TIMELESS

Davido’s Dreams Will Come True In Madison Square Garden, Where He Promises A ‘Timeless’ Experience

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Davido press image 2024
Tosin Gbadamosi

A three-year hiatus may be a big obstacle for some artists to recover from, but not Davido. The afrobeats star returned in 2023 with his fourth album Timeless, a 17-track effort that lived up to its name as it thrust Davido back into the spotlight — a place he’s called home for the better part of a decade. Davido’s legacy as one of afrobeats’ best artists is undoubtedly cemented in stone, but — in true African fashion — it should also be celebrated. That’s exactly what Davido will look to do when he takes over the legendary Madison Square Garden for a show that kicks off another run of Timeless performances.

“No rest!” the afrobeats star exclaims via Zoom call after I note his continued work amid a 12-month run of success. “These opportunities don’t come like that. So when God gives you a platform and gives you his blessings, you can’t take it for granted. [There’s] no time to waste at all, the world is looking at us. This is not the time to relax, I feel like there’ll be a time to relax. For now, we’re going hard — go hard or go home.”

Davido’s newfound focus follows a time where he admits “time was wasted,” but all of that is in the past. The future looks very exciting for the singer who is just as, if not even more excited to fulfill his lifelong dream of performing at Madison Square Garden. Ahead of that show, Uproxx caught up with Davido to hear about his plans for the MSG show, reflect on the Timeless, and dive into what the future looks like once he steps off the MSG stage.

It’s been a year since you released Timeless. What are your thoughts about the album when you look back at everything that’s occurred since its release?

2023 was crazy, man. A little hiatus [and] coming back with Timeless — a lot of people don’t get the opportunity to come back with a bang like that. I was fortunate to have a great team of producers, engineers, and writers who helped me with Timeless. After that, we did a six-arena tour, and sold every city out — it was crazy. [We] did shows around Africa, did a Timeless show in Nigeria, Timeless was nominated for three Grammys, my first time being nominated. It’s been a great year, I debuted for the first time [on] the Billboard Hot 100.

Is there anything in this Timeless era you wish you achieved that you haven’t yet?

I’m grateful so far for what God has done. I’m in my creative space right now. I definitely want to just keep dropping. I felt like, in the past, a lot of time was wasted, but now I’m focused. Timeless gave me that ginger and vim. It would have been amazing to have more time to do more with the Timeless album because it’s such a great body of work. I picked 17 songs from 80 songs. I’ve recorded at least another 40 [songs] now. I can’t just have all this music sitting. This is my Bitcoin, this is my cash. So yes, I wish I had more time. I’m doing better now, but I wish I had more money [laughs].

With your arena run last year, what was your favorite part of it that might’ve been new to you?

One show that was special to me was the Atlanta show. As a kid, my big brother used to take me to Hawks games all the time. Just walking in that building like, “Damn, I used to drive past this arena almost every weekend.” I used to go to school outside of Atlanta, close to Alabama. I’d come to Atlanta on the weekends, that’s where I was born. Atlanta is my family’s base outside of Nigeria. So I think that show was special [and] dope to me. One of the first shows where my whole family was in town. My dad, my aunties, it was just great to see people that saw me grow up in Atlanta look like, “Damn, that boy really did it.”

You’re the latest afrobeats artist to take the MSG stage. What are some things you plan to do differently to make this show the true Davido experience?

First of all, every artist has fans who like their music. So this is an opportunity for my fans to finally see me in The Garden. I want it to be on a very emotional night. I want us to party, I want us to cry, I want us to dance, I want us to talk [and] reason, and just celebrate the culture as a whole. I’m trying to see people in their African clothes. I don’t want to see the Dior, I want to see people come to celebrate Africa. I’m even trying to talk to the venue to get some African food — some jollof rice, some puff puff, some akara — just to give fans the whole African experience apart from the music.

Can we expect any special guests at the show? Any that you can reveal?

I got a lot of guests coming out. We have so much planned. The production… I’m damn near spending a ticket ($1 million) on the production just to make us look good. If you go all over the world, you have Nigerian doctors doing amazing things. You look to your right, you have Africans in sports doing crazy things. So [on] the music side, we have to hold it down. We’re trying to give the best production. It’s gonna be a night to remember, for sure.

