is a lagos love story the musical breakout for mike afolarin?

Even if the romance fizzles, King Kator’s star may just be rising.

When A Lagos Love Story dropped quietly on Netflix in 2025, many expected a glossy romance film capitalizing on the hype of Ayra Starr’s Afro-pop hit that inspired its title. What we didn’t expect was for the film’s fictional character, King Kator—played by Mike Afolarin—to become a musical breakout in real life.

Yes, the movie underwhelms as a love story. But Afolarin’s transformation into an Asake-style Afrobeats sensation may be the most unexpectedly compelling thing to come out of it.

Romance? Meh. But King Kator? Now, that’s a headline.

Let’s start with the film. A Lagos Love Story, directed by Inkblot co-founder Chinaza “Naz” Onuzo and co-written with first-time screenwriter Ozzy Etomi, pairs Mike Afolarin (Far From Home) and Jemima Osunde (New Money) in what should be a classic Lagos-based rom-com.

Afolarin plays Kazeem “King Kator” Toriola, a streetwise Afrobeats star with industry heat and publicist headaches. Osunde plays Promise Quest, an uptight event planner whose life is crumbling thanks to family debts and a high-stakes contract tied to her city’s biggest cultural festival. Their paths cross. Sparks are supposed to fly. Cue romance.

Only… they don’t.

The film leans heavily on overused tropes—meet-cutes, fake dating, surprise kisses—but forgets to give them emotional weight. The chemistry is more “group project partners” than “enemies-to-lovers.” The power dynamics between Kator (the celebrity with pull) and Promise (a woman desperate for career validation) go unaddressed, and even the grand romantic gestures fall flat. There are flickers of charm—one jollof-fueled moment at a roadside buka, for instance—but the storytelling quickly trades tension for tired plot twists.

So why are people watching A Lagos Love Story on repeat?

The King Kator Effect

Because King Kator slaps.

No, really. The movie’s original soundtrack EP—performed in character by Afolarin—is doing serious numbers. With over 2.1 million streams on Spotify within its first month, songs like “Quest for You” and “City Love Blues” have gained traction not just among Nollywood fans, but Afrobeats lovers on TikTok and Reels.

“Quest for You” became a soundbite for romantic skits, dance challenges, and even proposal videos, with over 85,000 TikTok videos using the audio within weeks of release. Afolarin's laid-back delivery, catchy hooks, and convincingly raw performances as King Kator give the character life beyond the screen.

What started as a character became a vibe—and now, a potential music career?

Could Mike Afolarin Be Our Next Nollywood-to-Music Crossover?

Nollywood has long flirted with music. From Sound Sultan’s acting turns to Banky W’s full-on industry crossover, the lines have always been blurry. But Mike Afolarin, who’s never released music under his real name, seems to be quietly redefining the playbook. His portrayal of King Kator wasn’t just surface-level; it came with vocal work, swagger, and an entire musical rollout, packaged like the real thing.

Listeners on Spotify have even started requesting live performances. Afolarin has yet to comment on whether he’ll pursue music professionally, but the numbers suggest a fanbase ready to stream and scream.

The Verdict: A Forgettable Romance, A Unforgettable Star Turn

A Lagos Love Story may miss the mark as a convincing romance—more checklist than chemistry, more setup than story. But in the wreckage of this underbaked rom-com lies a compelling debut: Mike Afolarin as a musical persona with legs far beyond this film.

Whether he intended to or not, Afolarin might’ve just soft-launched a new era: the era of King Kator.

And if the rom-coms don’t come calling, the charts just might.

Quick Takeaways:

A Lagos Love Story lacks romantic depth, relying too much on recycled tropes and not enough on character connection.

Mike Afolarin's King Kator steals the spotlight with charisma and sound.

The movie’s EP has crossed 50k streams on Spotify.

TikTok virality suggests Kator’s music might outlive the film itself.