Sound of the World: How 5ive Album Translates To the Stage

Source:i8.amplience.net

It was clear from the beginning of his career that Davido is destined for big things. He’s been proving everyone who believed in him right for more than a decade now. Yet, he pushed the boundaries of his success even further with his latest album. The master piece was released under the moniker 5ive, and for some of us it just might be his best album to date. As we’re used to, the production behind Davido’s music was superb, and the best part is that the new sounds translate well to the live stage. 

The Nigerian artist decided to surprise his fans with another album in 2025, and so far 5ive has won a jackpot. It was released back on April 18th, but it is still going strong. Of course, the reason is because the album spanned an immediate world tour for Davido. He’s been active since the summer in Canada and the USA, while the upcoming stadium tour in Nigeria has been also scheduled. The testimony of just how renowned Davido is all over the world is the number of collaborations he has had on this album. Just some of the most notable names include the likes of Victoria Monet, Chris Brown, Becky G, Musa Keys, and Alhanislam. 

To better promote his album, Davido has released three singles this year: Awuke, Funds, and Be There Still. The album was announced last year, and the announcement came at the same time when Davido partnership with Stake became public. For Davido, and his sponsors alike the new album is an attempt to start a new chapter, grow some more, and to achieve a better global recognition and get connected to people from all over the world. The work on his new album started off two years ago in 2023, and it was recorded all over the globe from Lagos, across London, to Los Angeles. 

As we said, the album was presented with three new singles. In addition to songs we already mentioned, the rest of the album consists of songs such as Five by Alhanislam, Anything, CFMF, 10 Kilo, Offa Me, Don’t Know, R&B, Holly Water, Nuttin Day, Titanium, Lately, Tek, Lover Boy, and With You. The album was well released by both the audience and the critics. Right from the get go, Davido was clear that his new album will be followed with a big worldwide tour. Considering that he has a massive following in the USA and Canada, the tour started there. 

Davido is one of the top rated African singers in the USA, and this fact is well known to him. Only a few weeks after announcing the dates and locations of his USA tour, he already sold out venues months in advance. It all started with a show in Inglewood, CA on July 11th at The Kia Forum. From there he moved across the states to San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Minneapolis, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Columbia, New Orleans, Toronto, Laval, Edmonton, with one remaining show being the one at the State farm Arena in Atalanta, GA, on November 20th. If you’ve missed his entire USA and Canada tour, and you can’t catch Davido in Atlanta, you need to know that he will be headlining the Coachella festival during April with two Saturdays belonging to him. 

While Davido is a global superstar, one that now has millions of albums sold, and even more fans, sponsorship deals with brands such as Stake, he hasn’t forgotten his roots. That’s why the most important part of his tour for 5ive is going to be tied to Nigeria. He has already scheduled 6 venues in his Nigeria. For his home crowd it all starts at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium at Akwa Ibom on October 26th. From there Davido will head to Adamawa where he will put on a show at the Mahmud Ribadu Square on October 29th. The next stop after the two initial concerts is going to be Enugu where he will host the crowd at Micheal Okpara Square on 1st of November. November 9th is reserved for Ibadan and Liberty Stadium where the biggest audience is expected. 

After the first four concerts in Nigeria, he will make a stop and head back to the USA and wrap up his USA tour in Atlanta at the State Farm Arena on November 20th. Yet, that will not be everything for his Nigerian fans. He will be back to his homeland before the year ends, with two more shows. The last concerts of the year for Davido are scheduled for December 14th in Abuja, and Christmas Eve shows in Lagos on December 25th. 

It is easy for Davido to captivate his audience considering just how unique his music is. He has been one of the most popular Afropop acts for years now. His latest album, 5ive, has only elevated the status he has had in the music industry so far. What Davido does better than his contemporaries is that he doesn’t focus on releasing singles every month like many Nigerian and worldwide pop stars do. He is a man of lengthy projects and fully pledged albums. With 5ive he delivers a one of a kind experience for his audience. 

His influence is not only musical but cultural too, making him one of the biggest modern African pop stars. The quality was there from the start, so conquering the world was a non issue for Davido too. He was one of the folks who not only inspired Afropop but took the mantle of its leader proudly. So far it has paid dividends to him to accept his role as the continental ambassador.

While he’s been on stage for more than a decade, we can say that things started rolling for Davido back in 2019 with the release of his album, A Good Time. It’s been six years since then, and the new album 5ive has a different tone, the same way A Good Time was different from the one he released earlier.