Why has it always been a dream for you to perform at MSG? What about this venue specifically has been so special to you?

New York [and] the East Coast were one of the first places [in the US] to get hip to afrobeats, since time, even before it became mainstream. I remember doing a show in New York, about 9-10 years ago, and it was crazy. The fire marshall had to come, which just shows you that African music has been loved, since time. We just never got the opportunity to be in the big buildings [and] be in the big rooms, but good things last over time. I always knew the narrative would change. I remember walking by Madison Square Garden about seven years ago, and I was like, “Yo, man, I want to sell out this place.” The Garden is just different. I’ve sold out arenas all over the world, but The Garden is one for the books.

The relationship between the United States and Africa continues to grow strongly, especially when it comes to music. What do you think needs to happen or keep happening in order to preserve this relationship and even take it further?

First of all, I think ownership. We need to own our own. In Atlanta, I started this thing called Away Fest because I was like, “Why don’t we have our own Coachella? Why do we have to wait to get booked for these things when we can do it ourselves?” It took somebody one day to wake up and book an arena and sell out a show. It starts with a thought. We have so many amazing things back home. I’m talking about shooting more videos back home, showing the beauty of Africa.

The most important thing is not forgetting where you’re coming from and not being too thirsty for Western recognition. Africa is a whole continent, don’t forget that. If you’re supported by a whole continent, whatever support comes from outside is just a plus. So yes, we should appreciate the love we’re being shown overseas, but the most important thing is we should not forget where we come from.

After achieving a dream moment like performing at MSG, what comes next for you in your career?

I think we’re gonna add five more arena dates. My new album is almost done, so it’s about to be another ride. We’re about to shoot [the] “Kante” video with Fave and drop that. I have a documentary we’re working on. I want to invest in movies, I want to executive produce movies — there’s a lot of stuff that we’re planning. I’m building a new home, my dream home. [I] just [want to] keep pushing the culture and whatever God brings to our front we will receive it and be glad in it.

You’ve done a lot of collaborations since releasing Timeless (i.e. Chris Brown & Kizz Daniel), what are some others you’d like to make happen in the future?

I’m collaborating with a lot of people right now for the album, but I can’t spill that now. But people that I would love to collaborate with are Drake, for sure, Rihanna [too]. I’ve been listening to Jelly Roll, he’s really dope. But we got some people on the album. I don’t want to say too much. Africa-wise, I love amapiano so [I’m] definitely gonna do some more collaborations. Me and Musa keys did “Unavailable,” that went crazy. I got music coming with a lot of South African artists as well, so watch out for that.

Davido’s Timeless North American Tour kicks off on April 17. Find out more information here.

Meghan Trainor Launches Her Upcoming Album ‘Timeless’ With The T-Pain Collab ‘Been Like This’

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Meghan Trainor has been enjoying a second wave lately. After starting her career with major hits “All About That Bass” and “Lips Are Movin,” Trainor has become a dominant presence on TikTok with songs like “Made You Look” and “Mother,” both from her 2022 album Takin’ It Back. (She also generated some attention in 2023 for talking about sex with “big boy” husband Daryl Sabara.)

Now, she’s looking to ride the wave even further: Today (March 14), Trainor announced Timeless, her sixth album. The project is set for release on June 14, but today, she shared “Been Like This,” a new collaboration with T-Pain. As would be expected from Trainor, the song brings vintage doo-wop sounds to present day in a poppy and fun way.

Meanwhile, Trainor gave birth to her second child last summer, she announced at the time with adorable photos. Also last year, Trainor spoke about the time she and Charlie Puth made out while working on their 2015 duet “Marvin Gaye.” Puth later confirmed the story, saying, “I had just moved to LA and yeah, I’m not denying that happened. That definitely did happen once in 2015. I also don’t think I’d ever had vodka before, Grey Goose vodka.”

Listen to “Been Like This” above.

Meghan Trainor’s Timeless Album Cover Artwork

Meghan Trainor Timeless
Epic Records

Timeless is out 6/14 via Epic Records. Find more information here.

Charlie Puth is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Davido Happily Flaunts A Rich Lifestyle In His Lavish Video For ‘Away’

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Nearly a year after dropping his fourth studio album, Timeless., Davido is still riding the high. After all, the music has proven to align with the album’s title — timeless. Today (March 12), the Nigerian superstar shared the video for “Away,” a fan-favorite song from Timeless

In the video for “Away,” Davido reaps the fruits of his later. As one of the biggest names in Afrofusion, he has certainly earned the right to party. Throughout the clip, Davido flies across the world in private jets and parties at some of the most lavish clubs.

