By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria’s Afrobeats industry is increasingly producing artistes whose influence extends beyond music, with several stars making appearances in films, taking acting roles and venturing into filmmaking.
The latest artiste to join the growing crossover is Afrobeats singer Shoday, who is set to make his acting debut in Funke Akindele’s upcoming movie, The Four: No One Fights Alone.
The film, scheduled for a global cinema release on December 11, 2026, will feature Shoday alongside singer Waje and a cast of established Nollywood actors.
Shoday’s move into film follows a growing trend among Nigerian music stars who are exploring opportunities beyond the recording studio.
Falz
Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, remains one of the most prominent Nigerian musicians to establish himself in both music and acting.
The rapper and singer has appeared in several Nollywood productions, including Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons, Chief Daddy, Merry Men 2, Muna, Your Excellency and Quam’s Money.
His performances have helped establish him as an entertainer capable of moving between music, comedy and acting.
Reminisce
Rapper Reminisce made one of the most memorable transitions from Nigerian music to Nollywood when he portrayed Makanaki in Kemi Adetiba’s King of Boys.
His performance attracted widespread attention and earned him a nomination at the 2019 Africa Movie Academy Awards.
He later reprised the role in King of Boys: The Return of the King, further strengthening his reputation as one of the Nigerian artistes who have successfully crossed into acting.
Tiwa Savage
Afrobeats queen Tiwa Savage also took her music career to the screen with Water & Garri, in which she played the lead character, Aisha.
The movie was inspired by her 2021 EP of the same name and marked her acting debut. Savage also served as an executive producer on the project, giving her an opportunity to participate in both the creative and production sides of filmmaking.
Banky W
Banky W was another Nigerian music star who successfully established himself in Nollywood.
The singer starred as Dozie in the blockbuster romantic comedy The Wedding Party, one of the most commercially successful Nigerian films of its time.
His performance helped demonstrate that established musicians could make a successful transition into major Nollywood productions.
Davido
Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has also had a taste of the big screen.
The singer made an appearance in the Hollywood sequel Coming 2 America, the 2021 follow-up to the Eddie Murphy classic. Davido appeared during the film’s celebration sequence, performing his hit song Assurance.
Although his screen appearance was brief, it marked another instance of one of Africa’s biggest music stars crossing into the global film industry.
Davido has also indicated an interest in taking the transition further, with the singer expressing plans to venture into acting and film production.
Unlike artistes such as Falz and Reminisce, however, Davido has yet to establish an extensive acting résumé.
His involvement in film so far has been more closely linked to music performances and production ambitions.
Burna Boy
Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy has approached the film industry largely from the production side.
The artiste made his filmmaking debut as an executive producer on 3 Cold Dishes, a movie starring Wale Ojo and directed by Tomi Odunsi.
His involvement reflects the growing interest among Nigeria’s biggest music stars in using their resources and influence to participate in filmmaking rather than limiting their careers to music.
With Shoday now preparing for his cinema debut, the relationship between Afrobeats and Nollywood continues to grow.
From Falz’s established acting career and Reminisce’s acclaimed Makanaki role to Tiwa Savage’s Water & Garri, Davido’s Hollywood appearance and Burna Boy’s move into film production, Nigerian music stars are increasingly proving that their influence can extend well beyond the microphone.
For Shoday, the next challenge will be turning his growing popularity in Afrobeats into a compelling presence on the big screen.