It signalled a new era for Davido who continued his rise and the new trend he has set with A Good Time with A Better Time. It was not easy to make music during the COVID 19 years, but looking back at it, we’re sure glad Davido did it. He was inspired enough to bring our way Timeless in 2023 and with hits such as UNAVAILABLE and KANTE, he further extended his legacy. All of the work he put in the decade leading to today, was seen in the sound and release of 5ive. 

5ive is not a musical revolution by Davido. It is an evolution of his existing work. The new album provides plenty of substance but none of it feels too new. He has found his niche and has decided to explore it further. It is hard for artists to rediscover themselves with each new album, and especially for artists who have had groundbreaking presentations to the scene as Davido has with his Omo Baba Olowe: The Genesis. While we would love for Davido to take things a bit further with his new music, this will not happen abruptly if it ever does. That was not something that he promised. His goal was never to reshape an existing genre, but to add to it with some of the best Afropop releases to date, and he has delivered on that promise. 

For many critics, 5ive is not bad, but it is in essence more of the same good old Afropop. 5ive sounds like it was a part of some older Davido project and not a novelty on the market. It all started with the three singles Davido rereleased. Funds, Awuke, and Be There Still have had a nice ring to them, and the promises of 5ive appeared to be a revolutionizing one for a brief second. Yet, from the moment you move onto songs such as Five by Alhanislam, and 10 Kilo, you start understanding that Davido has provided more of the same that has worked for him in the past. At the end of the day some songs are better than his old work, while some are more of the same. It is hard to argue that this album falls too behind some of his previous work. 

The good news is that the majority of songs are catchy tunes that bode better with the audience than they will ever with critics. Davido’s music was always intended for his audience and live performances. Considering how his entire USA and Canada tour were sold out, and the more of the same is expected in Nigeria it is hard to acknowledge that Davido missed with his new album.

The setlist for the majority of his concerts this year has been a mixture of his old hits, and the songs from the new album. From the leaks from his previous concerts these are the songs you can expect to feature on his upcoming concerts: Intro, Anything / Dami Duro, Gobe, Skelewu, Fall, CFMF, Holy Water, Ke Star, The Money, Risky, Blow My Mind, Jowo, Sensational, Na Money, For The Road, 10 Kilo, Offa Me, R&B, Awuke, Aye, Lately, Over Dem, Stand Strong, Titanium, No Competition, DON’T KNOW, Ogechi, Twe Twe, With You, Nuttin Dey, Kante, Fia, If, Champion Sound, Godfather, Hmm, Away, High, Feel, Unavailable, Be There Still, and Funds.

Davido’s concerts are not all about his music. It is an act, a performance. The main star of the Afrobeats movement knows how to please a crowd. His live performances are not single acts, as he always has some of his collaborators join him on stage which adds to the entire experience for the crowd. The energy and showmanship of Davido remain unmatched by any African pop star. The unique combo of dancehall, Reggaeton, R&B, and Afrobeats is the music created for live performances. 

As we are used to from Davido, 5ive has incredible studio production, but that doesn’t make it any less ideal for live performances. With the likes of Becky G, Omah Lay, and Musa Keys all collaborating with Davido on his latest release, you know that it will be energy packed and well suited for live performances. Looking back on how it all appeared on the concerts during the USA and Canada tour, the new songs added a new level of the way Davido interpreted his songs with energy, dynamic, and crowd interaction.

The same high energy experience is what the audience in Africa expects. Davido always sings his vocals, and is followed by a live band, which is a testimony to his dedication to the musical craft. 

The tour production is in the hands of Cobhams Asuquo, who is a well acclaimed Nigeria producer and knows what he’s doing. He is well known to know his craft in both studios, and translating his product on the live performances. So far, the 5ive tour has featured the likes of Victony, Odumodublvck, and Morravey, and their appearances are expected in Nigeria too, and much more to be honest because we are talking about a place Davido calls his home. 

While Davido’s USA & Canada tour were more than impressive the real show is expected in Nigeria. The visuals his production team is preparing, paired with the energy of the home crowd, and Davido’s unique ear for melody promises a lot of fun and enjoyment for everyone who buys a ticket for his shows.

Afropop is now a global movement, and it is no longer tied solely to the African continent. It all started before Davido, but today, he is the one leading the pack and putting African pop music on the map. With songs that are production wise perfect, but also ideal for live performances his shows have become a must see musical spectacles. If you find yourself in Nigeria during October, you’d be mad to miss out on them. 

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