The rise and rise of Fireboy: From OAU amphitheatre to the world

“I grew up in Abeokuta, Ogun state in a normal family of five. My dad and mother, two brothers and myself. An average family, to be honest, nothing serious, a simple life. I went to school and returned home but spent most of my time alone. That is how I found out that I could write and sing and that was the beginning of my finding purpose in life. I went to school at Obafemi Awolowo University and that was when I found music.”

That is the brief story of Adedamola Adefolahan, popularly known as Fireboy DML, a sensational Afro-Pop singer turning heads in the Nigerian music industry with his melodious and lyrical sound.

From an obscure scene to the limelight, the Ogun state native started as a promising performer on the amphitheatre stage, Obafemi Awolowo University campus, where he trilled students to his tunes and sounds but never made a significant impact beyond the confine of the gigantic institution.

Adedamola, in his many interviews granted, had narrated how he squatted at his friends’ places in Lagos before “grace” shone on him and he got recognised by Olamide, ace rapper and singer, who is also the owner of YBNL Nation, a record label.

Signed to YBNL in late 2018, Fireboy DML officially released ‘Jealous’, his first single, on March 25, 2019. The same song had first been included in YBNL Nation’s collaboration album “YBNL Mafia Family” in 2018.

The song was released to positive critical acclaims, favourable clubs’ reception, radio friendliness, and music lovers’ delight.

Without taking time to rest on what many termed “overnight success”, Fireboy locked himself in a hotel room with Pheelz and Cracker Mallo, two prominent producers, to produce the award-winning album ‘Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps’ (LTG) in just five days.

LTG, as most of his fans preferred to call the debut album, was released on November 29, 2019. And in just 3 days, the album garnered 6 million streams on Spotify.

Fireboy stock continued to rise meteorically in and outside the Nigerian music scene, as EA Sports announced last year that ‘Scatter’, a song off his first album, would be featured in FIFA 2021 official soundtrack.

As if that wasn’t enough for the YBNL’s star, on September 24, 2020, ‘Champion’, a single off ‘Apollo’, his sophomore album, was used as the theme song of the UEFA Super Cup match between Bayern Munich and Sevilla.

As if in competition with himself, the ‘Jealous’ crooner — to the utmost surprise of many — appeared on The Tonight Show, starring Jimmy Fallon in the U.S, to perform two of his singles.

This musical advancement had only been attained by Davido and Tiwa Savage.

Fireboy keeps resetting the pedestal too high for many to jump when he won five awards in a night at the recent 14th Headies awards, equaling Wande Coal and Psquare for most wins in a night.

The sky seems to be the starting point for the OAU alumnus, who, if compared to his contemporaries, seemed to be twice as tall.

Fireboy, alongside Chinko Ekun, Superboy Cheque, (Kyle B) Zamosings, (Viruz Zamora) Asake, Blaqbonez and Fedora all have one thing in common: they were all students of the same university, Obafemi Awolowo University.

But as luck, grace, diligence, and time would have it, Fireboy DML seems to be exceeding them all. Will this rise continue, or should we expect another May D and Reekado Banks?