Mayorkun: The Life Story Behind the Mayor of Lagos Star

Mayorkun is the Mayor of Lagos, and the title is not a joke. It is a name his fans gave him, and a name he has lived up to, because his music sounds like Lagos itself, bright, busy, confident, and full of life. He is a singer who makes songs for the street and for the party, for the young people who are working hard in the day and dancing hard at night. His voice is smooth and melodic, his choruses are easy to sing, and his songs have become part of the soundtrack of Nigerian life.

He was born Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel, and he grew up in Osun State, in the south-west of Nigeria. He studied at the University of Lagos, where he began to make music seriously, and he was discovered by Davido, one of Nigeria’s biggest stars, who signed him to his label, Davido Music Worldwide. His first hit, Eleko, became a favourite across the country, and his debut album, The Mayor of Lagos, confirmed him as one of the leading young stars in Nigerian music.

His story is a story of a cover video, a direct message, and a dream that came true. This is the story of how a university student from Osun became Mayorkun, the Mayor of Lagos.

Growing Up in Osun and Finding Music at University

Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel was born on 23 March 1994 in Osun State, Nigeria. Osun is a state in the south-west, known for its culture, its history, and its mix of Yoruba traditions. A child growing up there hears Yoruba spoken everywhere, and he hears music in church, in the streets, and at home. Mayorkun heard all of that, and he was drawn to music from a young age. He was a lively boy, and he liked to sing, to dance, and to perform for his family and friends.

His family valued education, and he went to school in Osun before moving to Lagos for university. He studied at the University of Lagos, where he studied accounting, a practical subject that his family hoped would give him a stable career. He took his studies seriously, but his heart was in music. He spent his spare time writing songs, recording, and performing at small events on campus. He was not a famous student. He was a young man with a dream, and he was working on it quietly, while also trying to pass his exams.

At university he began to take music more seriously. He learned to write a chorus, to build a song, and to perform in front of a crowd. He was influenced by Nigerian pop, by R and B, and by the music he heard in Lagos, and he began to develop a sound that was melodic, smooth, and easy to love. He was not a rapper. He was a singer, and his voice, warm and clear, made his songs stand out. He recorded songs, he shared them online, and he waited for someone to notice.

His time at the University of Lagos was important, because it gave him a network, a stage, and a chance to learn how to be a performer. He performed at campus shows, he met other young musicians, and he began to build a small following. He was not yet a star, but he was becoming a musician, and he was learning that a good song, shared at the right time, could change a life.

A Cover Video, Davido, and the DMW Breakthrough

Mayorkun’s big break came in an unusual way. He recorded a cover video of Davido’s song The Money, featuring Olamide, and he shared it online. The video was simple, just Mayorkun singing the song in his own style, but it was good, and it caught Davido’s attention. Davido watched the video, liked what he heard, and reached out to Mayorkun. That message changed his life.

Davido signed Mayorkun to his record label, Davido Music Worldwide, known as DMW, in 2016. The deal gave Mayorkun a team, a platform, and a mentor in Davido, one of the biggest stars in African music. He was no longer a university student making songs on his own. He was a signed artist, with a label behind him, and with a chance to become a star. He took that chance seriously, and he worked hard in the studio to make music that would live up to Davido’s faith in him.

His first single under DMW was Eleko, released in 2016, and it became a hit across Nigeria. Eleko is a love song with a bright, danceable beat, and it introduced Mayorkun to a wide audience as a singer with a smooth voice and a gift for melody. The song was played on the radio, at parties, and in clubs, and it made his name known to people who had never heard his cover video. He was no longer a student with a dream. He was a star with a hit.

He followed Eleko with other songs, including Yawa, Sade, and Mama, which became favourites. Mama, released in 2017, is a song about a mother, about love and gratitude, and it became a favourite across Nigeria. The song showed a softer side of Mayorkun, a singer who could write about family as well as about romance. His run of hits in 2016 and 2017 made him one of the biggest new stars in Nigerian music, and he won awards, including the Headies award for Next Rated, a prize for the best new artist.

The Mayor of Lagos and the First Album

In 2018 Mayorkun released his debut album, The Mayor of Lagos, and it confirmed his place as a leading star. The album was named after the title his fans had given him, and it was a full portrait of who he was, a singer from Lagos, for Lagos, and of Lagos. It included songs that mixed Afropop, R and B, and dancehall, and it featured collaborations with other Nigerian artists, including Davido, D’banj, and others. The album was well received, and it showed that Mayorkun could make a complete record, not just a run of singles.

