Entertainment
Spotify sets to sack 17% staff members
Music streaming giant Spotify said today it will reduce the number of its employees by around 17% in a bid to cut costs amid “dramatically” slower economic growth.
Spotify in October posted a rare quarterly operating profit of 32 million euros, compared to a loss of 228 million for the same period a year earlier, on the back of 26% growth in active users for the third quarter.
“I realise that for many, a reduction of this size will feel surprisingly large given the recent positive earnings report and our performance,” chief executive Daniel Ek wrote in a letter to employees, which was seen by AFP.
He said that in 2020 and 2021, the company “took advantage of the opportunity presented by lower-cost capital and invested significantly in team expansion, content enhancement, marketing and new verticals.”
“However, we now find ourselves in a very different environment. And despite our efforts to reduce costs this past year, our cost structure for where we need to be is still too big.”
Spotify has invested heavily since its launch to fuel growth with expansions into new markets and, in later years, exclusive content such as podcasts.
It has invested over one billion dollars into podcasts alone.
In 2017, the company had around 3,000 staff members, more than tripling the figure to around 9,800 at the end of 2022.
The company has never posted a full-year net profit and only occasionally quarterly profits despite its success in the online music market.
Entertainment
Chris Brown opens up on dating multiple ladies
Chris Brown, the American singer, has revealed that he is in a polygamous relationship.
Brown, in a YouTube live with Kai Cenat, the US content creator, addressed questions about his personal life.
When asked if he was in a relationship, the 35-year-old Virginia-born artiste replied, “I am in multiple”.
Cenat sought clarification, asking, “Like more than one girlfriend?” Brown responded, “Something like that”.
The award-winning singer also emphasized the importance of transparency and honesty in maintaining his polygamous relationships.
“Just keep it a hundred. Be honest,” he added.
This is not the first time Brown would be addressing polygamy.
In an interview with Hot 97, the singer opened up about the challenges of maintaining a monogamous relationship due to his celebrity status and constant exposure to women.
“The hardest part is trying to keep a monogamous relationship, but still wanting to be the 25-year-old sex symbol,” he said.
“You go to shows. You might walk by somebody’s room, and you might see about six or seven of them thangs. And you’re like, dang, I just want to slide in there and have a couple drinks real quick and I’ll tell my girl about it later.”
Born Christopher Maurice Brown, the songwriter is often referred to by his contemporaries as the “king of R&B”.
Entertainment
Bimpe Akintunde warns Nigerians against scammers impersonating her on WhatsApp
Bimpe Akintunde, the Nollywood actress, has raised an alarm over a fake WhatsApp account created in her name to scam unsuspecting individuals.
The film star took to her Instagram story to share screenshots of the impersonator, posing as her to solicit money from her followers.
Akintunde expressed her frustration and disappointment, cursing the scammer for attempting to profit from her hard work. She warned the public to be cautious of the impersonator on any media platform.
The actress urged her fans to help report the scammer’s WhatsApp and bank accounts.
She also prayed that God should keep such fraudulent individuals away from her and her loved ones.
“What a morning. Tell me how this country wants to be great, when a lot of people are struggling, working hard to build a name and brand, and boom, one person will take their pictures and name only to be defrauding people up and down,” she wrote.
“Who gave birth to such a child? Useless children, may God keep them away from us.
“Please disregard any message from anyone, either in your DM or WhatsApp, asking you to send money.
“Please, it not me. I do not own this above number. I would appreciate it if we could find a way to report both the WhatsApp and the Opay account.”
Entertainment
Davido advises black Americans not to relocate to Nigeria, says ‘the economy is in shambles’
Davido, the Afrobeats star, has advised black Americans against relocating to Nigeria, citing the country’s economic challenges.
In an appearance on The Big Homies House podcast, the singer shared his thoughts on the struggles bedeviling Nigeria, stating, “It is not cool back home. The economy is in shambles”.
Davido also mentioned Nigeria’s struggles with bad leadership, a high exchange rate, and skyrocketing oil prices, which are negatively impacting the country.
“It is not cool back home. The economy is in shambles. I do my part, I am an ambassador. When I go home and I am filming, I am no going to show the bad parts,” he said.
“I am talking about the situation in the country. Now the exchange rate is messed up, a lot of stuffs are not going well.
“The economy is just not good enough. The oil price is too high. Imagine the country that produces oil, paying more for it than a country importing oil.”
Despite the challenges, Davido emphasised the entertainment industry’s positive impact on Africa’s global image.
“Regardless, entertainment is one of the thing that has made Africa look good. We do not have the best leader, that is a fact,” he said.
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