. Otherwise, the pink elephant could come across as a sucker for love, an individual in its most vulnerable state.

Perhaps one of his most striking paintings is Sama and the Eiffel Tower as his own shadow. In this particular instance, Sama looks back at the iconic Parisian monument almost unamused, slightly saddened, but visibly unable to disengage from its tower. The painting is simple yet holds so much depth. Sama’s shadow could be understood as the inescapable past and shortcomings, possibly symbolizing the dreams that were never realised, such as studying art at one of Paris’ prestigious schools. Although Karl has explained multiple times that Sama could represent anyone, maybe on this occasion Sama was drawn on a personal level, commenting on individuals the city has turned its back on.

It is no secret that although France has a long history of colonization and migration, the Caribbean & African communities are still heavily discriminated against. From racial profiling, employment & housing biases, and lack of representation, systemic racism is very much prevalent and can not be tracked and collected through data due to Article 1 of the Constitution of the French Republic that declares, “France shall be an indivisible, secular, democratic and social Republic. It shall ensure the equality of all citizens before the law, without distinction of origin, race or religion.” In other words, in principle, everyone is recognized as an individual citizen. In practise, acts of racial inequality persist and may be lawfully ignored.

Furthermore, in an industry where black artists are neglected for following through abstract art, for example, however, are seemingly rewarded for black portraits, excuse my French, it takes some balls to make one's muse a darn elephant. It is not that contemporary artists, aside from painting black subjects, do not exist; there is an evident market trend and institutional demand that favour black portraiture. Between 2008 and the mid-2020s, art by Black americans artists, for example, represented only 2% of auction spend. Not to mention that only one artist dominates, leaving very little space for Black artists in every medium and genre to sustain themselves. To this day, the most expensive painting by a Black artist is the untitled 1982, a black skull on a turquoise blue background, by the late Haitian-American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Thus, it makes it extremely difficult for Black artists, especially without an academic background, to prevail with their distinct creative expression.

While examining Karl’s story and his own path toward success, it is clear that he had to make use of great endurance to reach the level of recognition he has earned today. In a world under the dominance of Western ideologies, where race can determine one's access to visibility, and cultural backgrounds depict the value of one's pursuit, it is of utmost importance not only to highlight moments where an artist can win against all odds but also to celebrate their victory lap. Karl N’da Adopo may not be a world-renowned icon like KAWS, not yet, but his cartoon-like artistry and rapid career growth are a phenomenon to watch develop closely in the coming years.

Cover image (Credit: Achille Grnd)

Fave has been one of Nigerian music’s most quietly consistent presences since “Baby Riddim” established her in 2021. RnBling, her third body of work released July 8, 2026, is six tracks of a singer fully settled into who she is - moving between vulnerability and confidence without losing the thread of either. The EP is produced across a tight circle of collaborators, with Dunnie and Deeyasso handling the bulk of the production, and features Chike and Yemi Alade as the two guest artists.

“Body Talk”, produced by Dunnie, opens the project on a warm, mid-tempo note - Fave establishing the EP’s emotional register immediately. “Miss You” follows, with Chike joining for a record built on longing - his signature emotive vocals sitting naturally against Fave’s soulful delivery, the two voices occupying the same emotional space with ease.

“Dance”, produced by Damie, is where the EP finds its clearest footing - rhythmic, easy, and impossible to sit still through. Of the six tracks, it is the one most likely to find its own life outside the EP. “Drown”, produced by German trio 255, takes the EP into its most vulnerable territory - Fave examining the consequences of falling too deeply into something, the production darker and more textured than what precedes it. It is the EP’s most emotionally direct moment

“Paparazzi” featuring Yemi Alade carries the kind of energy that recalls Yemi’s 2016 Maleek Berry-produced single ‘Want You’ - that same unbothered confidence, the awareness of being watched and the complete refusal to shrink from it. Yemi’s swagger and Fave’s warmth occupy the same space without competing, the collaboration feeling immediate rather than arranged.

“La La La” closes the project on its lightest note -  a feel-good record that sends the listener out exactly as the title promises.

