Davido a celebrated Afrobeats Star on March 21, 2023 announced on Instagram that his fourth studio album, titled Timeless, would be released on March 31. A theatrical trailer, composed of tour footage, accompanied the announcement. In the trailer, Davido is seen writing out a note under his own narration. The trailer also features shots of him seated at an office desk, along with various performance and behind-the-scenes clips. Davido drew inspiration from the book of Ecclesiastes, saying, “There is a time for everything, a time to grieve and a time to heal, a time to laugh and a time to dance. A time to speak, and a time for silence”. He told Rolling Stone magazine that the Timeless album was nearly complete in June 2022.
In anticipation of the “Timeless” album’s arrival, Davido teamed up with Spotify to curate a playlist of Afrobeats tracks that he considers timeless. Called the “Timeless Afro Playlist”, it features tracks by artists such as Wizkid, Tekno and Mr Eazi.
Timeless marks Davido’s first album since 2020’s A Better Time, which peaked at No. 4 on Billboard‘s World Albums chart and featured an array of international hitmakers such as Chris Brown, Young Thug, Nicki Minaj, Nas, Tiwa Savage, Lil Baby, and many more. He was also featured on the lead single from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 official soundtrack, “Hayya Hayya (Better Together),” alongside Trinidad Cardona and AISHA, which he performed at the closing ceremony.
The Timeless Album also marks Davido’s first musical release since his 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi Adeleke, died on Oct. 31, 2022, after drowning in a pool at the singer’s Lagos home.
Davido has been relatively private since the death of his son, he performed at the closing ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in December as one of the artists featured on “Hayya Hayya (Better Together),” the lead single from the games’ official soundtrack.
In an interview with Rolling Stone last summer, Davido said he had nearly finished the album and added it would feature more American stars as well as rising African acts. “Afrobeats is on the world stage right now. We’re trying to tap into every type of music, but predominantly African music,” he said of his upcoming work.
Davido reflected on the separate and devastating deaths of his mother, close friend, security guard, and photographer. “Sometimes I might not be the happiest,” he said. “You might see me on the road [and, still] I’ll try to smile, because at the end of the day, that’s my job. My job is to entertain. My music makes people happy.” Davido
