Music
Mariah the Scientist Delivers an Electrifying Performance at the WAV Festival
Mariah the Scientist delivered a performance that will be remembered for a long time at the WAV Festival. Her songwriting and vocal talent show why she has millions of fans. Her charm was on display on set.
Immediately she began to sing, the crowd joined. Her soft voice drew listeners closer with every note. She didn’t rely on flashy effects, but focused on sending out a clear message. This worked to her advantage as it allowed the lyrics and melodies to take center stage. She sang about love, vulnerability, and self-reflection at the WAV Festival.

Maria The Scientist : Instagram
The performance was held in a setting that held thousands of people. Between her songs, Maria expressed gratitude and shared brief reflections on the meaning of each track. These moments created a sense of connection with the audience. The audience responded with loud cheers, showing just how much her music meant to them.
Read Also: Thandiswa Mazwai Wins Four SAMA Awards for Sankofa
Her stage presence wasn’t flamboyant but effective. Dressed simply and moving with ease, she let her music control the moment. This natural style matched the tone of her songs and helped maintain a smooth flow throughout the set. This kept the energy levels steady throughout the performance.

Maria The Scientist: Instagram
She didn’t go out of her way; Maria delivered each song with clarity and emotion. This consistency impressed both longtime fans and those hearing her music live for the first time.
Unlike FAME Week Africa, WAV Festival focuses on musical talents. Her performance showed that what people need is music that can tell a good story.
Music
Moliy Announces âBaddies Love Moliy,â her Highly Anticipated New Mixtape
Moliy has officially announced her new mixtape, Baddies Love Moliy. The announcement quickly drew attention across Afropop and dancehall spaces ahead of its summer 2026 release. The announcement arrived with a teaser campaign that introduced the projectâs overall concept, signaling what could become one of Moliyâs biggest releases after her success with âSad Girlz Luv Moneyâ and the hit âShake It To The Max.â
According to her, Baddies Love Moliy will contain Afrobeats, dancehall, and Afro house. Moliy explained that she intentionally avoided using one genre while creating the project.

Moliy: Instagram
âI didnât want to stay in one lane with this mixtape,â MOLIY said. âEvery song pulls from a different energy, sound, and part of my personality, but it all connects through confidence, freedom, and movement. Itâs like a party with no rules, just in time for a baddie summer.â
Artists confirmed on the project include Tyla, Shenseea, Skillibeng, Sarkodie, Dominican star Yailin la MĂĄs Viral, BR3YNA, Mavo, Silent Addy, Mellissa, and production collective Bees & Honey. The lineup shows Moliyâs ambition to create a project that covers the international community.
Read Also: Jorja Smith Set for SA Debut as âRocking the Daisiesâ 2026 Headliner
Moliyâs single âShake It To The Maxâ and its remix versions are online successes, especially on TikTok and streaming platforms. This helped expand her audience beyond. The track surpassed one billion streams across platforms, marking a major commercial breakthrough.
Recent releases such as âBody Goâ with Tyla and âPARTYGYALâ with Bees & Honey have shown the direction Moliy plans to explore on the mixtape. Those records contain heavy basslines and Afro dancehall rhythms.

Moliy: Instagram
Moliy described Baddies Love Moliy as nostalgic and futuristic . She said the project contains âAfro feels, dancehall feelsâ mixed with âcrazy bassâ that makes listeners want to dance. The artist referred to herself as a âcyber alien diva baddie,â showing how strongly the project leans into visual identity alongside the music.
The mixtape announcement also arrives alongside plans for a North American tour with Skillibeng. With collaborations spanning Ghana, Jamaica, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, and Europe, Baddies Love Moliy puts her as among African top artists.
Music
Tylaâs âChanelâ Earns Two Nominations at the 2026 BET Awards
Tylaâs hit single Chanel secured two major nominations at the 2026 BET Awards. The track was nominated in the m competitive âVideo of the Yearâ and âViewerâs Choiceâ categories. This places Tyla alongside some of the biggest names in international music.
According to the official BET Awards nominations list, âChanelâ will compete against videos from artists including Doechii, Ella Mai, Kehlani, Teyana Taylor, and the collaboration âLutherâ by SZA and Kendrick Lamar in the Video of the Year category.

