“I always tell artists, ‘Always have that home love first” – Davido says “My whole life has just been me shocking the world”

Superstar musician, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has noted the reason behind his name and how he sees himself in an exclusive interview with RollingStone.

The singer also talked about his latest single, On “Stand Strong,” he bellows, “That’s the reason why they call me Davido,” likening himself to the biblical sovereign who defeated a giant and defended the Israelites. “If you read the story of David in the Bible, he overcame a lot. He wasn’t really projected to be a king, and that’s really how my life story has been. I’m the last born of five kids. I wasn’t the best. I didn’t have the best grades. I wasn’t projected to be successful in high school,”

Davido said. “My whole life has just been me shocking the world, me shocking people, God blessing me. It’s been a lot of grace in my story.” And so, he tries to give that grace to others.

He also did talk about the music industry, “I always tell artists, ‘Always have that home love first. Then, you could take over the world,’” he said, explaining that having the backing of a plentiful and fervent fandom there can make artists in the crowded field of professional entertainers stand out.

The singer who mainly records his next album in Lagos, where he, naturally, feels most tapped into Nigeria’s ever-evolving musical and cultural landscape. “I get more creative when I’m home,” he said. “Just even having [my] boys around. It was like, ‘What’s going on in town? What are the new slangs? What’s going on? I’ve been away for three months. Update me.’”