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Jah Guide Me… Soothing Sound From Darey

Just when many had started asking of his whereabouts, multiple award-winning Afro Soul/R&B singer, musician, songwriter, music producer, showstopper extraordinaire...

Darey

Just when many had started asking of his whereabouts, multiple award-winning Afro Soul/R&B singer, musician, songwriter, music producer, showstopper extraordinaire and entrepreneur, Dare art Alade, has announced his return to music after five-year hiatus.

With a very successful career, Darey, son of the legendary African Jazz Musician and entertainer Art Alade, took a break hiatus and is now returning with new music. A leading light in the country’s entertainment industry, he has released a brand new single, ahead of an impending fifth studio album.

Dubbed Jah Guide Me, the new track represents a return to activity for Darey in the music scene since he released his fourth album in 2015. The single could not be released at a better time as it takes the form of a prayer asking for guidance as we navigate these tough times. It comes to grips with and addresses the current global situation, often indulging in the pensive territory with a message of hope as a key takeaway.

Jah Guide Me marks the first single in a planned album rollout, and its sound signature suggests that the new album is set to be different from anything Darey has ever done.

Darey’s new music draws from a deep well of his Yorùbá heritage and its storytelling tradition, fuses soulful R&B vibes, with the rhythmic punch of Afrobeats, to create a unique sound that will be a hit among young and older Nigerian and international audiences alike. Interestingly, he dubs this genre of music, AfronB. The album is also set to feature several collaborations with artists spanning different genre types.

“Jah Guide Me is simply my way of navigating the current situation; the past few months have been tough for everyone. For me, like many others, it has been a hard year, and right now, we all need some sort of encouragement to power through these times, which is why I picked the song to be the first single off my new album,” he said.

Darey has released a song of similar ilk in the past. In 2015, he released Pray For Me, which tells a powerful and positive story of victory against all the odds. Since then, the powerful vocalist has gone on to make significant strides in the creative and entertainment industry.

Darey has worked as a successful radio and TV personality, appearing as a coach, judge or host on several TV shows, including Project Fame West Africa, Nigerian Idol, and The Voice Nigeria. He is also a seasoned Master of Ceremonies, voice over artist and philanthropist.

As a creative entrepreneur, Darey is the co-founder of Livespot360, a 360º creative collective responsible for some of the most innovative and disruptive ideas (and executions) in Nigeria. Under his creative direction, Livespot360 has delivered many successful campaigns and produced some of the most elaborate and ground breaking concerts and festivals in Nigeria, which have featured appearances and performances from African and international superstars alike, including Grammy award winners Kelly Rowland and Ciara, as well as global super influencer and TV personality, Kim Kardashian.

The Livespot X Festival, which birthed in December 2019 across two African cities Lagos and Accra, saw rapper, social media sensation and Grammy Award winner, Cardi B headline what was dubbed the biggest and best festival in Nigeria’s recent history!

Cardi B’s performance was truly electrifying, and her personality shone beyond the stage as Darey also immersed her in Nigerian pop culture, showing her around and also paying a philanthropic visit to an orphanage, acting as the entertainment bridge that connects the world to Africa. All Cardi B talked about after her visit was Nigeria!

A consummate perfectionist and despite already accomplishing a lot, he is determined to continue to elevate his game, with ‘World Domination’ being the next logical goal. With a new international music project, collaborations with some of Nigeria’s finest and continuing to expand his media empire, Darey is indeed Nigeria’s Ambassador for the culture.

Since gaining exposure across Africa as runner up in the 2004 season of Music talent search reality TV show, Project Fame, Darey has made an indelible mark on the Nigerian and African music scene.

As a seasoned live performer, he has graced the stage alongside some of the World’s finest music acts, including Beyoncé, Wizkid, Jay Z, Ciara, Cardi B, Burna Boy, Sean Paul, Usher, R Kelly, Akon, Lionel Richie and many more. His albums From Me 2 U, unDAREYted, and Double Dare have sold several million albums cumulatively and helped him amass millions of fans across Africa and the diaspora.

He has released several hit singles, including the groundbreaking Afro R&b cut, Escalade; Carry Dey Go featuring Afro pop legend, 2Face (2 Baba), and the piano laced classic, Not The Girl. His critically acclaimed last album, Naked includes the hit single Pray For Me, featuring multiple Grammy award winning super group, Soweto Gospel Choir, and collaborations with Afropop mega star Olamide and international Afro soul songstress, Asa.

He also has received multiple awards and nominations including MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAS), Channel O Awards, World Music Awards, The Headies, Nigerian Music Awards and a host of others.

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