Davido’s newest release turns a familiar concert setting into a fresh listening item. Apple Music lists “Nakupenda – Live in London,” featuring Zlatan and Al Xapo, as a single released on October 23, 2026. The word “live” matters: this is presented as a performance version, not simply another studio track with a new cover and a hopeful algorithm.
What is new in “Nakupenda”?
The release pairs Davido with two artists whose sounds sit comfortably across Afrobeats and amapiano-facing club music. The official Apple Music listing identifies Zlatan and Al Xapo as featured performers and marks the version as live in London. That is the verifiable news: a new version is out, and it gives the collaboration another life beyond its earlier release cycle. The streaming page does not, by itself, establish the exact venue, date of recording, or whether the release comes from a full concert film, so we are not dressing those unanswered details up as facts.
That distinction is useful in an era when a short clip can be mistaken for a new single, a remix can be called a live version before anyone checks the credits, and a fan post can acquire the confidence of a press release by lunchtime. Here the platform metadata gives a clearer baseline. Fans can compare the live cut with the earlier “Nakupenda” release and decide whether the room changes the feel of the record; the editorial point is that the artist and collaborators have chosen to make that performance format part of the official catalogue.
How it fits Davido’s current chapter
The single arrives after Davido’s broader Afrobeats business story and the July release of his sixth studio album, ORIADÉ. Sony Music Canada described that 13-track record as a project spanning personal reflection and dance-floor energy, with a cross-border guest list that included Black Sherif, Leon Thomas, Aya Nakamura and others. The album’s tracklist also credited JAZZWRLD and GL_CEEJAY on “I Know Who I Be.”
A live version is not automatically a reinvention. It can instead work as a bridge: a reminder that songs are social objects, built in the studio and tested in rooms where people answer back. For an artist whose career has been shaped by both hit singles and large-scale performances, that bridge is commercially sensible and artistically legible. It also gives the featured collaborators a second point of entry for listeners who may have missed the first release.
What listeners should check for themselves
Start with the release credits and compare the official versions on the same streaming service. Look for the exact “Live in London” title, the date, and the featured-artist names rather than relying on reposted snippets. If the record is used to announce a concert date or a new album, wait for an artist or promoter statement. A live track is evidence of a release; it is not a tour itinerary.
For now, the clean takeaway is simple: Davido has added a London-labelled live version of “Nakupenda” with Zlatan and Al Xapo to his 2026 catalogue. The next question is musical rather than speculative—whether this performance version becomes a fan favourite in its own right, or remains a well-timed companion to the original.
Sources: Apple Music: Davido’s latest release listing; Sony Music Canada: ORIADÉ announcement. See also Astra Planet’s music coverage.