Has Fireboy DML lost his audience?

Adedamola Oyinlola Adefolahan also known as Fireboy DML needs no introduction to the average Afrobeats lover.

His abilities and achievements has made him one of the most appraised Afrobeats superstar to surface in the last 4 years. With him dropping back to back hits and classic albums, he lived up to his name because he was on fire!

Not too long after his first hit song “Jealous”, he released his debut album “Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps” in 2019, which had immense success and really placed him in the position as a star to watch out for. Till today, i still believe it’s the best debut album ever released since Wizkid’s “Superstar”.

Then his sophomore album “Apollo”, dropped a year after and it was another banger. Fireboy was on a winning streak. Something about the way he tells his stories and experiences as a lover boy had the whole nation in a chokehold.

From that moment on, he and the likes of Rema, Joeboy and Omah lay were hailed as the future of Afrobeats. Direct heirs to the throne that Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy are ruling right now.

The problem first started in 2022, when he released his third album “Playboy” and took on a new persona. He switched into a playboy from the lover boy we knew him as. But unfortunately, his audience didn’t take his change well and it seems like not so many people care for this version of Fireboy.

Although the album still had commercial success, with hit songs like “Bandana” featuring his label mate, Asake and the global hit “Peru” with Ed Sheeran, no one really talks about Fireboy anymore.

Fireboy DML went on to drop three singles in early and mid 2023, namely; “Someone”, “Oh my” and “Yawa” which were great songs, trust me. But it seems like his audience has shifted and gone to get what they want from other new artistes. Later in December 2023, he released a two track EP with the songs “Obaa Sima” and “Outside” featuring Blaqbonez. And even though, these songs are doing pretty well, there’s no top charting, no conversations, no hype like the 2019-2021 Fireboy DML would have.

I sincerely do hope he gets back into the conversation because he’s still a great artiste. But for now, he needs to start looking for matches because his fire is slowing going out.