Darey

Biography

Multiple award-winning and Multiple Platinum selling urban R&B singer, musician, songwriter, music producer and entrepreneur Darey is not one to depend on the legacy of his late Father; the legendary African Jazz Musician and entertainer Art Alade.

For over nine years the multi-talented act, born Dare (pronounced Da-ray) Art Alade has been a disc jockey, TV presenter, Master of Ceremonies, entertainment consultant, voice over artist, performing/recording artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Whether performing alongside the world’s finest superstars, such as Beyonce, Jay Z, Kelly Rowland, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Sean Paul, Rihanna, Usher, Akon and Shakira; or hosting events attended by World leaders and top dignitaries, such as past U.S Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, one thing is certain; Darey is a consummate perfectionist.

Despite the celebrity status of his late Father in his home Country of Nigeria, things were a bit tough for Darey growing up. Following the loss of his Father at just age 12, his Mother struggled to take care of the Children by herself. To cope with the loss of his Father and the harsh economic environment he was forced to grow up in, Darey found solace in Music.

He began honing his skills at an early age, singing with several choirs and bands, from the tender age of eight. He has childhood memories of rummaging through his father’s extensive Jazz collection and tagging along with him to several concerts. These early experiences gave him his first taste of ‘showbiz’. By the time Darey was 15, he was already performing extensively in clubs and venues around Lagos, Ibadan and other cities across Africa. It was during one of those late night sessions he met an executive at Cool FM, a major Radio Station in Nigeria, who appreciated his smooth voice, and his ability to interact with his audience; and gave him an opportunity to become an OAP at the station

As a teenager, he shuttled between Cool FM and the University of Lagos where he obtained a degree in Music. He also studied music theory, singing and classical piano at the Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON). His time at Cool FM presented him the opportunity to acquire advanced knowledge of Radio production and marketing. Having conquered Radio, Darey set his eyes on Television, and soon became a regular on-screen personality in the hit African entertainment variety show; Y’hello.

His big break finally came in 2004, during the first ever African edition of the internationally renowned TV series Project Fame, in which Darey participated as a contestant, emerged third and had the opportunity to perform in front of over 100 million TV viewers, as well as sign a recording deal with Sony BMG Africa. However the deliverables of that deal were never to see the light of day.

In 2006, he eventually released his debut Album “From Me 2 U” on Storm Records, a top African Record Label. This album got rave reviews and spurned many hit singles. Though he gained millions of fans and admirers across Africa for his participation in the TV reality program Project Fame, Darey’s debut album cemented his position as a force in the Nigerian and African music industries. The album won several awards. In addition, the bestselling album also included the song, ‘Original Naija’ which was used as the theme song for the first ever edition of Big Brother Nigeria.
In early 2009, he dropped his second album, called “unDAREYted,” on his newly founded Record Label, Soul Muzik. This album produced the biggest R&B song in Africa that year titled “Not The Girl.” The album received a plethora of awards and nominations across the World, including the MTV Africa Music Award (MAMA) nomination for Best R N’ B Song and Listeners Choice. He won two Channel O Awards for Best R N’ B song and Best Male as well as the Nigerian Entertainment Award for best R&B song. Darey scored another major in 2009 when he won four major categories out of six nominations at the Nigeria music video awards (NMVA).
Early this year, he received a 21-carat gold plaque for Best Vocal Performance (Male) at the Hip Hop World Awards. Other notable honours include Award for Musical Excellence in Nigeria (AMEN), Soundcity Music and Video Awards (SMVA), The Audio Visual Awards (TAVA), City People Entertainment Awards and many more.
As part of his promotions strategy for the unDAREYted album, Darey developed, produced and hosted a reality TV show entitled “The most unDAREYted show” which aired as a miniseries across Africa on Soundcity TV. On the show, Darey gave over $10,000 to people he encountered randomly on the streets of Lagos who were given the chance to perform on the spot and be voted for by viewers.
The buzz from his second album caught the attention of the African American Music business legend Dick Griffey, who is credited with discovering and influencing the music careers of