“D’banj was first Nigerian artist to gain global popularity” – Davido
Afrobeats artist David Adeleke, better known as Davido, has recognized veteran musician D’banj for his trailblazing role in bringing Nigerian music to the global stage.
During an interview with Apple Music, Davido highlighted D’banj’s 2012 hit single “Oliver Twist” as a pivotal moment that opened doors for Nigerian artists in the international music scene.
Davido credited D’banj’s success as a key inspiration for his own commitment to African music, motivating him to embrace his cultural roots and contribute to the genre’s rising global influence.
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.”
