With 5ive, his new album, the star of the Afrobeats Davido – tens of millions of fans in the world including King Charles III – hopes to remind the youth of his country that “we can grow in Nigeria, and do powerful things”.
“They do not need to go to succeed,” proudly affirms the 32-year-old Nigerian-American artist who releases his fifth studio album on Friday, mixing “introspection, African rhythms and modern sounds”.
Davido, of his full name Davido Adedeji Adeleke, is one of the faces of Afrobeats with more than 8.5 million monthly listeners, 3 billion cumulative streams and nearly 30 million subscribers on Instagram.
Among his fans, he counts King Charles III who slipped the song “Kante” into a playlist unveiled in early March during the Commonwealth Day.
“African music has changed the way Africans are perceived in the world,” said Davido, met in Paris by AFP. “Today, we are popular not only in music, but also in cinema, fashion, gastronomy”.
Born in Nigeria in the 1970s under the influence of Fela Kuti, considered the father of Afrobeat (without “S”), AfroBeats radiates today internationally.
This music which merges traditional African rhythms and contemporary pop sounds has more than 7 billion streams on Spotify (in 2023). And among her stars, Burna Boy (expected Friday at the Stade de France, in Paris), Ayra Starr or the South African Tyla, a Grammy winner in 2024.
– “a complete album” –
Davido is inspired by his fans, but above all of African music, of culture as a whole “.
“I grew up in an African house where we were always parting, with music permanently,” he recalls. When a cousin takes him to the studio around 13, it is a revelation.
Whoever spends his youth in Lagos and has traveled a lot, as a child, with his brothers and sisters, in London and Atlanta (where he was born) likes to define himself as “citizen of the world”.
In 5ive, “there is music for the French, the Caribbean, the Americans, the Africans … Everyone. It’s a full album”. “Five (five in English), obviously, it’s because it’s my fifth album,” smiles the singer. “I discovered that (this figure) symbolized hope, growth, change”.
On this album, the one who is a songwriter and created his own label in 2016, DMW, was “involved in production”. He surrounded himself with new beatmakers, refined every detail and offered collaborations with the Americans Chris Brown, Yg Marley (grandson of …) or Victoria Monét.
His new tour will go through Paris, London, New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles, “in an intimate format”.
– “I like the French”-
France, and in particular Paris, which has “always granted it love”, occupy a special place in 5ive. “Paris was one of the first cities outside Africa to really recognize African music,” he said. “I like the French. What I prefer in Paris is nightlife. I love restaurants, hotels … And obviously, shopping,” he says, trendy cap on the head and chains around the neck.
Davido recorded several songs in Paris and slides in passing two still kept secrets – with the French Dadju and Tayc.
The artist won with the albums “Timeless” (2023), “A Better Time” (2020) or “A Good Time” (2019), and has already collaborated in the United States with Nicki Minaj and the rappers Youngthug, Lil Baby …
Among his other feats of arms, he filled the O2 Arena of London three times, participated and interpreted “Hayya Hayya” (Better Together), the anthem for the Football World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
