Afrobeats megastar Davido has officially dropped his highly anticipated fifth studio album, 5ive, on April 18, 2025.
The 17-track project is a rich blend of local and international sounds, featuring an eclectic lineup of artists from across the globe.
In a rollout that began with the pre-release single Awuke, featuring YG Marley, Davido hinted at the album’s global ambition and sonic diversity. “This one is for the world,” he declared during an interview with Clue Radio. “I wanted to show every side of me—Nigerian, African, global. It’s all in 5ive.”
The album boasts guest appearances from Nigerian stars like Omah Lay, Victony, Chike, and the ever-dynamic OdumoduBlvck. Davido and Chike collaborate on the introspective track Fund, blending soulful vocals with highlife-inspired production.
Meanwhile, Victony and OdumoduBlvck bring their genre-bending styles to the project, adding richness to the album’s Afrobeats foundation.
Davido’s choice of features mirrors his stated goal of building bridges within the African music community and celebrating its diversity.
International collaborators are also prominently featured, led by Jamaican talents Shensea and 450, as well as the fast-rising YG Marley. “Working with YG felt like magic,” Davido said. “There’s something about that Marley bloodline—it just hits different.”
American R&B superstar Chris Brown, a frequent Davido collaborator, makes a return on the tracklist alongside Grammy-winning songstress Victoria Monét and Latin pop powerhouse Becky G, cementing the album’s global flair.
South Africa’s Musa Keys also returns, having delivered a standout performance on Unavailable, a Grammy-nominated hit off Davido’s previous album Timeless.
Their latest collaboration continues the Afrobeats–Amapiano fusion that Davido has helped globalize. French R&B stars Dadju and Tayc round out the diverse feature list, reinforcing Davido’s goal of creating a multilingual and multicultural body of work that resonates across continents.
During a Twitch livestream hosted by alté music star Cruel Santino, Davido explained the meaning behind the album’s title. “It’s not just my fifth album, it’s also a personal milestone,” he said. “5ive represents growth, unity, the squad—everything that’s brought me to this point.”
He also revealed that he took on more of a production role for this project, diving back into the creative process with a fresh perspective. “I’ve always loved making beats,” he said, “but this time, I really wanted my sound to be heard in every layer.”
Ahead of the album’s release, Davido dropped three singles, the most recent being the Amapiano-fueled dance track Be There Still. With 5ive, Davido is gunning to replicate—and possibly surpass—the success of Timeless, which broke multiple records and earned him a Grammy nomination.
With a polished, border-crossing sound and bold creative choices, 5ive marks a new chapter for Davido as both an artist and a cultural force.
