Rotimo, the wave-making, London, United Kingdom (UK)-based Nigerian Afrobeats artiste, has kick-started plans for the next edition of his Shockolate Show.
The artiste is still basking in the euphoria of the success of the sold-out edition of the show, held recently at the iconic music venue, Roundhouse in London.
According to him, the new edition is planned for more than 5000 audience on Saturday, July 4, 2026 and it will be a spectacular event, as he is set to further raise the bar.
Rotimo disclosed that the venue has played host to superstars, including Rihanna, Sean Paul, Elton John, Bob Marley and Jason Derulo.
“It has been an exciting experience from the debut of the Shockolate Show in 2022.
“The success of the shows has served as an impetus for us to move to the next level and here we are, with a brand new concept that will raise the bar,” he said.
Rotimo has carved a niche for himself with his brand creation which incorporates Afrobeats, Pop, R&B, Hip Hop, Jazz/Funk and Soul getting him well-deserved recognition.
His songs have amassed millions of streams across platforms and he continues to attract thousands of music buffs to his eponymous concerts.
Among other feats, Rotimo made history as the first UK-based Afrobeats artiste to headline a performance at the Roundhouse.
Superstars who have performed at the famous venue include The Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osbourne, Prince, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Wizkid and Burna Boy.
At the 3,000-capacity venue, he thrilled the audience to non-stop exhilarating music, immersive visuals and choreography by an array of talented dancers, fusing Afrobeat rhythms, soulful vocals with rich African cultural beats, to give a spectacular live experience.
His energetic performance was supported by South African Amapiano sensation, Kamo Mphela and others.
Born Oluwadurotimi Chidumme Ogunro, Rotimo is the most outstanding United Kingdom-grown Afrobeats artiste.
He has created a distinguished personae as a cross-over artiste with his eclectic music and unique stage presence reminiscent of icons such as Lenny Kravitz and James Brown which culminated in them dominating their generations with their exceptional styles for decades.
An appraisal reveals the depth of his lyrical prowess which has given birth to richly-deep music expressing love and uniting people across all divides. The UK audience find his music laced with elements of African percussion irresistible and Rotimo is on a mission to further project Afrobeats on the world stage.
For Rotimo, it is all about contributing his quota to putting Nigeria on the map and doing the country proud.
According to him, the forthcoming Shockolate Show would be sponsored from Nigeria as several organisations in the country are indicating their interests to be part of the event.
“We are talking to potential sponsors in Nigeria and there are indications that we are going to have very mutually-beneficial collaborations,” he said.
On how would he describe his UK fans?, he said: “They are very receptive and appreciative. They love good music and they pay a lot of attention to Afrobeats now, more than before and I’m having an exciting moment with them.”
In the course of his music career, Rotimo has performed alongside Afrobeats superstar, Davido; Runtown and many more.
He prioritises headlining his live shows over algorithmic success and a turning point for the expansion of his headline concerts came at The Garage in Highbury Corner, London a few years ago.
He headlined the first edition of Shockolate Show at the 800-capacity O2 Academy, Islington, London in 2022.
“I conceived the idea for Shockolate Show after the success of Shockolate single, with a view to feature supporting African artistes from different backgrounds,” he said.
“The success of that edition gave me the determination to keep going. It made me gravitate towards the next level in terms of increasing the audience and making history as a UK-based Afrobeats artiste.”
Rotimi had a repeat performance at the same venue in July 2023 where he featured UK heavyweights Chip and Paigey Cakey as supporting artistes. The sold-out show recorded a huge acclaim.
In February 2024, Rotimo once again headlined his sold-out show at the O2 Academy Islington, London with the legendary king of South African music, Cassper Nyovest, as his special guest.
Following the last edition’s success in May 2025, fans and industry insiders hailed his show as a “landmark live event” that solidifies Rotimo’s status as a trailblazer and one of the most exciting voices in modern Afrobeats.
As Afrobeats evolves, dominating music charts and attracting attention from millions of people worldwide, Rotimo holds fort in the UK with a burgeoning career as a home-grown artiste, giving his brand of scintillating music to the young and old.
