The interview with Afrobeats sensation Davido started as nostalgia and turned into something deeper: a look at survival, healing, and the man music made him. From recording Fall in 15 minutes to making ORIADÉ alone at home while his family slept, this is Davido in his most honest chapter yet. So when he was asked to blind-rank 5 of his biggest songs, each pick came with a story.
Davido Ranks His Best 5 Songs
5. D&G
He placed it fifth, but the respect was clear. D&G showed Davido could experiment with different sounds and still sound like himself. A global club hit that proved his range extended beyond the Afrobeats genre he already dominated.
4. Assurance
Assurance is where the ranking became personal. Dedicated to his wife Chioma, Davido described it as deeply intimate; a song that resonated with fans because of its honesty rather than its production. It became a fan favourite not because of how it sounded, but because of what it said and who it was for. 
3. Unavailable
The most emotionally charged entry on the list. Davido didn’t rank Unavailable third because of its chart performance or streaming stats. He ranked it third because of what it meant to him at that specific time in his life.
After losing his son Ifeanyi in October 2022 and taking an extended break from music, Unavailable marked his return. He has spoken openly about his grief during that period; going quiet, stepping away, trying to find his footing again.
“Seeing the world dance to Unavailable gave me the spark to return to my craft,” he said. Watching people worldwide connect with the record helped him rediscover himself. A song doesn’t need to be a massive hit to be the most important.
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2. If
If was the breakthrough that made everything international. Davido says it was the first of his songs to get airplay on American radio; a milestone that opened doors beyond Nigerian and African markets. It told the world outside Africa to pay attention to Afrobeats.
1. Fall
There was no debate. Fall is his number one, and for good reason. He describes it as a life-changing, career-defining song; the one that proved he was not just successful in Africa but a true global artist.
The defining moment for him was watching Cristiano Ronaldo dance to the song. When one of the most famous people on the planet chooses your track, you know something extraordinary has happened.
Even better is how the song was made. Fall was recorded in just 15 to 20 minutes.
Honorary Mention: Aye
Aye didn’t make the top five but Davido called it one of his favourite live performances, praising its rich African instrumentation for connecting emotionally with audiences.
The video also has a unique behind-the-scenes story. The original lead actress had to drop out at the last minute due to a conflict with a pageant contract. The team had already traveled five hours into the bush to shoot. With no time or options, they cast the actress’s makeup artist, who ended up in the video. It became one of his most iconic visual moments of his career, entirely by accident.
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ORIADÉ: Made in the Quiet
The talk then turned to his latest album, revealing how much his approach has changed. Previously, he worked in large studios with “100 people in his ears,” surrounded by noise and input.
Marriage and fatherhood shifted this. Most ORIADÉ sessions took place at home during quiet hours, when all was still and he could focus. This shift was practical at first but soon influenced his creativity. Working with just one producer instead of a room full of people created intimacy and focus, resulting in a different sound.
He also spent two weeks in Coachella Valley, working at a dedicated studio with his team. This period helped shape the final direction of the album.
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