Latest news with #Afrobeats'
Malay Mail
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
From Lagos to the world: Davido sees Afrobeats — and Nigeria's spirit — rising
LAGOS, April 22 — The way Davido sees it, Nigerian culture is having a moment. 'We're very popular, not only in music,' the 32-year-old Afrobeats star told AFP during a recent interview in Paris, pointing to the film, food and fashion influence his country is increasingly exporting to the rest of the world. Even amid criticism from some that American artists are starting to crib from Afrobeats' sound, his response is: 'I like it.' And yet, the Nigerian-American artist — a self-described citizen of the world — sees the future of the continent tied to those who stay home, rather than its influential diaspora. 'Everybody always has the American dream,' he told AFP. 'Every kid that grows up in Africa wants to visit America. That's cool. It's okay to visit, but don't leave your people and go there.' Those might be tough words to swallow for his compatriots battling the worst economic crisis in a generation. In recent years, 'japa' — the Yoruba word for 'escape' — has become country-wide slang for emigrating to greener, and richer pastures. Davido, born David Adedeji Adeleke in Atlanta, in some ways straddles the tension between a growing, bustling Nigeria of more than 200 million people and a world that finally seems to be waking up to the so-called Giant of Africa. Speaking to AFP ahead of the release of his new album, 5ive — out Friday — he confidently says the record 'is going to touch every part of the world.' 'We have music for the French people. We have music for the Caribbean people. We have music for the Americans, Africans, everybody,' he said. 'It's like a full, global package album.' Eight million monthly listeners With some more than eight million monthly listeners — including Britain's King Charles — Davido is riding, and shaping, the global Afrobeats craze. But Davido himself is also a product of African music. 'I grew up in an African household where we were always throwing parties, music was always playing in the house, going in the car to school, my parents playing music,' he enthusiastically recalled. As a teenager, a cousin in the industry took him to a studio, where 'for the first time, I saw somebody create music... African music.' 'That's when I fell in love with it,' said Davido, spotting a grey conical woollen cap and jewellery dangling over a black T-shirt. A few years later, he was mixing and mastering his own tunes by the age of 16, drawing inspiration from artists such as P-Square, a Nigerian duo that drew some of their hits from American influences such as Michael Jackson. Davido now sees artists' musical influence flowing across the Atlantic in the other direction. 'It's a privilege for another culture to try to imitate what you're doing,' he told AFP in response to a question about critics who accuse American artists of trying to mime Afrobeats' style. 'In Nigeria we do hip hop too. We have rappers that rap. We have people that do R&B.' 'Music is a universal language. So I don't see any problem with that.' Davido counts among some of his popular tracks 'Unavailable' and 'Aye'. 'African music has changed narrative' For all his worldly outlook, Davido said he hasn't lost focus on Nigeria. 'We've been going through hard times,' he told AFP. 'Nigeria is a very rich country with so much talent, so much grace, so much opportunity.' 'I was asked a question saying, why don't we sing about (Nigeria's struggles) in our music?' he recalled. 'I was like, man, that's not the type of music my people would really like to hear.' 'I have sung about it in the past. But I'm very vocal about it more in Africa than in America.' As he prepares to embark on a world tour — including stops in Paris, London, New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles — he knows where at least part of his success has come from. 'African music has changed the narrative of how Africans are looked at around the world.' — AFP
Gulf Today
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Afrobeats megastar Davido sees Nigeria's star rising
The way Davido sees it, Nigerian culture is having a moment. 'We're very popular, not only in music,' the 32-year-old Afrobeats star said during a recent interview in Paris, pointing to the film, food and fashion influence his country is increasingly exporting to the rest of the world. Even amid criticism from some that American artists are starting to crib from Afrobeats' sound, his response is: 'I like it.' And yet, the Nigerian-American artist — a self-described citizen of the world — sees the future of the continent tied to those who stay home, rather than its influential diaspora. 'Everybody always has the American dream,' he said. 