Can Davido really quit music, or is it just a phase?

When Davido recently hinted that he almost quit music before releasing his smash collaboration With You featuring Omah Lay, the news set off waves of speculation.

Could Africa’s biggest Afrobeats export truly walk away from the industry he helped globalize? Or is this “retirement talk” just another chapter in his ever-evolving career?

A closer look at his current position shows that quitting music outright may not be as simple or even as likely, as it sounds.

Still at the top of his game

Davido is not speaking from a place of decline. If anything, he’s at his strongest. In 2025, he became the #1 Afrobeat artist on the Billboard World Album Chart, surpassing Burna Boy, a longtime rival and peer. His collaboration with Omah Lay, With You, became the most streamed Nigerian song of 2025 on Spotify and has continued to dominate global playlists. The track is also in the running for Song of the Year at AFRIMA and has topped multiple charts, including Billboard’s Afrobeats chart in the US.

This kind of momentum raises a big question; why would Davido choose to bow out when he’s clearly at his peak?

The weight of contracts and commitments

One possible reason lies behind the scenes, contracts. Davido is signed to Sony Music Entertainment, and deals of this size often involve multiple albums and exclusivity clauses. Walking away would not just mean quitting music; it would mean breaching legally binding agreements that come with massive financial consequences.

Beyond recording obligations, Davido’s 14-year career has built a catalog streamed over 2 billion times worldwide. Managing royalties, publishing rights, and ongoing disputes around ownership means that even if he stopped recording today, the business of his music would still demand his attention. On top of this, he remains the head of Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), a label that houses upcoming stars. Quitting as an artist does not free him from his role as an executive.

The Business of Being Davido

Davido isn’t just a musician, he’s a multimillion-dollar brand. From Puma to Martell, Infinix to GAC Motors, his endorsement deals rely on his relevance as a performing artist. His music fuels his fame, which in turn sustains his brand power.

If Davido truly retired, he risks transitioning from being a current, trend-setting figure to a nostalgic one. For a brand portfolio tied to his active influence, that shift could cost millions.

Timing is everything

Perhaps the strongest argument against retirement is timing. Afrobeats has never been bigger. In 2024 alone, the genre’s top Nigerian stars, including Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Rema, collectively earned over $100 million from streaming. Global listenership is growing at unprecedented rates, and Davido currently holds one of the largest market shares.

To walk away now would be to hand over that share and potentially his crown to competitors during the genre’s most profitable era.

So, is it just a phase?

For decades, artists have used the threat of retirement as leverage, to renegotiate contracts, to demand better terms, or to reposition themselves within the industry. Davido’s hint about quitting may be less about actually leaving and more about reshaping his role.

A more likely scenario is that Davido shifts from being a full-time recording artist to focusing on his executive side; running DMW, managing his catalog, and solidifying his empire. In this sense, “retirement” could simply be a pause from the high-pressure cycle of touring and album-making, not a final goodbye.

The bottom line

So, can Davido really quit music? The evidence suggests not. The legal, financial, and cultural stakes are simply too high. What’s more likely is that this is just a phase, a strategic move designed to give him greater control over his career and future.

For fans, that means Davido may slow down, but he won’t disappear. His next chapter could see him step into the role of mogul, shaping the sound and business of Afrobeats from the top.

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