‍RnBling is an enjoyable, cohesive project that moves through emotional range without losing control of its tone. The third track alone is worth the listen.

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Meet Enfant Précoce, a Cameroonian-born artist who stunts the art as much as the music world.

It is not often that the cover of a song makes you stop and stare at the masterpiece before you. So, when ‘On My Mind’ by Adekunle Gold and Yamê first dropped, and the cover was revealed, looking just as good as the song sounded, with its vibrant cloudy pink and uniquely styled black figures, it was as though the whole package was gold served on a platter. However, who is the artist behind the artwork? And what do we know of the story that brought all three heads together?

Francis Essoua Kalu, better known to the world as Enfant Précoce, meaning precocious child in English, is a 37-year-old Cameroon-born painter and dancer based in Paris, France. Growing up, Francis first discovered art through his uncle, Malam Essoua, a sculpture artist, whose free-spirited life deeply inspired him. After settling in France at the age of Nine, he began his artistic journey as a dancer before pivoting and falling in love with painting, devoting his professional career to the creative field in 2013.

If Francis’ face may appear familiar, it is because, alongside both dancing and painting, he has also dabbled in modelling. Just to name a few, he walked for Pharrell Williams' first Louis Vuitton runway show in 2023, appeared in a Ralph Lauren campaign, and even posed with his own daughter for the Walk in Paris fashion brand. Truly, Francis is a virtuoso of many gifts. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that his artwork for ‘On My Mind’ happens to be one of the many occasions we’re in awe of what he is capable of creating. 

Enfant Précoce’s visualscape, when looking at his characters, appears to almost always remain in movement, which could be a nudge to his past as a dancer or merely an artistic choice. Engulfed in bright and vibrant colours, his paintings are never boring, often depicting a beautiful chaos, where every interaction between objects and figures feels intentional. Besides, sometimes, direct visual context, it would appear that Francis draws inspiration from his childhood memories in Cameroon. With instances showing African women in an embrace or a crowded bus, it gives us insight into Francis’ psyche of how he absorbs small details in everyday life we tend to overlook and turns them into an immortalized image worth remembering.

The artwork titled bébé by Enfant Précoce was first shown to both Yamê and Adekunle Gold in person at his atelier in Paris. In a short clip shared on social media, Yamê introduces Francis as his friend, explaining that the art piece was made for them. When Francis fixates on the painting on the wall, he unveils that the ensemble portrays a female figure in duality. Where perhaps one option could offer materialistic gain, whereas the other may bring emotional balance. Although it may not directly align with the lyrical content, bébé exists as a storyline to admire on its own.

In a time when artists place less and less thought behind cover art, it is refreshing to view an example where both the beauty and substance behind it are preserved. Francis’ artwork not only brings life to the single, but it also reminds us how pivotal visuals are to the elevation and understanding of an artist’s sonic world. Surely, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but what does little care and effort placed on one’s visuals say about a recording artist?

Take ‘The Sugar Shack’ by Ernie Barnes, for example, a painting that accompanied Marvin Gaye’s incredible 1976 record ‘I Want You.’ Barnes’ painting of stylishly dressed, elongated black figures dancing to a silent tune, with closed, tender eyes, in what looks to be a barn, reimagines a memory from Barnes’ early childhood in the South. The eclectic ambience and warm colours almost erase the thought that Barnes was born in Jim Crow North Carolina. In contrast, Marvin’s record is a sensual delight, busted erotic intimacy, encapsulating the purest form of vulnerability.

To this day, the masterful skills of both worlds intertwined as one have become an all-time classic and even outlived their creators. Despite transcending centuries, the imagery and sound still resonate strongly, capturing a defining moment in history that aged like wine, surpassing expectations and settling into timelessness. Although the depth between each creative expression may be in a different weight class, they blend perfectly with one another like milk & honey.  Thus, making it into the hall of fame, should there be a categorisation for the most honourable music cover art.

