‘D’banj was first Nigerian artist to gain global popularity’ – Davido

• Davido stated that Nigerian artists were not getting international bookings before the global success of D’banj’s 2012 hit single ‘Oliver Twist’.
• Davido said D’banj’s international success inspired a paradigm shift which led to African music gaining traction in the Western world.

Afrobeats singer Davido acknowledges D’banj’s groundbreaking achievements in gaining international recognition for Nigerian music.

According to Davido, D’banj’s 2012 hit single “Oliver Twist” marked a turning point, paving the way for Nigerian artists to secure global bookings and recognition.

Davido noted that prior to D’banj’s success, Nigerian artists faced significant barriers in the international music scene. However, the collaboration with Kanye West on “Oliver Twist” helped shift the paradigm.

D’banj’s international breakthrough, Davido explained, opened doors for other African artists, including 2Face and P-Square, to secure lucrative show bookings, reportedly earning up to $1 million per performance.

Davido credited D’banj’s pioneering success as an inspiration for his own decision to focus on African music, embracing his cultural heritage and contributing to the genre’s growing global popularity.

In a recent interview with Apple Music, Davido said:

“D’banj was my first vision of a Nigerian artist taking over the world. No one in America was booking Nigerian artists for shows but that changed when I saw Kanye West in D’banj’s ‘Oliver Twist’ video on YouTube.

“It was because of the success of ‘Oliver Twist’ that Americans started booking D’banj, 2Face, P-Square and other African artists for shows. They were making about $1,000,000 per show. So I decided to switch and start doing African music because that’s where I am from.”

In another story, Rema claimed that his song created International Awards category for Afrobeats .

During a recent appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” Rema attributed the addition of an Afrobeats category in prominent international awards to the success of his hit single “Calm Down.”

Rema also positioned himself alongside prominent Afrobeats artists, stating that he considers himself myself among the ‘Big four’