Nigerian superstar Davido has dropped his first single of the year, “Be There Still,” on March 13, ahead of his highly anticipated album, 5ive, set for release next month. The song follows the two tracks he released late last year, Awuke featuring YG Marley and Funds with Odumodu and Chike, both of which will be included on the upcoming album. 5ive is set to be Davido’s fifth studio album.
While Davido had teased Be There Still on his social media before its release, the song itself feels a bit underwhelming. The amapiano beat, which has become a hallmark of his recent music, dominates the track. While the sound is catchy and danceable, it feels like the beat is carrying the song rather than the song itself standing out. It doesn’t quite measure up to the energy of his previous releases, which had a bigger impact on playlists and in clubs.
Unlike his earlier singles, which were party anthems, Be There Still seems to be more of a heartfelt message to his fans, offering thanks for their support over the years. However, this shift in tone doesn’t necessarily make the song more engaging. The lyrics, though celebrating his 12-year career, are somewhat lackluster. Lines like “My heart pure like pure water, and water no getti ota” feel a bit awkward and don’t hold the depth fans might expect from an artist of Davido’s caliber.
The lyrics of Be There Still feel somewhat underwhelming, especially for an artist of Davido’s stature. For example, the line “My heart pure like pure water, and water no getti ota”. This isn’t an isolated issue; his previous tracks also show similar weaknesses in the lyrical department. In Awuke, the line “I must tell my mummy for you” and in Funds, the phrase “I suppose relocate but I go buy Belgium” is confusing and leaves me wondering about its meaning. Over his last three releases, Davido’s lyrics seem to fall short of the high standards we expect from him.
Of the three singles, Funds stands out as a stronger track compared to both Awuke and Be There Still. ‘Funds’ amassed 1.255 million streams on Spotify Nigeria within its first 24 hours, setting a new record for the most single-day streams for a collaboration on the platform. All three songs from Davido are upbeat party tracks, driven by amapiano beats, but they lack the lyrical depth and creativity that would elevate them.
It’s worth noting that this song continues Davido’s embrace of amapiano, a genre he’s helped popularize in Nigeria. While there’s nothing wrong with sticking to a sound you enjoy, it feels like Davido could benefit from showing more versatility at this stage of his career. The track also doesn’t stand out as much lyrically compared to his previous hits, such as Funds, which, in comparison, feels like a stronger offering.
The track features collaborations with producers Marvey Muzique, DJ Maphorisa, and Black Culture, with mixing by D-RO. As is the case with his previous singles, there’s anticipation for a music video that will follow. “Be There Still” seems like a track that will resonate with fans of the amapiano trend, but personally, I’m not impressed.