Enfant Précoce’s cover contribution to Adekunle Gold and Yamê’s collaboration brought a similar feeling back. One where the cover art accompanying a well-woven track could triumph against the test of time. Surely, in twenty years from now, the artwork could be presented in museums, revisited for the music era of two phenomenal artists. Not only would they stand out, but they also took the road less travelled. In this new era of the internet, where instant gratification has become more important than depth and artistry, whether painters or musicians are directly affected by this change.

One of the cheap tricks that modern artists have utilized are A.I. generated covers. This is a complete shift from the well-thought-out, sought-after cover arts from the generation that came before the millennials. Perhaps the A.I. art piece can be visually appealing, but it can never replace the soul of an artist. And like we’ve seen with examples of the past and present, the story behind an artwork can matter just as much as the execution. Not to mention that this takes the opportunity away from an illustrator or a painter who could have given the musical project a new dimension.

If ‘On My Mind’ could have brought any kind of reassurance, it is that collaborations and layers to one’s image are still intact. Even through the cracks of loud noise and attention-seeking displays, some will stick to their guns and ultimately deliver, just as Enfant Précoce in his own time.

My Instagram feed is rarely where I get the full story. The reels come first - from DMs, in numbers I have been avoiding and then some of those reels send me to Twitter, where the threads explain what actually happened, who said what, and why everyone is still talking about it three days later. From one bottle to two bottles, from two bottles - you know how the rest goes. Here is what survived the scroll. 

Wizkid Closed Afronation Portugal.

The three-day festival ran from July 3 to July 5 at Praia da Rocha Beach in Portimão, Portugal - Burna Boy opening on July 3, Asake headlining July 4, Wizkid closing the grand finale on July 5. One of his first major festival appearances in years, the performance landed with enough force that Spotify - official sponsor and exclusive streaming partner of Afronation 2026, posted selected performance content directly to its dedicated Afronation hub. Around the same time, Wizkid crossed 10 billion streams on the platform. The timing. The number. All in the same week. 

Prime Video's Muhammad Ali Series Finally Has a Date

The Greatest, Prime Video's first ever authorised scripted series on Muhammad Ali, premieres November 4, 2026 across more than 240 countries. Jaalen Best stars as Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, with Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society and Roc Nation as executive producers alongside Ali's widow Lonnie Ali. Created and written by Ben Watkins, the first-look teaser was unveiled at ESSENCE Festival of Culture on July 4. November is far enough away to be patient. The names attached make patience easy. 

Korty EO Is the Face of Adidas

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Korty EO was revealed as the new face of Adidas Superstar in Nigeria on July 4, with campaign images shot by photographer Thompson Ekong. The announcement came weeks after her Tony Elumelu interview on Flow with Korty crossed 200,000 views. She is a storyteller who makes other people's stories feel significant and now she is also the face of one of the most iconic sneaker campaigns in the world.

Nigerian Cultural Identity Won at Cannes. The Trophy went to Singapore.

"Vaseline and the Real Nigerian Prince" won five Lions at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, including a Gold in the Social & Creator category - the first ever associated with West Africa. Created by Leo Burnett Singapore with Nigerian agencies Quadrant MSL and All Seasons Zenith, the campaign turned the "Nigerian Prince" email scam into a counterfeit product awareness drive, generating 2.8 million organic views in ten days. Nigerian cultural identity won the Gold. The trophy went to Singapore. 

The Album PSAM Just Teased Has No Songs on It

‍PSAM - Nigerian creative designer - released “Until Death, All Defeat Is Psychological,” the second chapter in his ongoing Album series. Where the first, Album of Tees Vol. 1, was built entirely around T-shirts designed in collaboration with independent creatives across Nigeria, this one expands into clogs, a skateboard, a leather bag carrying handwritten reflections from women, bi-wall art, scarves and graphic tees - eight tracks, each with credited collaborators, released with cover art, a tracklist and a full campaign rollout. The format treats every object as a song and every collaboration as a feature. The album’s central belief is stated plainly in its title: most defeats happen in the mind before they happen in reality. PSAM is making fashion objects out of that idea, and releasing them the way musicians release records.

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