Video: Davido reveals he initially made ‘Oriadé’ to end Sony deal

Abdullateef Fowewe

Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed that he initially approached his sixth studio album, Oriadé, as a project he needed to complete before exiting his record deal with Sony Music.

The album, released on July 31, 2026, through Davido Music Worldwide (DMW) and Sony, marks the singer’s 15th year in the music industry.

At 13 tracks, Oriadé is reportedly Davido’s shortest studio album and blends Afrobeats, R&B, and amapiano.

Speaking on The Uncut Podcast, Davido admitted that his original intention was simply to fulfil the contractual obligation attached to his final Sony album.

“To be honest, I really just wanted to make music and drop it. Also, it was my last album with Sony so I just wanted to seal that deal,” he said.

However, the singer said his mindset changed during the creative process as he became more committed to producing a strong body of work and ending the partnership on a positive note.

“Eventually, I now got into making the art, that I know this is my last album but let me do it well,” Davido added.

Oriadé has been praised for its concise and mature approach, receiving a 7/10 rating for its blend of seasoned songwriting, polished production and varied sound.