Why Davido Is Africa’s Biggest Artiste

Davido has been in the news lately. ‘Why?’ you may ask. Well, the Omo baba olowo is touted as Africa’s biggest artiste and these are, arguably, the reasons for his current dominance. Osagie Alonge of NET writes:

King David is born…

In early 2011, a young, upcoming artiste David Adeleke emerged on the Nigerian music scene. Three years later, he can proudly boast of being Africa’s biggest artist.

Truthfully, it’s taken Davido less than three years to attain his present status. His journey started back in May 2011 when he released his first official single Back when featuring a stunning verse from Naeto C. The song was mildly accepted by critics and was just enough to get him the attention he needed at the time. Thus began the then 19-year-old’s journey to superstardom. He seemed to have the perfect team; a young and zealous manager in the person of Asa Asika, a hit making producer Shizzi, a lively crew made up of B.Red and Sina Rambo and, most of all, a whole lot of money.

‘Omo Baba Olowo’

Talking about money, the chatter and buzz around Davido increased when it was discovered that his father was billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke. He was immediately tagged a ‘trust fund kid’. Davido didn’t seem bothered and didn’t shy away from his privileged background. His sophomore single Dami Duro was to remind us of his financial status. The song shot him into and up the A-list category, an well envied and sought-after status occupied by singers like P-Square, D’banj, 2Face Idibia and Wizkid. He morphed into Omo baba olowo, the rich kid who had plans to dominate the music industry.

The rich-boy-trying-to-do-music status stuck to Davido, with many saying the singer used money to bulldoze his way into the Nigerian entertainment scene. Some said his music and videos got heavy rotation on radio and TV, because he practiced payola.

But David didn’t seem to care. Unfazed and refusing to back down, he continued pushing out more songs and, within nine months, he was rated. He performed at more shows, got more spins and his career grew rapidly. Only one word could describe his progress: phenomenal.

A year after his 2011 debut, the comparison with fellow Pop star Wizkid (who had blown up a year earlier) began. They were both compared on all fronts – talent, label strength, financial stance and lifestyle. Tension between both acts increased their competition, with each one trying to outdo the other. As far as the Nigerian market was concerned, it did seem like Davido had come to replace Wizkid. In April 2012, Davido went on to sign an endorsement deal with MTN worth N30m. Only then did critics begin to take him seriously.

In July 2012, he released his highly anticipated debut album O.B.O: The Genesis. Despite the huge marketing budget put behind it, the album was received with mixed reviews, with many saying the record fell below expectations. Some smiled and called him a ‘flash in the pan’ artiste. It only spurred Davido on. He went on to release multiple singles off the album and shot videos for every single one of them.

In 2013, he released a new single Gobe. Its instance popularity was no fluke. The club-friendly tune was on everyone’s playlist. By this time, the public’s general opinion started to change. “He may actually be talented,” they said.

The Birth Of An African Star

Davido’s rise in the African music scene started in April 2013 when he released his single One of a kind. The song was written, particularly, for the African market, with the singer naming several African countries in the chorus. The music video followed the theme of the song, highlighting several African flags.

That was all the Pop star needed to break into the Eastern and Southern African markets, two regions where only the likes of Psquare and Flavour held ground. Months after, Davido moved his music from Nigeria and Ghana into Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Liberia. In fact, he metamorphosed into an international star.

His next single, the intoxicating Skelewu, blew him into space. The controversy behind the music video somehow played to his advantage, causing millions to log onto YouTube to watch the video. Davido went on a European tour, returned and visited several African countries. Photos and video clips show the young singer now pulls close to 30,000 fans outside Nigeria.

It should also be noted that despite a cartload of controversies, Davido’s career has still soared, steadily gaining more momentum. His latest single Aye is a fan favourite, because of its demographic apeal.

On June 7, 2014, Davido was crowned the Best African Artiste at the Music Television (MTV) Africa Music Awards in South Africa and, on June 29, he was named the Best African Act at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards in Los Angeles. But does he consider himself Africa’s biggest?

“I thank God. I want to be bigger [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][because], there’s still a lot of work to do. I can’t think I’m the best now,” Davido told a Nigerian entertainment magazine. However, longevity will be his biggest enemy, because it has become a major barrier for some of the Nigeria’s and the world’s biggest artistes.

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