Davido Reveals How Zlatan Ended Up on “Nakupenda”

Davido Spills the Tea on How Zlatan Crashed the “Nakupenda” Session

Sometimes the best collaborations in music aren’t meticulously planned in boardrooms—they happen when artists are just vibing in the studio. Davido recently pulled back the curtain on one such magical moment, revealing that Zlatan’s infectious presence on “Nakupenda” was never part of the original blueprint. In fact, the Zanku pioneer literally stumbled into his feature, transforming what was supposed to be a three-way collab into something even more special.

During a candid conversation with Kiss Xtra, the DMW boss explained that “Nakupenda” was initially conceived as a link-up between himself, South African duo TXC, and rising star Shoday. But then Zlatan entered the chat—or rather, the studio. “It was just meant to be me, TXC & Shoday. Then I heard Zlatan playing around. He said, ‘What is this?’ and everyone started laughing in the studio,” Davido recalled. What started as playful banter quickly escalated when the crew asked Zlatan to lay down some ad-libs. That simple request snowballed into a full verse, and the rest is Afrobeats history.

The story perfectly captures the spontaneous creative energy that fuels the Afrobeats scene, where studio chemistry often trumps rigid planning. Zlatan’s organic contribution to “Nakupenda” proves that sometimes the magic happens when you least expect it—when artists are loose, laughing, and just letting the music take them wherever it wants to go. It’s these unscripted moments that often produce the most memorable records, and fans are now appreciating “Nakupenda” with a whole new perspective on how it came to life.

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