Afrofusion and Afrobeats music has seen a boom across the world, with several artists within the realm dominating streaming charts. In an interview with Ebony, Davido credited the spread of Afrofusion to social media. And through it all, he has his team and his day ones by his side.

“We have social media now and it’s easier to find stuff,” said Davido. “It’s easier to connect the two cultures. The two cultures are the Western culture and African culture. So I feel like Afrobeat is that bridge right now that’s really bridging the gap between the two cultures and bringing both cultures together.”

IYou can see the video for “Away” above.

Davido Proves That He’s Worthy Of A Crown In Any Era On The Conquering ‘Timeless’

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Davido 'Timeless' artwork for review
Davido Music Worldwide/Sony Music

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

The video for Davido’s “Unavailable,” an early highlight from his fourth album Timeless, begins with a radio message that announces the long-awaited return of the “King Of Afrobeat.” That figure is Davido himself, who went two and a half years without a project and minimal releases outside of that.

Though that isn’t all that long, the absence was noticed as his contemporaries – Burna Boy and Wizkid – elevated to new heights. Burna dropped an award-winning album while Wizkid released a magnum opus while newcomers in afrobeats arrived to define the new class of artists that would lead the way.

Five years ago, Davido was at the forefront of afrobeats’ mainstream takeover, firing off records like “If,” “Fall,” and “FIA” that were played so frequently that fans grew tired of them being the only afrobeats records to play in outdoor spaces. To start 2023, Davido was that same star but had yet to insert his defining project into the massive ring that afrobeats created for itself in this current decade.

That’s what makes Timeless the perfect title for Davido’s fourth album. Yes, it continues the theme of time that served as the foundation of the afrobeats singer’s last two albums, A Good Time and A Better Time, but by definition, it accurately describes Davido’s music in today’s afrobeats space – “not affected by the passage of time or changes in fashion.”

With Timeless, Davido proves himself to be a limitless artist with enough strength to always find a way to finish at the top. The same singer who arrived with the electric and raw “Dami Duro” can use that same joy and energy in a different way for another party-friendly record, like “Unavailable,” more than a decade later. Between the two records, the similarities and differences are clear, above all, they speak to the timeless nature of Davido and his artistry.

Timeless caters to those who were assured that its awaited arrival would be nothing short of monumental while also sneering at those who had doubts about its potential. Davido re-emerges from one of the lowest points in his life as a rejuvenated man with a new sense of appreciation, value, and vigor. Defeat is not a part of Davido’s ministry and it’s a message that couldn’t be any clearer on the album’s opener “Over Dem.”

He boasts about his ability to win no matter the circumstances, singing, “Over dem all / If dem wan turn Goliath / I be David for life / Oluwa dey my side.” Davido delivers these lines with such certainty and little doubt that not only are we convinced of his strength, but it’s also enough to make listeners believe in their own. Davido re-establishes this connection with a higher power just three songs later on “Godfather.”

“All of thе blessings wey dey come my way / They are all from God,” he sings with the certainty and confidence that only the God he sings of could supply. “And if dem try to talk / E go burn them like hot water oh.” To loosely translate: “All of the blessings that come my way / They are all from God / If they try to talk against them / It’ll burn them like hot water.”

As much as he flaunts his strengths, Davido also embraces the losses and the moments of uncertainty. A broken heart and questions for the woman who split it in two are the foundation of “E Pain Me.” Davido croons his pleas to this woman, begging for their return and showcasing the pains of a loss that he can’t seem to wrap his head around. “Wetin I no do for you? / Shey you promise say you no go let me go?” Davido asks. “And last night you told me that it’s all over / E pain me oh.”

The trend continues in the second half of the album with “For The Road,” a record that swaps sadness for disappointment while still finding itself in the realm of love. It’s upended by a well-played double meaning that comes alive with his request for one last night of intimacy “for the road” with a girl who has no desire to be confined by the limitations of a relationship – in other words, she’s “for the road” in Davido’s eyes.

