Afrobeats star Davido has advised Nigerian artistes to pay more attention to performing at home, saying the level of excitement surrounding Nigerian musicians in the United Kingdom and United States appears to be changing.
The singer made the remarks during an interview on The Uncut Podcast, where he reflected on the growth of Afrobeats and how international audiences now view Nigerian artistes.According to Davido, Nigerian music has become so familiar in some foreign markets that the demand for individual artistes may no longer be as strong as it was a few years ago.
He expressed hope that major Nigerian music stars would increasingly return home to perform and connect with audiences in Nigeria.“In the next 10 years, I want the music OGs to come back to Nigeria. There is already ‘see finish’ in London, America, honestly,” Davido said.The singer also compared the current situation with what was obtainable several years ago.He recalled that more Nigerian artistes were previously able to sell out major venues in London, but believes that number has reduced significantly.“Three years ago, at least 20 artists can come to London and do a show and get sold out, but now I can count maybe four or five and we all know them. We can all see the shift,” he said.Davido’s comments come amid the continued global expansion of Afrobeats, with Nigerian artistes increasingly performing at international festivals, arenas and major music events.
However, the singer’s remarks suggest that while Afrobeats continues to gain global recognition, artistes may need to maintain a strong connection with their home audience and the Nigerian entertainment market.
