Yemi Alade: I am on the same level with Wizkid, Davido

Yemi Alade, a Nigerian Afropop artiste, says she is operating on the same level as David ‘Davido’ Adeleke and Ayo ‘Wizkid’ Balogun.

Speaking on Tuesday in an interview with Hot FM (98.3), the ‘Johnny’ singer said there is no number one.

Fans of Davido and Wizkid often argue about who is the bigger artiste, now fans of Mama Africa can join the argument.

“I respect everybody, we all inspire each other in this industry… there is actually no number one because your top five artistes in Nigeria that are the biggest in Africa can shut down the exact same capacity.

“The same capacity Wizkid holds down in Africa, I hold it down, the same capacity Davido holds down in Africa, I hold it down, the same venues, we all shut it down.

“So there is no number one, and that is the truth but not everybody will agree to that, people will say Yemi shut up but that is the truth. Why don’t we go ask the promoters, the people who know the numbers?”

Alade’s success reaches beyond the borders of Nigeria as she has become an African symbol, performing all over the world.

“I just concluded my 13-city European tour and the turnout was amazing,” she said.

“I have pretty much been touring for over three years, it’s a big privilege for me.

“For me now, I think it is beyond the music, I think people also come out for what I stand for, the fact that I stand for Africa unapologetically and originally as I can.

”What I have done with this kind of career that puts you in the limelight and keeps you vulnerable to everybody’s opinion, is I just have to make sure my opinion is paramount, it is number one.”

Speaking about capacities, Wizkid recently sold out the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena in London, and Davido is geared up to accomplish the same feat in January.

Is Yemi Alade up to the task?