Heather Maxwell brings you on a listening journey of trending, current, and classic hits from Zimbabwe, Morocco, Cameroon, Angola, Mali, D.R.C, and Nigeria. Drop the Needle brings on Dr. Michael Vercelli from West Virginia University in the United States to try his hand at the segment. The feature story highlights an interview with award-winning artist, Nikita Kering, and her amazing rise to fame. Finally, Heather is joined by VOA’s Schuyler Van Tassel, to talk about a couple of 2023 wrap ups, including the soaring success of Tyla and this year’s Spotify Wrapped.