Olamide is set to headline an OVO Arena concert in November 2025. This is his first headline concert in London since 2016.
In an illustrious career that has spanned 15 years as one of Afrobeats most commercial artists, a London headline concert shouldn’t be a newsmaking announcement for one of Nigeria’s most decorated music stars, but it is.
In 2020, when Afrobeats began making waves on the global front thanks to the growth of music streaming in Nigeria and the mass amplification of social media platforms like TikTok, Olamide didn’t make much effort to join the “Afrobeat to the world movement” despite his hugely successful album ‘Carpe Diem’ offering him a chance to stake a claim.
His decision not to pursue cross-over collaborations and engage the European and American markets made him conspicuously missing as Afrobeats steadily made a global impact.
When he did show up to claim a place in Afrobeats’ global push, he came as a formidable label boss leading Fireboy and Asake to superstardom.
This lack of international success at the level of his peers continues to be considered the only piece missing from what his a remarkable career.
Things are, however, beginning to look different for the rapper who appears finally ready to take his share of Afrobeats’ global largesse.
Having spent 2022 – 2023 guiding Asake‘s ascension to superstardom both as the YBNL label boss and co-writer for a vast collection of his hits, Olamide didn’t have enough time to dedicate to pursuing personal commercial glory in an era where global success became the metric.
After Asake left YBNL in 2024, Olamide appears to have rediscovered his love for music. Since 2024, he has released an EP, and new self-titled album, and a long list of collaborations.
Is Olamide finally ready to take his place in the “Afrobeats to the world” movement?
In the past two years, Olamide has been showing signs of a willingness to fit into Afrobeats’ global narrative.
He featured rapper Russ for the remix of his single ‘Hello Habibi’ off his 2024 EP ‘Ikigai’, which also featured Dutch R&B singer Sabri.
Olamide’s recently released self-titled album featured Afropolitan star Daecolm, Jamaican hitmaker Popcaan, British Nigerian star Darkoo, and Nigerian superstars Wizkid, Asake, Seyi Vibez, and Young Jonn.
If the star-studded supporting cast suggests his readiness to tap into the Afrobeats diaspora audience, the mid-tempo pop sound that populates the album confirms this. The album is Olamide’s most obvious crossover effort yet.
His recent interview with content creator Korty EO was also a rare media moment for the star, who has grown increasingly reticent.
Following the release of his new album, Olamide is now gearing up for his first headline concert in the UK.
On November 23, 2025, he will be performing at the famous OVO Wembley Arena in London, a hall his signee Fireboy has filled up in the past.
Ordinarily, filling up the 12,000 capacity OVO Arena shouldn’t be a surprising feat for a musician of Olamide’s stature, but his prolonged absence from the international touring circuit has made his upcoming London concert a much-awaited return.
