Entertainment

‘Traitors’ Cast Recap Part 1: Phaedra’s Strategy, Sandra and Parvati’s Truce on January 13, 2024 at 3:00 am Us Weekly

Published

3 years ago

January 13, 2024

It didn’t take long for the scheming to start when season 2 of The Traitors premiered on Peacock Friday, January 12.

“I was excited to see all the gamers,” Big Brother‘s Janelle Pierzina told Us Weekly. “I love games on strategy. I love games that are thinking. So, immediately, I was very drawn to Parvati and Dan, of course.”

The “gamers” on season 2 are Janelle and fellow Big Brother winner Dan Gheesling, Survivor’s Parvati Shallow and Sandra Diaz-Twine, The Challenge’s Chris “CT” Tamburello, Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio and Trishelle Cannatella.

“And then I saw the Bravo people, and MJ was so nice,” Janelle continued, referring to Shahs of Sunset‘s Mercedes “MJ” Javid. “There was really no one in the cast that I could say, ‘Oh yeah, I really wouldn’t work with you.’ I would work with anyone that would just be dumb not to. It’s a game about keeping yourself alive in that castle.”

The 21-person cast list spanned from former Bachelor Peter Weber and Housewives stars Larsa Pippin, Tamra Judge, Shereé Whitfield and Phaedra Parks to UK Parliament’s John Bercow and boxer Deontay Wilder.

“My strategy, though, was to identify the traitors and work with them as long as I could to potentially either get recruited or if it came down to it, get enough people together to go after them,” Janelle explained. “But I definitely didn’t want to get real traitors right away because it just seemed kind of, like, dumb gameplay. Why would we get rid of someone day one or two that was actually a traitor? They’re just going to recruit — [and] what if they don’t recruit me? They could recruit a really good faithful that I’m working with.”

While some stars wanted the opportunity to “murder” their fellow castle guests, MJ was happy she didn’t get tapped.

“I knew that if I were a traitor, I would not be able to keep a straight face for even, like, a second,” MJ told Us about the roundtable selection. “I am one of those nervous laughers. I would just [have] no game face There would be no way. Even that moment when we take our blindfolds off was so intense.”

John’s Breathing

Speaking of selection, the politician quickly came under fire when Janelle called out his heavy breathing when host Alan Cummings was walking around the roundtable picking the traitors.

John Bercow. Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

“It was almost certainly a mistake because you should probably be inscrutable [and] give nothing away. So it was probably a mistake because it led for a short period … [of] this suspicion. ‘This is odd, this is fishy, this is inexplicable, this is possibly a sign in the absence of any other evidence that this guy’s a traitor.’ All it was to be honest, was this: I passionately wanted to be a faithful. I’ve made it clear in advance that I wanted and hoped [but] I had no guarantee to be a faithful,” John told Us. “Alan walked round that room so many times in the blindfolded ceremony that it was quite, sort of stressful. And when it was over, I breathed heavily and I think I do often breathe heavily and through my mouth — and I was asked by Janelle, ‘Well, what’s going on?’ And I said, ‘Well, I’ve been asthmatic. And then there was an issue, ‘Well, do you use an inhaler? No. Are you asthmatic now?’ And I said, ‘No, look, historically I was asthmatic. I don’t breathe very well, but frankly you are putting two and two together and making five.’ So it was a crass miscalculation of people thought I made me a traitor, but did I make a mistake to do that? Yeah.”

Larsa Takes a Shot at Parvati

It’s not a surprise to Real Housewives of Miami viewers that Larsa wouldn’t waste time sharing her opinions during the same selection ceremony. So when she was convinced Cummings tapped Parvati on the shoulder based on an alleged noise coming from his jacket, she spoke up.

“My initial plan was to stay under the radar and not necessarily make too much noise, but I couldn’t help it. Her energy was just giving me to the left, to the left,” Larsa told Us of Parvati. Bananas subsequently chimed in, “You and me both.”

Sandra and Parvati’s Truce

After publicly arguing over who the true “queen of Survivor” is just last year, the two winners of the CBS show shocked viewers by letting RuPaul’s Drag Race star Peppermint help them make amends during the premiere.

