EMPIRE 15 LINE-UP
SHABOOZEY
Shaboozey is building his own world, carving a lane in the alternative country and hip-hop space. Born to parents of Nigerian descent and raised in the small town of Woodbridge, VA, the multi-faceted artist grew up on an eclectic mix of music encompassing classic hip-hop and R&B, to country and blues icons like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks, and Lead Belly, to master lyricists, such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
A true crossover artist, he began his epic rise to stardom with two standout features on Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER. His latest body of work, the critically acclaimed RIAA-Platinum certified masterpiece Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200 and was praised by Rolling Stone for “honoring country tradition and moving it forward.” NPR calls him “the future of country music,” and the Los Angeles Times crowned him as “the breakout country artist of the year.”
The album’s breakthrough anthem, the 8X RIAA-Platinum certified, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” holds the record for the longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 while also topping Billboard’s Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay Chart, and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts. The single has accumulated over a billion streams across DSPs and made history, making Shaboozey the first Black male artist to simultaneously top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and Hot 100.
Shaboozey earned five nominations at the 2025 GRAMMY® Awards including Best New Artist and Song of the Year. He won the New Artist of 2024 and New Artist Song of 2024 awards at the People’s Choice Country Awards, garnered Best New Artist and Song of the Summer nominations at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, and was nominated for New Artist of the Year and Single of the Year at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards. He was also named a TIME100 NEXT honoree and Billboard Country Power Player. Shaboozey was crowned Newcomer Of The Year at Variety’s Hitmakers 2024 and picked up 2024 Billboard Music Awards for Top Song Sales Artist, Top Selling Song, and Top Country Song. Most recently, Shaboozey was nominated for New Male Artist of the Year and Single of the Year at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards.
FIREBOY DML
Fireboy DML, born Adedamola Adefolahan is a Nigerian soulful performer with a sound that balances his love of vintage R&B, contemporary pop & Afro Pop. Fireboy has enjoyed a long list of musical successes since his debut album release in November of 2019. Laughter, Tears, and Goosebumps was the first album by a Nigerian artist without a single feature to hit #1 on the UK charts in the first week of its release. His sophomore album Apollo, has gained global attention and received a personal shout out from the prolific Naomi Campbell. Debuting at #14 on Billboard World Albums and holding over 320 Million streams to date, Fireboy held his first-ever tour “Apollo” in the U.S. across 13 cities including New York City and Los Angeles. Named as Billboard’s March 2022 R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month, the singer received his first entry on Billboard’s Hot 100 list and over 500 million streams with global hit “Peru.” With remixes by Ed Sheeran, Blxst and 21 Savage, the track has hit #1 on the official Afrobeats chart in the UK and topped the charts in at least 22 countries since its initial release in July, including Nigeria, Tanzania, Liberia, Jamaica, France, Kenya, Ireland, and others marking his first-ever BRIT and RIAA Gold certifications. His recent single “Playboy” sets the tone for the highly-anticipated album to come Summer 2022.