Afrobeats sensation David Adeleke, professionally recognized by his stage name Davido, has paid tribute to the legendary Nigerian artist D’banj, applauding his groundbreaking contributions towards earning international acclaim for Nigerian music. According to Davido, D’banj played a key role in opening the global doors for Nigerian artists to showcase their talents on an international level.
In a recent interview conducted with Apple Music, Davido shed light on the tremendous impact of D’banj’s 2012 smash hit single, “Oliver Twist.” He emphasized how the song was a game-changer, not only for D’banj himself but also for the entire Nigerian music industry. The song’s success propelled Nigerian artists into the international music scene, gaining substantial recognition and opportunities abroad.
Davido gave D’banj full credit for his pioneering achievements, recognizing the influence it had on his own career trajectory. Inspired by D’banj’s success, Davido decided to focus on embracing his African roots, concentrating his efforts on promoting African music and culture to the world, while contributing to the genre’s growing popularity on the global stage.
Davido explained:
“D’banj was the first Nigerian artist I saw who was taking over the world. At that time, Nigerian artists were not being booked for shows in America, but everything changed when I watched Kanye West appear in D’banj’s ‘Oliver Twist’ music video on YouTube. It was a pivotal moment.”
He continued, “The success of ‘Oliver Twist’ opened the doors for African artists like D’banj, 2Face, P-Square, and others. Suddenly, they were getting booked for international shows, earning significant amounts, sometimes reaching up to $1,000,000 per show. Seeing this inspired me to make the decision to switch my focus and start making African music because that is my heritage, and that is where I’m from.”
