Davido releases new album ‘Timeless’

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) In November 2022, Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke (better known as Davido) stepped out of the public eye to deal with the tragic loss of his 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi.

The American-born entertainer, who has been away for almost six months aside from his performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony, has released a new album that he says has recovered and is “ready to get back on his feet”. .

The 17-track album called ‘Timeless’ is Davido’s fourth studio project since venturing into music 11 years ago. He says the title is a manifestation of his goal for the album to remain a classic for decades. ‘, he recently told CNN’s Larry Madwo in Lagos, Nigeria.

“Timeless” features multiple artists including British Nigerian rapper Skepta, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo, and Jamaican performer Dexta Daps.

“Breath of fresh air”

The album explores multiple subgenres of music, including Afrobeat, Amapiano, and Dancehall. According to David, the mix of sounds was to make sure the listener had a tune to their liking.

“Every time I play an album for someone, there are two or three tracks that they personally love and can take home. And I feel like that’s how the album should be.” he explained.

Over the course of his career, the singer-songwriter has reached multiple milestones: winning dozens of awards and nominations in and out of Africa, selling out shows at the O2 Arena in London, and making the 2022 World Cup a reality. It ended with a performance that was watched by a million people.

His previous albums ‘Omo Baba Olowo’ (released in 2012), ‘A Good Time’ (2019) and ‘A Better Time’ (2020) have also been commercially successful.

“I haven’t put out an album in almost three years, and I feel the world needs David’s energy. I want people to listen to the album and feel the fresh air,” he said, adding that he added that he hopes his new track will appease fans who have missed him.

The 30-year-old also promises the album will have the “goofy and fun” energy his 26 million Instagram followers are used to. “We all know that people want to wake up in the morning and go to David’s Instagram story to see what he’s up to today and so on,” he said. “I just want them to feel like the love and energy is back.”

music and sadness

The performer says the album went through at least three different stages before settling on the final version of “Timeless.”

While many of the songs are energetic and “feel good,” he says the grief of losing his son inspired the project. “We had finished the album before my son passed away. But it was a tragic situation and I really had to calm down and take a step back,” he explained.

“On the album you get to hear some songs that might bring you back to some emotions…you’ll definitely hear me talk about some things I personally went through. ” he added.

The artist attributes his return to the music scene to the overwhelming amount of support he has received from family, friends, fans, and supporters.

“At one point I couldn’t open my Instagram for weeks. One day I checked it and saw messages from all sorts of people all over the world.” It’s the one thing that really made me strong enough to get back on my feet and go back to the studio and do what I love,” David told CNN.

And now that he’s back doing what he loves, the goal, he says, is for him and his team to continue making music that resonates with people.

“That’s what we’re here for, that’s what we were brought to do in this world. I’m just ready to come back, just ready to get back on the road.” A lot will happen. No.”