Entertainment
Valentino Garavani, Italy’s fashion king, dies at 93
Best known as just Valentino, the designer’s creations — many of them in “Valentino red” — were worn by the who’s who of the international elite, from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Nancy Reagan to Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow in recent years.
•Valentino Garavani / Getty image
Valentino Garavani, Italy’s fashion king has died at his home in Rome. He was 93.
Valentino launched his label in 1960 and found worldwide fame dressing European royals, American first ladies, and stars of the day.
“Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,” wrote his Rome-based foundation on social media.
A funeral is planned for Friday in the Italian capital, with a lying in state on Wednesday and Thursday.
Best known as just Valentino, the designer’s creations — many of them in “Valentino red” — were worn by the who’s who of the international elite, from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Nancy Reagan to Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow in recent years.
When the empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, escaped the country during the 1979 revolution, she was wearing a coat made by Valentino.
Dubbed “the Sheik of Chic” by Women’s Wear Daily in the 1980s, Valentino was celebrated by the New York Times in 1997 for his “single-minded dedication to glamour.”
Entertainment
Annie Macaulay announces “I’m back to acting”
She added that the magic of acting is still there and described this as only the beginning again.
Actress Annie Macaulay announced her returns to acting with a new project.
Annie Macaulay is known for roles in films such as ‘Blackberry Babes’, ‘Pleasure and Crime’, and ‘Morning After Dark’.
Macaulay, who shared a video from a movie set on Instagram, said: “Being back on set, creating stories, becoming different characters, and doing what I truly love reminds me of why I started this journey in the first place. Acting will always have a special place in my heart, and I’m honestly so happy to be back doing what brings me joy.”
She noted that being back on set reminded her of why she started her career.
She expressed gratitude for growth, new beginnings, and opportunities to continue telling stories through film.
She added that the magic of acting is still there and described this as only the beginning again.
Entertainment
‘God Took Him’ — Singer Niniola Announces Death of Husband Michael Ndika
Nigerian Afro-house star Niniola Apata has announced the heartbreaking death of her husband, Michael Ndika, after 13 years of marriage.
The Grammy-nominated artist shared the sad news in a series of emotional Instagram Stories posted in the early hours of Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
“God took him,” Niniola wrote in one post. “My husband died,” she added in another, while expressing deep grief in a third: “God took him. 13 years. 13 f***ing years.”
Michael Ndika, also known as Big Mike or X.O, served as Niniola’s manager and was the Chief Executive Officer of NaijaReview, a multimedia platform promoting Afro-house and contemporary African music. The couple had kept their marriage largely private, surprising many fans who were unaware of the union.
No details have been released about the cause of Ndika’s death. Tributes and messages of condolence have poured in from fans, fellow artists, and the music community, including her sister, singer Teni.
Niniola, celebrated for hits like “Maradona” and her contributions to the Afro-house genre, is now receiving an outpouring of support as she mourns the loss of her longtime partner.
Entertainment
Wizkid Becomes First African Artist to Surpass 11 Billion Spotify Streams
Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Wizkid (Ayodeji Balogun) has etched his name deeper into music history, becoming the first African artist to surpass 11 billion total streams on Spotify across all credits.
The milestone was announced on Tuesday by music data platform Charts Africa, which noted that Wizkid has now claimed every major Spotify streaming benchmark for African artists—from 1 billion to 11 billion streams.
This latest achievement underscores Wizkid’s unparalleled dominance as the most-streamed African act on the platform. His catalog, boosted by global hits like “Essence” with Tems and his feature on Drake’s “One Dance,” continues to drive massive numbers. He also leads other top African acts, with Burna Boy at around 9.8 billion and Davido trailing further behind.
The timing coincides with the recent release of his collaboration “State of Mind” with DJ Tunez, which quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of streams. Industry observers project that Wizkid’s consistent daily streaming velocity will keep pushing his totals higher.
Fans and industry figures have flooded social media with congratulations, hailing the feat as a proud moment for Afrobeats and Nigerian music on the global stage. Wizkid’s previous breakthroughs, including becoming the first African artist to hit 10 billion streams earlier in 2026, had already positioned him as a continental trailblazer.
This 11 billion milestone further solidifies his status among the world’s streaming heavyweights and highlights the growing international commercial power of Afrobeats.
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