Davido bravest moment in the face of loss comes through “LCND (Legends Can Never Die),” a song dedicated to the people he’s lost in his life, which presumably includes his three-year-old son David Ifeanyi Adeleke Jr. Davido proves that he found life through death, a concept that couldn’t be more representative of the theme behind Timeless.

Davido’s Timeless stretches its arms to touch on areas that pertain to the singer and the world he finds himself in. It boasts the confidence of a man who considers his music and impact to be timeless as well as the fight and focus to prove this case to those who doubted. It’s crafted with the precision that will have it be remembered as one of the best afrobeats albums to come out of the genre’s most spotlighted era while offering moments where Davido is forced to accept his time with an experience was paused, or worse, cut short, whether it be through love, friendship, parenthood, or his career.

The lesson here is to value the time with something or someone while you do have it. With that, Davido is able to produce the tunnel-visioned “Precision,” the besotted “No Competition” with Asake, and the infatuated “In The Garden.” With Timeless, Davido reduced the force that is time into a feather-like obstacle that a king like himself can effortlessly knock down.

Timeless is out now via Davido Music Worldwide/Sony Music. You can stream it here.

Davido’s Triumphant ‘Unavailable’ Video Marks The Long-Awaited Return Of A King

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Davido deserves all the good coming his way since Timeless, his fourth studio album, arrived on March 31. The project earned “the most first-day streams ever for an African album on Apple Music,” as noted by Apple Music on April 3, and Davido was glowing while performing a medley of “Feel” and “Unavailable” on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last week.

It all comes weeks after Davido announced Timeless alongside a message thanking his fans for their support as he grieved his three-year-old son, who passed away in a drowning accident last fall.

“There is a time for everything. A time to Grieve and a time to Heal,” Davido wrote on March 21. “A time to Laugh and a time to Dance. A time to Speak and A time for Silence. Thank you to everyone out there for your love and support that has held me down. All the love and messages while I was away, the gifts sent, the concerts you all threw! I appreciate it all. Today, I want to remind you all that what is now Timeless, was once new. It’s time for new.”

Tuesday, April 11, was the time for the video for “Unavailable” featuring Musa Keys to drop. Directed by Dammy Twitch, it begins with various people tuning into a radio host saying, “I’m here to say the King Of Afrobeats is back, baby! I’m talking about Davido. He’s back with a brand new album, and I’m talking hit after hit. Thank you, Davido.”

Davido is dripping in the uninhibited joy possessed by someone who is, in fact, back, baby — dancing without a care in the world.

Davido explained on Instagram that “Unavailable” is “our first visual for Timeless so this one means a lot to me. Just know the work we’re putting into this album and all that’s to come is for you! We gotta go all out so we’re just getting started. Special thank you to my @martellofficial family for the role they played in making this movie. We are back better and stronger ! More surprises with them on the way.”

Watch the “Unavailable” video above.

Davido Celebrates New Album in New York

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Nigerian artist Davido hit New York to celebrate the success of his album, Timeless.  The album was released on March 31st and broke a few records.  The “If” singer set a new record on Apple Music.

Timeless now has the most first-day streams for an African Album on the platform.  Davido’s fourth studio album also had the biggest first-week debut on Spotify Nigeria.  Ahead of his first live performance of Timeless in New York, the “Fall” artist held a Meet & Greet with fans.  

Fans lined up in front of the Puma store in New York City to get a chance to meet and take a photo with Davido.  Photos and videos of the Afrobeats star are on social media. He is smiling, laughing, and dancing.  Fans took to the comments to express their happiness in seeing their favorite artist out enjoying himself.

Timeless is a 17-track album that features international artists such as Skepta, Askae, Logos Olori, and Fave.  It is available on all platforms. 

The post Davido Celebrates New Album in New York appeared first on The Source.

Davido Delivered An Energetic Performance Of ‘Timeless’ Standouts ‘Feel’ And ‘Unavailable’ On ‘Colbert’

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Davido is celebrating the release of his fourth studio album, Timeless. Last night, he stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to perform some fan favorites from the album.

During the performance, Davido sang a medley of “Feel” and “Unavailable.” The Afrofusion superstar was joined by drummers, who gave the music a rolling kick, as well as background vocals by a group of singers, as well as additional support by a four-piece vocal group called The Compozers.

