Fireboy DML
Biography
Fireboy DML, born Adedamola Adefolahan on February 5 1996 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter who emerged as one of the most critically acclaimed new voices in Afropop following his signing to Olamide's YBNL Nation label in 2018. His debut album Laughter Tears and Goosebumps (2019) introduced him as an exceptionally gifted vocalist with a distinctive emotional directness and a preference for introspective, heartfelt songwriting that set him apart from more uptempo Afrobeats contemporaries. His debut single Jealous became an immediate hit, celebrated for its aching emotional vulnerability, and set the template for a discography characterised by romantic longing and personal reflection. His second album Apollo (2020) continued in this vein, producing the massive collaborative hit Peru featuring Ed Sheeran, which was released in 2021 and became one of the biggest crossover moments for Nigerian music in the UK, reaching number one and demonstrating the viability of Afropop for mainstream British audiences. Fireboy DML has won multiple Headies Awards and AFRIMMA Awards, and his collaboration with Ed Sheeran on Peru brought him the largest international audience of any Nigerian debut act to that point. His third album Playboy (2021) and subsequent EP Ep3 continued to develop his artistry. He is celebrated for his consistent ability to write and perform songs of genuine emotional depth, a quality that has earned him a loyal and passionate global fanbase that appreciates his authenticity in an industry that sometimes prioritises commercial formulas over artistic sincerity.