'Every kid that grows up in Africa wants to visit America. That's cool. It's okay to visit, but don't leave your people and go there.' Those might be tough words to swallow for his compatriots battling the worst economic crisis in a generation. In recent years, 'japa' — the Yoruba word for 'escape' — has become country-wide slang for emigrating to greener, and richer pastures. Davido, born David Adedeji Adeleke in Atlanta, in some ways straddles the tension between a growing, bustling Nigeria of more than 200 million people and a world that finally seems to be waking up to the so-called Giant of Africa. Speaking to AFP ahead of the release of his new album, '5ive'— out on Friday — he confidently says the record 'is going to touch every part of the world.' 'We have music for the French people. We have music for the Caribbean people. We have music for the Americans, Africans, everybody,' he said. 'It's like a full, global package album.' With some more than eight million monthly listeners — including Britain's King Charles — Davido is riding, and shaping, the global Afrobeats craze. But Davido himself is also a product of African music. 'I grew up in an African household where we were always throwing parties, music was always playing in the house, going in the car to school, my parents playing music,' he enthusiastically recalled. As a teenager, a cousin in the industry took him to a studio, where 'for the first time, I saw somebody create music... African music.' 'That's when I fell in love with it,' said Davido, spotting a grey conical woollen cap and jewellery dangling over a black T-shirt. A few years later, he was mixing and mastering his own tunes by the age of 16, drawing inspiration from artists such as P-Square, a Nigerian duo that drew some of their hits from American influences such as Michael Jackson. Davido now sees artists' musical influence flowing across the Atlantic in the other direction. 'It's a privilege for another culture to try to imitate what you're doing,' he told AFP in response to a question about critics who accuse American artists of trying to mime Afrobeats' style. 'In Nigeria we do hip hop too. We have rappers that rap. We have people that do R&B.' 'Music is a universal language. So I don't see any problem with that.' Davido counts among some of his popular tracks 'Unavailable' and 'Aye'. For all his worldly outlook, Davido said he hasn't lost focus on Nigeria. 'We've been going through hard times,' he said. 'Nigeria is a very rich country with so much talent, so much grace, so much opportunity.' 'I was asked a question saying, why don't we sing about (Nigeria's struggles) in our music?' he recalled. 'I was like, man, that's not the type of music my people would really like to hear.' 'I have sung about it in the past. But I'm very vocal about it more in Africa than in America.' As he prepares to embark on a world tour — including stops in Paris, London, New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles — he knows where at least part of his success has come from. 'African music has changed the narrative of how Africans are looked at around the world.' Agence France-Presse
Ya Biladi
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Wizkid and Lojay to ignite Mawazine 2025 with pure Afrobeats power
The 20th edition of Mawazine – Rhythms of the World will spotlight the vibrant pulse of Afrobeats, one of the most influential sounds shaping today's global music scene. On Thursday, June 26, 2025, Rabat's OLM Souissi stage will be swept by Lagos vibes, led by two of Nigeria's biggest stars: Wizkid and Lojay. Kicking off the night is none other than Lojay, Afrobeats' rising prince. Known for his bold and emotionally rich style, Lojay brings fresh energy to the genre while honoring the legacy of its pioneers. Bursting onto the scene with Monalisa — his international hit with Chris Brown and Sarz, which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats chart — Lojay quickly made a name for himself as a key voice in afrofusion. He followed up with Sensational, featuring Davido and Chris Brown, earning a 2024 Grammy nomination. In 2025, Lojay continues his meteoric rise with Somebody Like You, a new track produced by Sarz that explores love and vulnerability with striking depth. Taking the spotlight later that evening is the genre's global superstar, Wizkid. Known as Starboy, he has redefined Afrobeats with timeless tracks like Essence, Ojuelegba, Come Closer, and One Dance with Drake — making him the first Nigerian artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100 and earn platinum certification in the U.S. His collaborations with Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and Chris Brown have taken Afrobeats to the main stages of the world's biggest festivals. With over 5 billion streams across platforms, Wizkid's influence is unmatched. His critically acclaimed album Morayo (2024), featuring Brent Faiyaz and Tiakola, revealed a more mature and introspective side, while his latest release KESE is already climbing the charts. As part of a sold-out world tour spanning Paris, New York, Toronto, and Berlin, Wizkid's stop in Rabat will be nothing short of historic. Festival Mawazine – Rhythms of the World runs from June 20 to 28, 2025 in Rabat.
