Days before the release of his sixth studio album, Oriade, Davido appeared at the burial of his longtime aide Israel DMW’s father in Benin City. He performed songs including “If” and “Aye.” Videos of the performance spread quickly on social media and drew thousands of reactions.
The appearance had no direct link to the album campaign. Yet the clips have kept Davido in the public eye ahead of the July 31, 2026 release of the 13-track project. This adds to the attention already created by the lead single “I Know Who I Be,” released on June 26, 2026, featuring JAZZWRLD and GL_Ceejay.
Davido has built strong momentum in the past year. He featured on the official 2026 FIFA World Cup album with the song “No Place Like Home,” alongside Major Lazer and Nelly Furtado. This global platform increased his visibility to new audiences. His 2025 album 5ive earned praise and contributed to his international profile, including Grammy recognition in related categories and multiple awards at events such as the EAEA Awards.
- Scenario analysis: The missing link between sustainability disclosure and financial decision-making
- Africa’s wealth creation paradox: Why prosperity falters and how the digital age offers historic reset
- Business events have spent decades optimising for broadcast. The next one will optimise for participation
“I Know Who I Be” recorded about 540,000 opening-day streams on Spotify globally. It has now passed 7.5 million streams on the platform. These numbers show clear fan interest and point to strong anticipation for the full ‘Oriade’ album.
Read also: Smartphone security habits lag behind growing mobile dependence – Kaspersky
The burial performance and recent high-profile features have combined to maintain Davido’s presence online. As the release date approaches, this organic attention supports the marketing for his new project, which marks 15 years in music. Fans expect the album to build on his recent successes in streams and global collaborations.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
