Davido is a Nigerian Artist Popularizing Afrobeats Around the World

Davido is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer who is one of the artists popularizing afrobeats around the world. He’s a record-breaking kind of artist with most streams, most views, and that kind of thing. When he drops music, it often blows up in just a few hours.

His music is very danceable, inspiring small rebound movements in every part of the body in contemporary African pop style. His music is also great for exercising. His beats drive you forward without intruding. Davido generally sings in Nigerian Pidgen, the creole language spoken by most Nigerians, but it’s a blend of native Nigerian languages and English, so you can understand a lot of it.

Davido videos, like all his work, are very well produced. They may be shot in Nigeria or England, but anyone living in the Caribbean will notice familiar patterns of life and styling.

This isn’t Latin music directly, but Caribbeans and Brazilians make much of our Yoruba roots, and Davido is Yoruba. The roots of afrobeats dig into Latin traditions in the Americas. The future belongs to the young, and Mother Afrika is young. African pop music is coming into it’s own. It’s part of the rise of Africa in general.

Davido in New York City

Madison Square Garden

Davido “Timeless Tour” brings great Nigerian afrobeats to Madison Square Garden in Chelsea, Manhattan; on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 8pm. From $90. msg.com 🇳🇬

New York Venues

Madison Square Garden arena

Davido

Davido “Unavailable” (2023)

David Adedeji Adeleke was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1992, but was raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He dropped out of college to focus on music.

Albums

“Timeless” (2023) was nominated for the 2024 “Best Global Music Album” Grammy. The single “Unavailable” is awesome.

The album title has multiple levels of meaning. It speaks to the idea that great art is timeless, but there is more to it. Some artists thrive on chaos, but others need to disappear for a while to let the creative juices flow undisturbed. This is Davido’s first album in three years. Also, it’s now generally accepted that individuals experience time differently, and artists have an even more different relationship with time. That’s why they are artists. In the Instagram era of endless consumption, people get wrapped up in stuff, but the only thing we really have is time. Davido plays with this concept.

The album plays with dancehall, ragga, highlife, afropop, and amapiano. It features many collaborations including Angélique Kidjo.

“A Better Time” (2020) came out of the pandemic lockdown. Davido had to cancel his “A Good Time” tour, so he went into the studio and made an album. Collaborations include Nicki Minaj and Nas. Singles include “FEM,” “So Crazy,” “Jowo,” and “The Best.”

“A Good Time” (2019) was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia. Singles include: “If,” “Fall” which became a global hit, “Assurance,” “Blow My Mind,” and “Risky,”

“Oma Baba Olowo” (2012) was Davido’s solo debut. The sound is afrobeats and hip hop. It earned some recognition in Africa, but was not as well received as his later work.