Davido
Image: Kaizenify. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
.jpeg){kind=link}
Summary
Davido, born David Adedeji Adeleke, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, performer and producer associated with Afrobeats. His recordings and international performances have helped extend the audience for Nigerian popular music.[1]
Life and career
His musical development crossed Nigeria and the United States. In a 2020 interview, he recalled rapping and making beats in Atlanta before a visit to Nigeria encouraged him to pursue African popular music. His career also includes running a label and developing younger artists.[2]
Music and style
He described hip-hop as an influence on his outlook and style, while distinguishing that influence from the particular sound of his songs. In the studio he values an audience of collaborators and friends: their immediate response to a new idea helps shape the recording process. Rhythm and communal energy are central to that account of making Afrobeats.[2]
Works and performances
A Good Time (2019), A Better Time (2020) and Timeless (2023) form an important sequence in his discography. 'Feel' and 'Unavailable', the latter featuring Musa Keys, appear on Timeless. In a 2024 interview, he described seeking songs that could remain meaningful beyond the fashions of their release moment.[3]
- ↑ Sony Music UK: Davido, artist biography and releases. Accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Recording Academy: Davido interview on Nigerian culture, creative practice and influences, 2020. Accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Recording Academy: Davido on making Timeless, interview, 2024. Accessed 23 October 2026.