Nigerian singer-songwriter Fave has opened up about how her collaboration with Davido on the hit single “Kante” almost never happened because several other artists had already turned it down.
In a candid interview on the Tea With Tay podcast, the Anambra-born artiste, whose real name is Chidozie Godsfavour Ugochinyere, shared the behind-the-scenes details of the track that became one of the standout songs from Davido’s 2023 album Timeless.
“To be fair, I had played the song for a couple of artists before Davido, but they weren’t really feeling the song,” Fave revealed with a smile. “But Davido texted me that he was putting his album together and I should send him my songs. So I did… and he single-handedly chose ‘Kante’.”
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Originally titled “Waist” and produced with her longtime collaborator Damie, the song featured an open verse that Fave intentionally left for a big collaboration. Davido not only jumped on it but also renamed the track after French footballer N’Golo Kanté, a reference Fave explained came from the lyric “like Kanté,” which many listeners misheard.
The song quickly became a massive street anthem, blending Fave’s soulful vocals with Davido’s signature energy. Fans have since hailed the collaboration as a perfect match, with “Kante” earning awards and continued streams years after its release.
