How I almost jumped balcony, Davido opens up on suicidal thoughts

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has recalled how his first negative experience with fame left him overwhelmed and briefly contemplating jumping from a balcony after a woman shared a photo of him sleeping on social media.

Davido spoke about the incident during a recent episode of the Vibe Podcast, explaining that it occurred about two months after he became famous and had two hit songs gaining widespread attention.

According to the singer, he had travelled to Ghana for a show and was excited by the enthusiastic reception he received from fans, particularly the attention from women.

He said he later took a woman to his hotel room but was unaware that she had taken a photograph of him while he was asleep and posted it online.

“The incident happened about two months after I became famous. I had two hit songs popping everywhere. So, we went to a show in Ghana, and the reception was crazy. I was just something new. I was excited. Every week, we were going higher on the charts.

“We went to the club, and I was excited to see how the ladies loved me. It was my first time taking a lady to my hotel room. I remember it was a great night, and then I slept off.

“All of a sudden, I heard a bang on my door. It was my manager. He told me to calm down, and I asked what he was talking about.

“It turned out that a lady posted me sleeping. Daddy was calling me. My sisters were calling me. If I saw a balcony that day, I would have jumped. I was young, and I liked women too much,” Davido recalled.

The singer said he was young and inexperienced at the time and did not fully understand the pressures that came with fame or the need to set boundaries while enjoying his newfound popularity.

He added that the experience became an important lesson that helped him become more conscious of protecting his reputation and managing his private life as a public figure.