Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has opened up about the financial difficulties he faced while trying to establish himself in the music industry, despite coming from a wealthy family.
The singer made the revelation during a recent episode of the Uncut Podcast, which gained attention online on Tuesday.
Davido explained that his debut single, Back When, was drawn from his personal experiences at a time when he was struggling financially and had been rejected by people around him.
According to the award-winning artiste, his financial situation changed after he defied the wishes of his father, billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke, who wanted him to focus on his education instead of pursuing music.
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Davido said he eventually left home to follow his musical ambitions, a move that meant he could no longer rely on the financial privileges that came with his family background.
“My song Back When was inspired by a true experience. There was a time I was broke. I had rich friends with rich parents who lived in mansions in Ikoyi with police escorts. But I had no money,” he said.
The singer’s account highlights the personal challenges he encountered during the early years of his career, before he became a major figure in the African music scene.
Davido has gone on to build a successful career spanning more than a decade, earning international recognition through numerous awards, hit records and collaborations with artistes around the world.