Timeless marks Davido’s first album in three years. In an interview with CNN, he shared that the album had been finished around last summer, but he had taken time away from the spotlight following the death of his son.

Though he remained quiet on social media for about six months, he noticed the support from fans who often sent him messages affirming him during that period of difficulty.

“I haven’t put out an album in almost three years,” he said, “And I feel like the world needs that Davido energy. I want them to feel a breath of fresh air when they listen to the album…I just want them to feel like that love and energy is back.”

Watch the performance above.

Timeless is out now via RCA. Find more information here.

Davido’s Long-Awaited Third Album ‘Timeless’ Broke An Apple Music Streaming Record On Its First Day

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Davido BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! 2022
Getty Image

Davido’s disappearance from the public spotlight wasn’t something he had planned in advance. However, following the tragic death of his young son in November, the Nigerian Afropop star and his partner Chioma Rowland took time to mourn privately as a family. Then nearing the end of March, the musician to social media to surprise fans with a heartfelt note.

“Thank you to everyone out there for your love and support that has held me down. All the love and messages while I was away, the gifts sent, the concerts you all threw! I appreciate it all,” wrote Davido.

Also included in the post was the news that his third album, Timeless would be hitting streaming platforms soon. Now with the album officially available to the public, streaming titan Apple Music shared that the project broke one of its global records.

Shared to the company’s Twitter page, Apple Music revealed Davido is breaking global records on. The Nigerian superstar’s [album] Timeless had the most first-day streams ever for an African album on Apple Music.”

To which Davido, quote tweeted to humbly reply, “God is too good!”

Apple Music wasn’t the only streaming platform, Davido’s new album broke records. AudioMach, also shared that Timeless now holds its record for the highest streams for within album in 24 hours.

Timeless is now via Davido Music Worldwide and Sony Music Entertainment. Find more information here.

Davido’s ‘Timeless’ Tracklist Recruits Features From Asake, Skepta, And More

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Davido
Getty Image

Davido announced his fourth studio album Timeless just the other week. He shared the news with a trailer, in which he said, “There is a time for everything, a time to grieve and a time to heal, a time to laugh and a time to dance. A time to speak, and a time for silence.”

Today (March 29), only days away from the new LP, he gave fans more exciting news via a trailer. “Our guest tonight is a voice of a generation,” a voice says. “And now I know we can’t wait for the new album to drop, but for the moment, he’s been kind enough to let us in on the tracklist.”

The tracklist was then read aloud, and you can see it in full below; it has features from Asake, Skepta, and more.

1. “Over Dem”
2. “Feel”
3. “In The Garden” Fear. Morravey
4. “Godfather”
5. “Unavailable” Feat. Musa Keys
6. “Bop” Feat. Dexta Daps
7. “E Pain Me”
8. “Away”
9. “Precision”
10. “Kante” Feat. Fave
11. “Na Money” Feat. The Caveman & Angelique Kidj
12. “U (Juju)” Feat. Skepta
13. “No Competition” Feat. Asake
14. “Picasso” Feat. Logos Olori
15. “For The Road”
16. “LCND”
17. “Champion Sound” Feat. Focalistic Sound

Timeless is out 3/31 via Davido Music Worldwide and Sony Music Entertainment. Find more information here.

Davido Announced His New Album ‘Timeless’ With A Message Thanking Fans For Always Supporting Him

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Nigerinan singer Davido is gearing up for the release of his fourth studio album, Timeless. Today (March 21), Davido announced the album via Instagram, with a trailer.

The trailer comprises of tour footage, juxtaposed with clips from what appears to be new music video. In the trailer, Davido speaks via voiceover, saying. “There is a time for everything, a time to grieve and a time to heal, a time to laugh and a time to dance. A time to speak, and a time for silence.”

The grief he is likely alluding to is likely related to the loss of his three-year-old son, who died in a drowning accident last October.

In the post’s caption, Davido thanked his fans for their boundless support, as he took a brief hiatus following the accident.

“Thank you to everyone out there for your love and support that has held me down,” he said. “All the love and messages while I was away, the gifts sent, the concerts you all threw! I appreciate it all. Today, I want to remind you all that what is now Timeless, was once new. It’s time for new.”

Find the trailer for Timeless above.

Timeless is out 3/31 via Davido Music Worldwide and Sony Music Entertainment. Find more information here.