Davido’s Exceptional 2023: ‘Timeless’ Album Success and International Acclaim for ‘Unavailable’ featuring Musa Keys
In the dynamic landscape of 2023, Davido’s musical journey has been nothing short of remarkable. With his fourth album, ‘Timeless,’ breaking records and the global triumph of his hit single ‘Unavailable’ featuring Musa Keys, the Nigerian megastar has etched his presence on the international music scene.
In an exclusive conversation with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Davido unveiled his visionary project, the Are We African Yet? (A.W.A.Y) festival. Beyond his personal successes, Davido aims to curate an enduring festival that transcends time, carrying the richness of African culture to diverse corners of the world.
The core of Davido’s vision for the A.W.A.Y festival revolves around providing a platform for African artists to showcase their talents and connect with a global audience. He envisions the festival as more than just a musical gathering; it is a cultural platform that will steer the narrative about Africa on a global scale.
Davido expressed his sentiment, “So years ago it was the other way around where it’s like the same way we have people coming to Africa, which we love, investing, bringing their own culture over there. Having festivals, in the same way, we should do the same over here.”
He emphasizes the importance of owning and celebrating African culture independently, stating, “I feel like we have to own our culture too. We can’t wait for somebody to bring the idea and be like, ‘Yo, Afrobeats is growing.’ Let’s go register for African Coachella or something like that. I’m like, ‘No, we got to do this ourselves because this is ours.'”
Davido’s ambitious vision extends into the future, envisioning the A.W.A.Y festival as a cultural movement that goes beyond his personal influence. “The vision I have, I’m talking 10 years, 20 years down the line. The vision I have is to create it to be something that is for the culture, not particularly mine,” he stated.