Awuke
{{Short description|2024 single by Davido and YG Marley}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Awuke
| cover = Awuke Davido & YG Marley.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Davido and YG Marley
| album = 5ive
| released = 31 October 2024
| recorded = 2024
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Afrobeats|Amapiano}}
| length = 2:53
| label = Columbia
| writer = {{hlist|David Adeleke|Moonlight AfriQA}}
| producer = {{hlist|MikabaBeatz|Marvey Muzique}}
| chronology = Davido
| prev_title = Right Now
| prev_year = 2024
| next_title = Funds
| next_year = 2024
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = YG Marley
| type = single
| prev_title = Survival
| prev_year = 2024
| title = Awuke
| year = 2024
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|ZzzvXGhqIJU|"Awuke"}}}}
}}
"Awuke" is a song by Nigerian singer and record producer Davido and American singer YG Marley. It was released on 31 October 2024 by Columbia Records.{{cite web|url=https://www.okayafrica.com/amp/davido-awuke-new-single-2669551161|title=Davido Drops His First Single of the Year, "Awuke"|publisher=OkayAfrica|access-date=October 31, 2024}} The song was written by Davido and Moonlight AfriQA.{{cite web|author=Moonlight AfriQA|url=https://twitter.com/MoonlightAfriqa/status/1852313523142992377?t=ULhxxIFY3udbErImq3iXiQ&s=19|title=Much love bro♥️. Blessed to be a part of OBO's amazing project. #Awuke|via=Twitter}} The song reached the top ten on the US Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart.
Background
After being featured on two songs, "Joy" by Angélique Kidjo,{{cite web|author=Abel|url=https://trtafrika.com/lifestyle/davido-and-angelique-kidjo-unite-for-joy-18201194|title=Davido and Angelique Kidjo unite for 'Joy'|publisher=TRT Africa|date=August 28, 2024|access-date=October 31, 2024}} and "Right Now" by Darkoo featuring Jamaican record producer Rvssian,{{cite web|author=Adeayo Adebiyi|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/darkoo-releases-right-now-featuring-davido-and-rvssian/crzv44s|title=Davido combines with Darkoo for exciting new single 'Right Now'|website=Pulse Nigeria|date=October 11, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}} Davido teased his new song. He first shared the snippet of the song on 1 October 2024, while celebrating Nigeria's Independence Day,{{cite web|author=|url=https://www.legit.ng/entertainment/celebrities/1617024-details-davidos-singe-year-emerges-online-fas-react/|title=Davido Teases Fans With Snippet of First Single of 2024, Details Emerge|website=Legit.ng|date=October 1, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}} and again during Lauryn Hill's concert in Paris, France.{{cite web|author=Deborah Bodunde|url=https://lifestyle.thecable.ng/davido-performs-unreleased-song-featuring-yg-marley-at-lauryn-hills-paris-concert/|title=Davido performs unreleased song featuring YG Marley at Lauryn Hill's Paris concert|website=TheCable|date=October 20, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}} On 22 October 2024, he announced on X and Instagram that the song would be released on 31 October 2024.{{cite web|author=Musa Adekunle|url=https://guardian.ng/life/davido-announces-new-single-awuke-featuring-yg-marley/|title="Davido announces new single, 'Awuke', featuring YG Marley|website=The Guardian|date=October 23, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}}
Composition
The song blends Afrobeats and Amapiano,{{cite web|url=https://www.htsyndication.com/premium-times/article/music-review%3A-davido-taps-into-amapiano-heat-with-yg-marley-in--awuke-/85751988|title=Davido taps Amapiano with YG Marley in 'Awuke' |website=Syndication|date=November 4, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}} featuring sweet melodies, tunes, Amapiano whistle beats, and heavy drum bass
percussion.{{cite web|url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2024/10/31/davido-drops-new-hit-awuke/?amp=1|title=Davido drops new hit "Awuke"|website=P.M. News|date=October 31, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.stylerave.com/davido-yg-marley-awuke/?srsltid=AfmBOops1AMub--jU8Q8CsMa64RNgrT31zAA25hJB6y6hQejans4jjMn|title=Davido And YG Marley Bring Two Cultures Together On "Awuke"|website=Style Rave|date=November 1, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}} It centers on admiration for a love interest, with Davido and YG Marley singing about beauty, maturation, and perseverance.{{cite web|author=Peter Okhide|url=https://notjustok.com/songs/davido-yg-marley-awuke/amp/|title=Davido and YG Marley unite for new single 'Awuke'|website=NotJustOk|date=October 31, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}}
Reception
Nosakhale Akhimien of Premium Times described the track as a vibrant love song and celebration of African identity. According to Akhimien, "Davido and YG Marley’s vocals create a smooth, balanced production. Davido’s delivery is confident and passionate, showcasing his signature vocal style that combines pop sensibility with Afrobeat’s rhythmic intensity. YG Marley’s addition brings a refreshing vibe."{{cite web|author=Nosakhale Akhimien|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/music/751557-music-review-davido-taps-into-amapiano-heat-with-yg-marley-in-awuke.html|title=MUSIC REVIEW: Davido taps into Amapiano heat with YG Marley in 'Awuke'|website=Premium Times|date=November 3, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}}
Music video
The song was released alongside its music video, which was directed by Daps.{{cite web|url=https://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/yg-marley/videos/video/davido-yg-marley-awuke/|title=Davido Shares Awuke Music Video ft YG Marley. Directed By Daps|website=Reggaeville|date=October 31, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}} The video ranked number 4 on YouTube's trending videos in Nigeria.{{cite web|url=https://kworb.net/youtube/trending/ng.html|title=Music Videos Trending in Nigeria |website=K Worb|date=November 5, 2024|access-date=November 5, 2024}}
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Spotify.{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/track/6e0YUaVAfDxUabmybOjguy?si=2D3LYDyhTcOFC5Fs02c7pw|title=Credits|publisher=Spotify|accessdate=November 5, 2024}}
- Davido – vocals, songwriting
- YG Marley – vocals
- MOONLIGHT AFRIQA – songwriting
- Mikababeatz – production
- Marvey Muzique – co-producer
- Aidan Duncan – mixing engineer
- Leandro Hildago – mixing engineer, mastering engineer
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Awuke" ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Nigeria (TurnTable){{cite web|url=https://www.turntablecharts.com/charts/1|title=Official Nigeria Top 100|publisher=TurnTable charts|date=7 August 2024|accessdate=12 November 2024}}
| 1 |
|---|
| {{single chart|UKafrobeats|2|date=20241110|rowheader=true|access-date=3 December 2024|refname=UKafro}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardafrobeats|9|artist=Davido|access-date=3 December 2024|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|31|artist=Davido|rowheader=true|access-date=29 December 2024}} |