Adekunle Gold

Born in Lagos in 1987, Adekunle Gold first established himself on the Nigerian scene as a graphic designer and singer before gaining attention in 2014 with the single “Sade,” a Yoruba cover of a One Direction song that circulated widely online. Discovered by the YBNL Nation label, he released his debut album “Gold” in 2016, blending urban highlife, pop and guitar-led ballads, followed by “About 30” in 2018, which explored a more introspective register. After leaving YBNL, Adekunle Gold shaped his project around his own Afro Urban universe and broadened his sound toward a more electronic, club-oriented afropop while maintaining a strong melodic grounding in the Yoruba language. The albums “Afro Pop, Vol. 1” (2020), “Catch Me If You Can” (2022) and “Tequila Ever After” (2023) testify to this shift toward a hybrid afrobeats sound open to contemporary R&B and Caribbean influences. Adekunle Gold regularly collaborates with other Nigerian and international artists—including Simi, Ty Dolla $ign and Davido—and performs both in Lagos and at venues and festivals across Europe and North America, sometimes accompanied by his band The 79th Element.