Davido, FK Abudu, Olugbenga Agboola, Odunayo Eweniyi make TIME “100 Next” 2021 List

TIME magazine has officially published its 2021 list of “100 Next” rising stars and it highlights some of Nigeria’s stars like Davido, Nse Ufot, Olugbenga Agboola, Feyikemi ‘FK’ Abudu, Odunayo Eweniyi, Ijeoma Oluo and Damilola Odufuwa.

The 2021 TIME 100 Next list which is divided into five categories, Artists, Advocates, Leaders, Phenom and Innovators, features 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future of entertainment, health, politics, business and more.

Davido’s article was by BBNaija’s latest winner Laycon who described the music star as “one of the biggest voices in Afrobeats because his music connects with people, often in ways that transcend his expectations.” He added that “by bringing Afrobeats to the global stage, Davido paved the way for people like himself (Laycon).

Sharing the news, the excited singer took to Instagram to say that he is “proud to be included in the inaugural #TIME100NEXT list”

According to TIME:

100 Next is a new list—part of an ongoing expansion of our flagship TIME 100 franchise—that spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more. Although this focus lends itself to a younger group, we intentionally had no age cap—a recognition that ascents can begin at any age.

Amid a global pandemic, deepening inequality, systemic injustice and existential questions about truth, democracy and the planet itself, the individuals on this year’s list provide “clear-eyed hope,” as actor, composer and director Lin-Manuel Miranda puts it in his tribute to poet and TIME100 Next honoree Amanda Gorman. They are doctors and scientists fighting COVID-19, advocates pushing for equality and justice, journalists standing up for truth, and artists sharing their visions of present and future. As with Miranda and Gorman, many of the TIME100 Next profiles are written by TIME100 alumni—a testament to the ways that influence flows across generations.

Although recognizing the leaders of tomorrow lends itself to a younger group, we intentionally have no age cap, an acknowledgment that ascents can begin at any age. The youngest person on this list, for example, is 16-year-old entertainer Charli D’Amelio, who counts more than 100 million followers on TikTok. Among the eldest is 51-year-old Raphael Warnock, a Democratic Senator from Georgia.

Other Africans on the list include Omar Tate, Amoako Boafo (Ghana), Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr (Sierra Leone) and Vanessa Nakate (Kenya).

The magazine released six covers featuring Dua Lipa, Marcus Rashford, Telfar Clemens, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Brit Bennet and Sanna Marin. The list also includes international superstars like “Bridgerton” lead actor Regé-Jean Page, Amanda Gorman, LaKeith Stanfield, Chloe X Halle, Lil Baby, Doja Cat, John David Washington and many others.

Check out the full list and more on TIME.com