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Davido claims making the ‘Timeless’ album was like a healing process.
Davido has offered a glimpse into the artistic journey behind his ‘Timeless‘ album, describing the project as a form of healing. The African music sensation has elevated Nigerian music to global prominence through his chart-topping singles, iconic brand, and philanthropic endeavors, solidifying his status as one of the world’s preeminent artists.
Released on March 31, 2023, Davido’s fourth album, ‘Timeless,’ not only achieved unprecedented commercial success but also garnered widespread critical acclaim. The album’s excellence was further underscored by its nomination for the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Global Album.
In a recent interview, Davido discussed the creative process behind the album that was nominated for a 2024 Grammy for Best Global Album with Zane Lowe of Apple Music.
The megastar claims that, following the trying experience he went through in 2022, the album-making process was personal and therapeutic for him. According to Davido, he recorded the album while residing with his spouse and a few close relatives.
“Me and the engineer. I actually recorded most of this album in my house where I live with my wife. So it was really only me, her and her sisters at the time, and then I had one of my boys staying with me. But it gave me time to really calm down and yeah, it was a healing process because I was happy that, oh, I’m waking up today. I’m making music today. You know what I’m saying? I’m excited.”
In the interview, Davido also shared that he shortlisted 28 songs for the album before narrowing it down to the 17 songs that finally made the album.
“I used to wake up, I remember, sometimes I’d be tired. So, what I used to do is that I’d play, because I was in the gym, the songs that I had made for the album. It was 28 songs after we’d kind of trickled it down, so I’d play the album from one to 28. So the whole time I’m gyming, I’m happy, it’s new music, I’m already imagining. I’m already imagining how people going to react to it.
I’m imagining, I was a little kid, and I’ve been doing this for 12 years and it felt like this is the first time I’m ever going to drop music. It’s the first time I’m about to go back on the road. You know what I’m saying? And I wanted the music to be so good because I already knew, me coming back, a lot of people were really, really expecting the album. But I didn’t want to just come out and be like, “Yeah, he’s been through a lot. We’re going to support him.”
Yeah. So, like I was saying, in the gym, I’d play it, play it, play it. And we finally picked the songs and everything just came together. Everything would just come together, even with the ideas.”
The interview is a lead-up to Davido’s historic A.W.A.Y Festival, which is scheduled for November 18, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.