David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer was born on November 21, 1992, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. to Adedeji Adeleke, a business magnate from Nigeria, and Vero Adeleke, who was a university lecturer- He is the youngest of five siblings and his father’s third-born son. – His family moved to Lagos, Nigeria, where he was raised.
Davido is one of the most influential and successful African artists, with a career spanning over a decade.
Davido’s music career began in 2010, but he gained widespread recognition with his hit single “Dami Duro” in 2011. He has since released several successful albums and singles, including “Fall,” “If,” “Fia,” “Holy Ground. and “timeless”
His music is a fusion of Afrobeats, pop, and hip-hop, and he has collaborated with international artists such as Chris Brown, Meek Mill, and Nas. Davido is also the founder of Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), a record label that has signed successful artists like Mayorkun, Peruzzi, and Liya.
Davido’s music career which spans over a decade is marked by numerous achievements and milestones, which include:
- 2010: Began his music career, releasing his debut single “Back When” featuring Naeto C.
- 2011: Released “Dami Duro,” a massive hit that gained him widespread recognition.
- 2012: Released his debut album “Omo Baba Olowo” (O.B.O.), which included hits like “Skelewu” and “Gbon Gbon.”
- 2013: Collaborated with international artists like Chris Brown and Meek Mill.
- 2014: Released his second album “The Baddest,” featuring hits like “Aye” and “Tchelete.”
- 2015: Signed a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment.
- 2016: Released the hit single “Fall,” which became a global success.
- 2017: Collaborated with Rae Sremmurd and Young Thug on the hit single ” Pere.”
- 2018: Released his third album “Son of Mercy,” featuring hits like “If” and “Fia.”
- 2019: Collaborated with Chris Brown on the hit single “Blow My Mind.”
- 2020: Released the album “A Better Time,” featuring hits like “Fem” and “Holy Ground.”
- 2022: Released the album “We All Shine,” featuring hits like “Electrical” and “Stand Strong.”
-2022: Hayya Hayya (Better Together) (Music from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Official Soundtrack) ft. Davido, Aisha & FIFA - 2023: Released the Album “timeless”
Throughout his career, Davido has won numerous awards, broken records, and performed at sold-out shows and festivals worldwide. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and successful African artists of all time.
Awards
He has won numerous awards, including the BET Award for Best International Flow, the MTV Africa Music Award for Artist of the Year, MTV Europe Awards, among others.
Other notable awards and nominations received by Davido include: - Kora Awards (2012) – Best Newcomer Award
- Dynamix All Youth Awards (2011) – Promising Youth Artiste
- Ghana Music Awards (2014) – African Artiste of the Year
- The Headies (2018) – Artiste of the Year
- Nigeria Entertainment Awards (2022)
- Net Honours (2021) – Most Searched Musician (male)
- 3 Grammy nominations (2024).
- NAACP Awards (2024)
Davido’s Act of philanthropy
Davido is also known for his philanthropic efforts,. He has supported various charitable causes, including education and healthcare initiatives. - Donated N237 million to orphans across Nigeria through the David Adeleke Foundation (DAF)
- Signed the young singer Mayorkun to his record label, DMW, giving him the chance to become famous
- Donated 15 million naira to the staff of Murtala Muhammad International Airport
- Paid for Utibe’s education and built a house for his mother after seeing him sing one of his songs on social media
- Donated 200 million naira to an orphanage in 2021
- Donated the proceeds from his “Dolce and Gabbana” music video to COVID-19 research
- Donated $5,000 to a Rwandan music school
- Donated one million naira to Jide Sanyaolu, a University of Liverpool student who was struggling to pay tuition
- Pledged 300 million naira per year to orphanages in Nigeria
- Gave $50,000 to a female attendee at a concert in New York to help repay her student loan
• David’s marriage to Chioma
Davido married Chioma his long- time partner in a lavish ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, on June 25,2024.
The wedding was star-studded with personalities from different walks of life in attendance. The wedding was attended by A-list guests like Olusegun Obasanjo, the Ooni of Ife, governors and high society figures. The ceremony, held at Harbour Point in Victoria Island has been compared to the July 29, 1981, wedding between then Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in terms of its lavish display of wealth. The ceremony was a ratings – hit as various social media figures out- did each other giving a minute by minute commentary on the glittering ceremony.
Sahel Standard wish the couple a happy married life.
