Bright Chimezie Reacts to Davido’s Acknowledgment of His Musical Influence
Veteran highlife musician Bright Chimezie has expressed his gratitude and admiration for Afrobeats star Davido, following the singer’s public acknowledgment that one of Chimezie’s songs inspired his recent hit.
Speaking in an interview with Hip TV, Chimezie shared how Davido personally reached out to credit his 1980s classic Because of English as the inspiration behind With You, the Davido and Omah Lay collaboration released earlier this year.
The highlife legend, who made a cameo appearance in the music video for With You, admitted he was unaware of the connection until Davido informed him.
“I didn’t even know the song was inspired by mine until Davido told me himself,” Chimezie said. “He called and confessed that Because of English played a role in shaping his track. The humility he showed really touched me. I feel honoured.”
Chimezie, widely respected for pioneering the Ziggima sound, recently joined Sony Music Publishing West Africa and affirmed he’s still active in music, though he and many of his peers have taken a step back to allow younger talents room to shine.
“Words cannot describe how I feel. I’m delighted and grateful that Davido would openly recognise my work. It’s moments like this that remind us why we started in the first place,” he added.
The heartfelt exchange has sparked admiration from fans across generations, further bridging the gap between Nigeria’s musical past and present.