Photo: Instagram
Released in October 2025, âChanelâ quickly became one of Tylaâs biggest songs to date. The single became popular on TikTok through a viral dance challenge that spread across several countries. The song performed well on Spotify and Apple music debuting simultaneously at number one on both the US and UK Afrobeats charts.
Read Also: Tylaâs Chanel Gets Nominated for 2026 American Music Awards
The music video for âChanelâ also became a major talking point in fashion circles. Styled by Tylaâs longtime collaborator Ron Hartleben, the visual featured archival pieces from the luxury fashion house Chanel, including designs from the Karl Lagerfeld era. Among the standout items were the iconic white Chanel hula hoop bag from the brandâs 2013 Spring/Summer collection and vintage accessories previously worn by supermodels Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington.
Hartleben revealed in an interview with Vogue that getting the pieces was difficult and expensive.
âThe rental costs for these things are astronomical,â he said, adding that many collectors trusted the team with âmuseum-quality piecesâ.
âSheâs wearing these belts that are each like $20,000 (over R16,000) at full retail,â he revealed. âI did have to sign my life away in case things broke. But nothing broke!â
âChanelâ has strengthened Tylaâs growing international presence. The track was number 94 on Billboard Hot 100 , becoming her third solo entry on the chart after âWaterâ and “Push 2 Start. In April 2026, the single earned Gold certification in the United States from the Recording Industry Association of America.

Photo: Instagram
The BET recognition adds to an already successful year for Tyla. Earlier in 2026, she received four nominations at the American Music Awards, including Best Music Video and Social Song of the Year for âChanel.â
The 2026 BET Awards ceremony will take place on June 28 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. It will be hosted by comedian Druski.
Music
Man Sentenced to Two Years for Stealing Unreleased BeyoncĂŠ Music
A Georgia man was sentenced to five years, with two years to be served in prison for stealing hard drives, laptops and other electronic devices containing unreleased BeyoncĂŠ music and confidential tour material. The items were taken during preparations for her Cowboy Carter tour in Atlanta.
The man, identified as Kelvin Evans, accepted a plea deal in Fulton County Superior Court. He was sentenced by Judge Jane Barwick to five years. Two of these will be spent in prison, while the remaining will be on probation. The judge ordered him to stay away from the victims and the theft location.

Photo: TMZ
The incident happened in July 2025, two days before BeyoncĂŠâs Cowboy Carter shows in Atlanta. According to investigators, Evans broke into a rented Jeep Wagoneer used by BeyoncĂŠâs choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue.
Read Also: BeyoncĂŠ Crosses the Billion-Dollar Mark Following the Commercial Success of the Cowboy Carter Tour
Police reports revealed that the hard drives contained data connected to the Cowboy Carter tour. Laptops and Apple AirPods Max headphones were also taken.
Some of the stolen items were located using Appleâs âFind Myâ tracking system. Investigators linked Evans to the crime through surveillance systems. A Hyundai Elantra was used and the stolen items were kept at an apartment associated with his sister. Evans was arrested weeks later in September.

Photo: Instagram
Despite Evans’ arrest, the authorities have not found the stolen items. Prosecutors also confirmed that none of the stolen materials have been recovered. There is no indication that any of the unreleased BeyoncĂŠ songs have leaked online.
-
TV2 months agoLiema Pantsi Wins Big Brother Mzansi S6, Here’s What’s Next for the Rising Music Star
-
Movies3 months agoSouth Africa’s Hit Telenovela “Inimba” Returns for Its Highly Anticipated Season 2
-
Events3 months agoElla Mai Headlines First-Ever South Africa Show Amid Star-Studded Lineup
-
Awards3 months agoTyla Clinches 2026 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding International Song
-
Awards3 months agoSAFTA Unveils Full List of Nominees for 19th Annual Award
-
Travels3 months agoSouth African luxury destinations voted âWorldâs Greatestâ by ‘TIME’ for 2026
-
Celebrity News3 months agoIlano Skyâs Time on âBig Brother Mzansiâ and the Shift in Trans Visibility
-
Reality TV Reviews3 months agoViewers Question Unresolved Issues at The Real Housewives Ultimate Girlsâ Trip: Africa Reunion


