David Adedeji Adeleke, known globally as Davido, has emerged as one of the most significant musical forces of the twenty-first century.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992 to Nigerian parents, the singer and songwriter has spent the past fifteen years championing Afrobeats on an international stage, transforming a continental genre into a worldwide phenomenon. His career in the music industry began on 7 May 2011 with the release of his debut single ‘Back When’, featuring Naeto C.
His rise continued with the 2012 breakout single ‘Dami Duro’, taken from his debut album ‘Omo Baba Olowo’. Since then, he has released a string of successful projects, including ‘A Good Time’ (2019), ‘A Better Time’ (2020) and the Grammy-nominated ‘Timeless’ (2023). ‘Timeless’ earned him three Grammy Award nominations and made him the first African artist to top the iTunes album chart.
These works established him as a constant presence on global charts and awards circuits, with his music accumulating over five billion streams and his videos exceeding 1.2 billion views worldwide.
The April 2025 release of his fifth studio album, ‘5ive’, marked a new peak in his career. The album featured collaborations with international stars such as Chris Brown, Victoria Monét, Becky G and Omah Lay.
At the 68th Grammy Awards, held on Sunday 1 February 2026 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Davido was nominated for Best African Music Performance for his track ‘With You’, featuring Omah Lay. This nomination brought his total Grammy nominations to five. He ultimately lost the award to South African singer Tyla for her song ‘Push 2 Start’.
Davido supported ‘5ive’ with the ‘5ive Alive World Tour’, an extensive global run spanning four continents. A major highlight of the tour was his historic debut at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, where he performed on 11 April and 18 April 2026, making him the only Nigerian artist on the festival lineup that year.
The tour also included African homecoming stops in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 7 February 2026, and Lusaka, Zambia, on 2 May 2026. A European leg ran from 25 March through 5 April 2026, covering Vienna, Zürich, Rotterdam, Brussels, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Barcelona.
Recent months have brought a wave of accolades. On 25 April 2026, Davido won the Best International Act award at the Liberian Entertainment Awards, held at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC.
He emerged victorious in a competitive category that included Tyla, Gunna, Rema and Fridayy. The singer was not present at the ceremony, and the award was received on his behalf by his promoter, Duke, a figure identified in industry reporting as the founder of Duke Concept.
Just days later, on 7 May 2026, Davido was announced as an inductee into the Atlanta Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame, joining an elite group that includes Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Usher, Stevie Wonder, Ludacris and James Brown.
The induction ceremony is scheduled for 1 June 2026 in Atlanta’s historic Westside district, at the intersection of Martin Luther King Junior Drive and Northside Drive, adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This recognition from the city where he was born marks a full-circle moment in a career that has carried African music to every corner of the globe.