“My stomach dropped and Sandra comes out of the cart with her finger in my face like this, and I’m like, ‘Oh God. … We got to stop meeting like this, girl,’” Parvati told Us. “Because we needed each other out there. I mean, I didn’t really know anybody besides Sandra. So we had to find a way to work together and not be at odds. And I’m so grateful that Peppermint took it upon her beautiful self to bring us together, help us shake hands and bury the hatchet.”

PEACOCK (3)

Sandra noted it was a quick turnaround. “I was like, ‘Oh no, not only now do I have to navigate this game, but now I have to deal with Parvati as well?’ But thanks to Peppermint, we chatted about it briefly, I don’t even think it was five minutes and I was ready to move on and we agreed to move on,” she said. “And when I agreed to something, that’s it. So I was just hoping that me being honest about moving on was also the same with Parvati. People tell you different things, but I was happy that Peppermint put us together and we were able to bury the hatchet. And hey it’s all great.”

Phaedra and Dan’s Plans as Traitors

During episode 1, viewers learn that Phaedra and Dan were selected as the traitors. “In my world, we fight, we drink Champagne, we glamorous – this world is all about strategy,” Phaedra told Us, noting part of her plan was to “lean into” working with Dan because she knew he won Big Brother. “I had no idea. I only knew the Bravolebrities. And so of course, being a Bravolebrity, I was going to lightweight protect all my Bravo family.”

Dan Gheesling PEACOCK

That included former Real Housewives of Atlanta costar Shereé. “We know she can be a little mischievous. I mean, she’s a good liar sometimes,” Shereé told Us of Phaedra, to which Tamra agreed. “I think that it’s in our nature being Housewives to be traitors in our core being. That’s what we do for a living. And the girls that were on were the ones that have been on for a long time, so I didn’t trust any of ’em.”

Phaedra, for her part, added that she wanted to be an “angel traitor.”

“Of course that is the position that works the hardest because everyone else is sleeping [and] you’re killing the people. But I wanted to make sure I did it justice,” Phaedra told Us. “My perspective was very different, probably from some of the other traitors because I am always going for the underdog. However, I sort of came in at a disadvantage because I didn’t know any of the gamers. … I used my personal conversations with people to sort determine who I really wanted to protect or really wanted to play this game with.”

As viewers saw, Dan “really wanted to play as a traitor” and got his shot. “I just didn’t want to sit on the sidelines. I’ve been sitting for 10 years. I wanted to go and mix it up, so I was definitely very eager and excited to play,” he said. “But throughout this game, I realized I’m used to playing chess, and this is more like poker.”

The first three episodes of The Traitors are streaming on Peacock now. Keep coming back to Us Weekly for more from the cast, including recaps for episodes 2 and 3.

It didn’t take long for the scheming to start when season 2 of The Traitors premiered on Peacock Friday, January 12. “I was excited to see all the gamers,” Big Brother‘s Janelle Pierzina told Us Weekly. “I love games on strategy. I love games that are thinking. So, immediately, I was very drawn to Parvati

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Entertainment

Jay-Z Locked In Tyla. The Industry Is Shaking.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

By Bolanle Media | July 2, 2026

Photo: Tyla at the 2026 Met Gala in custom Valentino — days before making the biggest business move of her career.

There are career moves, and then there are statements. Tyla just made a statement that will be studied in music business classrooms for years.

The South African superstar — born Tyla Laura Seethal, 24 years old, and already the proud owner of two Grammy Awards — has officially signed a multi-million dollar global deal with Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s powerhouse entertainment company, walking away from Epic Records to align herself with the most influential roster in the music business. The signing was confirmed across social media with a major digital announcement this week, and the reaction from industry insiders was immediate — shock, admiration, and the quiet acknowledgment that someone just changed the trajectory of African music forever.

From “Water” to a Global Phenomenon

Let’s not forget where this all started. In 2023, a 21-year-old from Johannesburg released a song called “Water” that nobody could quite categorize and everybody needed to hear. Within weeks, it had sparked one of the most viral TikTok dance challenges of the decade, charted simultaneously across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Africa, and earned Tyla a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance — the first year that category even existed.

That win wasn’t just personal. It was a signal. African music — Afrobeats, Amapiano, and now what Tyla herself calls A*Pop — was no longer knocking at the door of the global mainstream. It had walked through it. And Tyla had handed it the key.

