YouTube teams up with Nigerian musical sensation Burna Boy for latest Artist Spotlight Story

YouTube Music has again partnered with Nigerian musical sensation, and YouTube’s first Nigerian Afrofusion Artist on The Rise, for the latest installment of its Artist Spotlight Stories series.

The Artist Spotlight Story shines a light on one of the most successful Nigerian Afrofusion singer-songwriters, and the first to be selected as an Artist on The Rise by YouTube Music. The Spotlight tells the story of Burna Boy, a Nigerian native who, through the global power of YouTube, combined the rich culture of Nigeria with the modern sounds of American hip hop and rock to break down barriers and become a driving force in the rise of Afrobeats around the world.

The film sheds an unseen light on Burna Boy’s journey, from his dreams of being a superhero as a child to sold out shows around the world. Also portrayed is the culture and character of Nigeria and London that both played such pivotal roles in Burna’s journey and musical influence. Burna has even attributed his unique cross-over sound and global relevance to the influence he derived from watching different artists on YouTube, and the power the platform has to help spread his music around the world.

"YouTube exposes different cultures to different cultures and different people to different things," Burna explains. "It's expanding people's knowledge of the world — and everything, really. You know how you needed to go to libraries and research stuff before? Now the most reliable thing to do is search on YouTube for whatever is you're looking for. It's amazing."

"BURNA BOY: Artist Spotlight Stories" is part of YouTube Music’s ongoing Artist Spotlight Stories series, profiling artists around the world who are pushing the bounds of creativity and engaging with fans in unique and powerful ways on YouTube.