Grammys 2024: Davido's Authenticity Is His Superpower In “UNAVAILABLE"

Read the previously published articles in our Grammys 2024 series on Tyla's "Water," Ayra Starr's "Rush," Burna Boy's "City Boys," and Asake & Olamide's "Amapiano."

For nearly all of his career, Davido has made sure that his voice is heard, his exuberant persona be seen, and the weight of his superstardom is constantly felt. Even in the sven-year gap between his debut LP and 2019 sophomore album, you could count the number of Nigerian artists that could match David Adeleke’s visibility on a few fingers. Hiatuses were never his thing, until a deeply personal loss in 2022 halted the good times and temporarily put a pin in the release of an album that would’ve been his third project drop in as many years.

After months of uncharacteristic but much needed radio silence, Davido re-entered the Afrobeats landscape with Timeless, arguably the most vital release of his career to date. The stakes had noticeably changed, shifting from a simple reassertion of pop superstar dominance to embracing the journey towards wholeness. Of course, it also happened to be the most celebrated album release in Nigerian pop last year. Absence makes the heart fonder, Davido had been dearly missed, and it was refreshing to hear his Midas touch as a hit-maker flourish even more within the confines of a full-project.

For an artist who’s virtually ultra-accessible, especially with a raucous and often hilarious online presence, there’s a tinge of paradox in the runaway hit song, “UNAVAILABLE.” In the era of increased visual curation among popular figures, Davido has always come across as unfiltered and very much available. His tiffs are public fair, his many charity works are widely heralded, he’s provided a lot of meme-able moments, and all of that adds up to what makes him so beloved by his stans — and even casual listeners.

Davido - UNAVAILABLE (Official Video) ft. Musa Keys

At the same time, it’s the absence of any pretense that makes “UNAVAILABLE” an authentic declaration. It’s as plain as it gets, Davido setting the stakes for himself as a person, without any concerns for society’s expectations. The hook, demanding to be sung at lung-bursting levels, is a pure and self-explanatory salvo: “I’m unavailable, dem no dey see me.” If you missed any nuance through its headline, there’s more details in the first verse for further clarity. “Fuck all the rumours/abi e get the time wey I talk say I be pastor.”

In his scintillating guest appearance, South African producer/vocalist Musa Keys continues with the same dismissive spirit, adding some introspective thoughts (“this fame took all of my freedom, omo”) and carnal cheekiness (“got a big banana”) to his verse. For a song vividly indebted to amapiano, it’s notable that Musa Keys doesn’t contribute to the sound of “UNAVAILABLE.” Instead, it’s co-helmed by the most heralded 'piano adopter in Nigerian pop, Magicsticks, and nascent producer Rage. For what it’s worth, both Davido and Musa Keys have pan-African leanings; the former wholesomely embraced ‘piano early on with a pair of Focalistic collaborations, while the latter titled his debut album with the Yoruba word for ‘bringer of joy.’

Like many hit songs of the TikTok era, “UNAVAILABLE” came with its own viral dance steps, which helped it surge into global ubiquity. It’s hard to argue with its impact, snagging the top spot as the most streamed Afrobeats song on Spotify in 2023. “UNAVAILABLE” is a marquee part of a run that has pushed Davido into a higher level of reverence, which has culminated in a Grammy nomination for Best African Music performance and two more nods for “FEEL” and Timeless. For an artist who makes his wins (and losses) communal, Davido will always have millions rooting for him as he remains authentic and available.