What followed was a whirlwind two years of sold-out shows, magazine covers, red carpet domination, and a growing reputation as one of the most stylistically fearless artists on the planet. She attended the 2026 Met Gala — her third consecutive appearance — wearing a custom Valentino gown dripping in diamond chains with a sweeping teal skirt, styled by the legendary Law Roach, with beauty by Pat McGrath. The look was breathtaking. But it was also strategic. Every Met Gala appearance, every fashion moment, every carefully placed interview has been building toward exactly this: the infrastructure to match the vision.

What Roc Nation Actually Means

To understand why this deal matters, you have to understand what Roc Nation actually is — because it is not simply a record label.

Founded by Jay-Z in 2008, Roc Nation is a full-service entertainment company with divisions spanning artist management, touring, brand partnerships, film and television, sports management, and philanthropy. Its roster has included Rihanna, Alicia Keys, J. Cole, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, and Megan Thee Stallion — artists who didn’t just sell records, but built multi-decade cultural empires that extended into fashion, film, business, and beyond. The through-line isn’t genre. It’s scale.

For Tyla specifically, the Roc Nation deal unlocks a completely different level of access. We’re talking about premium budgets for music videos and live production, top-tier brand partnership pipelines with luxury and lifestyle companies, film and television placement relationships that most artists spend a decade trying to build, and the kind of media weight that gets you on the cover of Vogue, Time, and Billboard in the same calendar year. Roc Nation doesn’t just manage artists — it engineers icons.

On the African music side, Tyla joins fellow Roc Nation signee Ayra Starr, the Nigerian pop star who inked her deal in 2025, deepening the label’s clear and deliberate strategic investment in African pop as the next dominant global genre. Jay-Z is not betting on a trend. He is betting on a generation.

The Album That Could Rewrite the Playbook

The timing of this signing is not accidental — it is surgical.

Tyla’s highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP, is officially set to drop July 24, 2026, just three weeks away — a 14-track project that she has described as unapologetic, globally ambitious, and deeply rooted in her South African identity while simultaneously reaching for something universal. The lead single “She Did It Again” features Swedish pop titan Zara Larsson, a collaboration that announces in no uncertain terms that Tyla is not staying in any lane she didn’t build herself.

With Roc Nation’s full machine now behind the album rollout — promotional infrastructure, media relationships, tour routing, brand activations — A*POP arrives with a runway that Epic Records simply could not have provided at this scale. The industry is already paying attention. For music supervisors, film and TV executives, brand marketers, and entertainment investors reading this right now — put A*POP on your radar immediately. This is the kind of release that shapes culture, not just charts.

The Bigger Picture Nobody Is Talking About

Here is what gets lost in the excitement of a big announcement: the systemic significance of what Tyla just did.

The music industry’s historical relationship with African artists has been, at best, transactional — major labels slow to invest, quick to cash in on a viral moment, and consistently reluctant to build the kind of long-term infrastructure that turns an artist into a brand. Tyla has navigated that system with remarkable intelligence, refusing to be reduced to a trend, building her artistic identity on her own terms, and now — at 24 — arriving at the negotiating table with enough leverage to choose Roc Nation on her terms.

That matters. Not just for Tyla, but for every African artist watching this unfold from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Houston. It is proof that the path from regional phenomenon to global superstar is not only possible — it is being paved right now, in real time, by a young woman from Johannesburg who refused to shrink.

For media companies, content platforms, entertainment executives, and brand strategists operating in the African diaspora space — this is your data point. African pop is not a niche. It is not a trend. It is not a moment. It is a movement, and Tyla just secured the most powerful co-sign available in the global music business to lead it.

Watch this space. Very closely.

Follow @bolanlemedia on Instagram for real-time music, film, and entertainment industry news. Read more at bolanlemedia.com

Entertainment

DJ Shinski Brings AfriqueFest To Life

Published

4 weeks ago

June 16, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.

Spotlight on DJ Shinski

At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.

He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.

DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.

At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.

DJ Tunez and the rest of the night

Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.

Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.

Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir

Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.

If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.

Entertainment

STREAMING PREMIERE · JUNE 13, 2026

Published

1 month ago

June 13, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel

A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.

It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.

A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs

Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.

The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.

Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.

The Women Behind the Show

Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:

Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)

“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star

Already a Festival Favorite

The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:

🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez

Where and When to Watch

Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.

Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:

For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

About Christin Jezak

Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.

About The Roku Channel

Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.

About Encompass Digital Media

Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.

Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.