#2017REWIND : Top 5 Breakout Stars of 2017

IN the introduction to this year’s “Year in Review – #2017Rewind“, we mentioned how some people have come out of the wood-works and excelled beyond anything we could have imagined this year. Well that’s what this post is dedicated to. This one is for those who had a truly amazing year. Whose December 2017 is vastly different from their December 2016. Those who made Rihanna’s ‘Work’ song their anthem and worked their way into our hearts and are now ‘household names’?

These are our top 5 breakout stars of 2017:

5. NANCY ISIME

The Nigerian radio crowd has been aware of Isime for a while, but she only recently began to dominate our hearts in film as well. Nancy Isime started her career in 2009 and has gone from model to On-Air Personality to actress. This year we saw her in movies like “Treachery” and “Hire A Man“. However, she first created an unforgettable impression for us with her cameo in season 1 of “This Is It“. It is no doubt that Nancy Isime is a force and we are excited to see where she goes moving forward.

4. AKAH NNANI

But boooy has it been the year of Akah or what! We first discovered Akah on YouTube via his YouTube channel, Akah Bants, where he does everything from interviews to rants and vlogs. To be fair, we first saw him when he interviewed one of our favorite on-screen couples, Chiagoziem Nwakanma and Nick Mutuma, from “This Is It”. Since then we have fallen in love with him in various works from “B.I.G” to “The Royal Hibiscus Hotel“. And let’s not forget his numerous stage appearances this year as well as the unforgettable YouTube show “The Shade Room“. We are definitely rooting for Nnani and can’t wait to see where his 2018 leads.

3. BIMBO ADEMOYE

And the story goes that there was an audition being held somewhere in Lagos by Uduak Isong searching for elderly actors, but Bimbo Ademoye came in from nowhere and stole the spotlight. And mehn are we glad that she did. There’s a special flavor that Ademoye brings with her and this year we have been thrilled to season our lives with the Ademoye flavor. From her role in “This Is It” to “The Real Side Chics“, all leading up to her unforgettable performance in “The Backup Wife” alongside Seun Akindele, this girl is a force. We hope in the new year many more opportunities to showcase the full extent of her talent.

# 2. BOLANLE NINALOWO

There is no version of this story where our one and only Jobe doesn’t make it into the list. He shattered all typecasts that were rapidly forming against him and trying to barricade him solidly into that fine-Americanah-boy type with his performance in “Picture Perfect“. We still remember when we first saw him and we were wondering who he was and why he was everywhere all of a sudden. However, after performances like Jobe and our loverboy in “The Gateman“, we’re simply glad to have him.

# 1. BISOLA AIYEOLA

I bet you thought it was impossible for one person to be this multi-talented but here she goes again breaking all tropes. She first wrecked her way into our hearts with that amazing rendition in “Ovy’s Voice” as well as her role in “SGIT” and then we had the pleasure of watching her on Big Brother Nigeria (BBN). Then somewhere along the line we noticed that the girl has some pipes on her and can sing for days. Whatever she has done this year, Bisola has excelled at it. We can’t wait for what she brings to our screens in the upcoming year.