When studying at the incredible growth of Afrobeats music on a global scale over the last decade, it’s impossible to overlook the significant role played by Davido as one of its key ambassadors. With an extensive musical legacy, Davido has consistently shattered barriers and helped to bridge the gap between Africa’s vibrant music scene and the rest of the world; breaking countless records, receiving prestigious accolades, and captivating audiences worldwide with his unique sound, Davido has made an indelible mark on the ever-expanding landscape of Afrobeats. We could spend all day trying to articulate the pivotal role Davido has played in the genre’s growth but take one look at numbers, and it’s easy to see why he’s known as the ‘King of Afrobeat’.

Throughout our chat, Davido seems at peace with his place in the music landscape, and it is undeniable that he has already secured legendary status. His latest album, aptly titled Timeless, solidified his stature by making him the first African artist to achieve the number-one spot on the US iTunes chart. This accomplishment holds immense significance, especially considering the global impact of the Afrobeats movement. Davido’s achievement showcases not only his individual talent but also the rising prominence of Afrobeats on the international music scene, further establishing him as a trailblazer in the genre.

Back in 2018, Davido was honoured with the Best International Artist award by BET. During his acceptance speech, he passionately encouraged the predominantly American audience to embrace Africa and immerse themselves in its vibrant culture. Fast forward to 2023, and Davido has now become a headlining performer at the BET Awards. With over a decade of experience as an artist, he has begun to shift his focus towards nurturing the next generation of African creatives like Morravey and Logos Olori, two new signees to his Davido Music Worldwide label, as well as promoting the culture on a global platform. Davido’s commitment to championing African art and culture remains unwavering as he continues to make a significant impact in the music industry, with a vision to one day be at the helm of a multimedia company, exploring storytelling in all its forms.

We caught up with Davido on the cusp of his Timeless tour, which kicks off in the US and sees Davido performing across the UK and Europe before touching down in Australia for the first time in October as part of the Promiseland festival, heading up the biggest afrobeats lineup this side of the world has seen to date.

Davido it’s good to meet you man. I was just watching your performance at the BET Awards.
Oh thank you, man. It’s good to meet you too.

Five years ago you won the BET Award for the best international artist, so it’s like a full-circle moment to see you up there performing. How was it for you?
Man, it’s crazy because the last time, the theme of my speech was basically telling them to get closer to the culture and stuff like that. And then, five years down the line, getting up on that same stage and performing was amazing. Last time, I think I performed on the stage outside at the pre-show, and then this time performing on the main stage. Everybody on their feet singing the song word for word. You know what I’m saying? So, it’s a great feeling.

Congrats on another huge album, Timeless. It’s been smashing records since the release. How does it feel being the first African artist to achieve the number-one spot on the US iTunes chart, along with all the other records you’ve broken?
Going crazy, man. Funnily enough, this is the first album where we didn’t put so much pressure on ourselves. You know what I’m saying? We went in the studio, we were having fun, I was free. And I worked with a lot of young, new producers. I remember the day before we dropped the album, I’m just like, yo, god. I’ve done my work. Whatever happens, happens. And then, we just woke up to good news—trending everywhere, breaking streaming numbers. It was just amazing, man. Every day I’m waking up to dope shit.

So, the album is called Timeless. What does being timeless mean to you?
Timeless, man. Music that would last 20-30 years from now. You know what I’m saying? When I perform at my shows, I still come out to ‘Dami Duro’, a song I made almost 15 years ago, and it still has the same reaction every single time. So, when we were thinking of a name for this album, we’re like, yo, timeless music, timeless. So we went with that and with the whole timeless theme.

You’ve got some heavy-hitting feature artists on the album. I understand that Angélique Kidjo is a legend when we’re talking about African music.
That’s Mama Africa right there, man. I’ve always wanted to work with her. Nigeria and Benin have always had a close relationship. I’ve known her for a long, long time, and I’ve always wanted to work with her, but I didn’t just rush it. I just wanted the perfect record. And I felt like when I made that record, ‘Na Money‘, I just knew she was the one. Shout out to The Cavemen too, an amazing band duo from Nigeria; they’re killing it. We’re shooting the video soon, I believe. That’s gonna be dope.

I feel like it goes back to the theme of timelessness, as well. Music that can speak to different generations.
Yeah, and we’re from different worlds. So it was just amazing to see that music is universal, and how we can come together. We all do different music. She does what she does, The Cavemen do what they do, and I definitely do what I do.

I’m a fan of Asake as well. I love the track ‘No Competition’ — it’s the first song you guys have a track together, right?
Oh yeah, shout out to Asake. Yo, guess what? When the album came out, I had never met him.

Really? What is something you admire about his approach to making music?
I like his style. I like his music style. He’s very artistic. You know what I’m saying? With his videos and just the way he came out, and just took the world by storm. I always love a success story, especially if I’ve seen you hustling and trying to get on, and then you finally get the opportunity. It is amazing to see.

Looking back at your own journey since 2011, what were some challenges you faced on your way to international success?
I mean, I’m 30 years old. I’ve been doing this since I was 17. You know what I’m saying? There’s definitely been ups and downs. But trust me, if I start saying the story, we going to be here ’til tomorrow. [laughs]

I’m the last kid of five. You know what I’m saying? I come from a very, very strong educational background type family so I’m a first-generation musician. My parents didn’t really want me to do music at first. There have definitely been some struggles, but I’m happy we’re here, man, still standing strong.

I’m told that you are coming out to Australia in October for the first time to perform at Promiseland. What are you looking forward to the most?
I’ve heard so many things about Australia. I love the accent.  I don’t know; I’m keen to just come and find out. My fans out in Australia, they be tagging me in their videos and stuff. New Zealand, Australia. Yo, I’m just not looking forward to that flight, man.

Yeah, that’s the hardest part. The rest will be cool.
Nice.

Throughout your career, you’ve constantly broken records and achieved remarkable milestones. So my last question is how do you envision your music and legacy evolving as you continue to grow as an artist?
I mean, I’m thinking of how we’re going to grow the culture. You know what I’m saying? I’m definitely not going to be singing forever, but I’m thinking of—what are we going to do to put a blueprint down that’s going to last forever? That’s why I have my label. I want to promote a lot of African creatives that don’t have the opportunity to create. So, I’m opening a nice media house to promote not only musicians, artists, directors, scriptwriters, songwriters, and engineers. Just like a big music hub, a big entertainment creative house. That is one of my dreams. And I also have dreams of owning a radio station and a TV station. There’s a lot of things I have planned, but definitely, we are about to go on tour. We start July 1st. Timeless tour. We start in DC, we go to Houston, then I think Chicago, Boston, and Toronto, and then we do Europe. And I believe after Europe, we come to Australia.

We’re looking forward to seeing you out here, man.
Thank you, man. See you when I get to Australia.

Follow Davido here for more and stream Timeless now.