The album included the hit song Che Che, featuring D’banj, and other tracks that became favourites. Che Che is a playful love song, and it showed Mayorkun’s ability to write a chorus that people could sing along to. The album also included songs about life in Lagos, about love, about money, and about the hopes of young Nigerians. It was a record that sounded like the city it was named after, busy, bright, and full of energy.

The Mayor of Lagos earned him more awards and more fans, and it made him one of the most popular live performers in Nigeria. His concerts were known for their energy, for his dancing, and for the way he connected with the crowd. He was a young star, and he was enjoying the success that had taken him years to build. He had come from Osun to Lagos, from a university campus to a record label, and now he was the Mayor, a title that his fans had given him and that he had earned.

During this period he also became known for his fashion and his image. He wore stylish clothes, he had a confident, relaxed manner, and he became a trendsetter for young Nigerians. He was not only a singer. He was a star, a man whose look was as important as his sound, and whose music was the soundtrack of a generation of young Lagosians.

Back In Office, Collaborations, and a Growing Catalogue

In 2021 Mayorkun released his second album, Back In Office, which continued his run of success. The album was a statement that he was back, that he was still the Mayor, and that he was still making hits. It included songs that mixed Afropop with Amapiano and other sounds, and it featured collaborations with other Nigerian and African artists. The album was well received, and it showed that Mayorkun was still growing as an artist, still willing to try new sounds, and still able to write a song that connected with listeners.

He has also become known for his collaborations, and for his voice on other artists’ songs. He has worked with many Nigerian stars, and his smooth, melodic choruses have added a warmth to their records. He is a generous collaborator, and he is willing to share his sound with others. He has also worked with artists from other African countries, and his music has travelled beyond Nigeria, to Ghana, to Kenya, and to other parts of the continent.

His songs in recent years have included hits that have been played across Africa, and his live performances have taken him to many countries. He has performed in the United Kingdom, in the United States, and in other parts of the world, and his music has reached Nigerians living abroad, who hear in his songs a reminder of home. For many of them, a Mayorkun song is not only a song. It is a piece of Lagos, a piece of the life they left behind, and a piece of the joy they remember.

He has also continued to work with Davido and with DMW, and his relationship with his mentor remains an important part of his story. Davido discovered him, signed him, and gave him a chance, and Mayorkun has repaid that faith with a career that has lasted for nearly a decade. He is not only a singer who was discovered. He is a singer who has built on that discovery, song by song, album by album, and who has become a star in his own right.

Still the Mayor, Later Work, and a Career That Lasts

In 2025 Mayorkun released Still The Mayor, an album that marked his return to the title that made him famous and that showed he was still the Mayor, even after years in the industry. The album was a reminder that he had not lost his touch, and that he could still make a record that mattered. It included songs that showed his range, from love songs to dance songs, and it was received warmly by fans who had followed him since Eleko.

He has continued to release music, to perform live, and to work with new artists, and he remains one of Nigeria’s most loved singers. He has won awards, he has filled venues, and he has made songs that are part of Nigerian life, from Eleko to Mama to Che Che. His story is a story of a cover video, a message from Davido, and a dream that came true, and it is still being written, one song at a time.

Today Mayorkun stands as the Mayor of Lagos, a singer who came from Osun, studied in Lagos, and became a star by singing about the city he loves. He is a reminder that a good song, shared at the right time, can change a life, and that a young man with a dream, a voice, and a phone can become a star. His career is a story of talent, of timing, and of a city that gave him a title and that he has honoured ever since.

The Cover That Changed Everything and the City in His Songs

The story of Mayorkun’s cover video is worth thinking about, because it tells you a lot about how music works today. He did not get his break by waiting in a long line outside a record label office. He got it by singing a song he loved, recording it on his phone, and sharing it online. Davido saw it, liked it, and reached out. That is a modern fairy tale, but it is also a lesson. A good performance, shared honestly, can reach the right person, even if you are a student with no connections. Mayorkun’s cover was not a trick. It was a real performance, sung well, and it showed his voice clearly. Davido heard that, and he acted on it.

Lagos itself is the other main character in Mayorkun’s music. He calls himself the Mayor of Lagos, and his songs sound like the city, busy, bright, and full of energy. Lagos is a city of twenty million people, of traffic, of markets, of music, and of dreams, and a singer who can capture that feeling in a song has done something special. Mayorkun’s songs capture it, not by describing the city in detail, but by sounding like it, by moving at its pace, by mixing Yoruba and English the way Lagosians do, and by singing about love, money, and life in a way that Lagosians recognise at once.

His voice is also part of his Lagos sound. It is smooth, melodic, and relaxed, and it sits comfortably on top of a beat, like a driver who knows the roads of Lagos and does not need to rush. He does not shout. He sings clearly, and he lets the melody do its work. That calm is part of his appeal, because Lagos itself is loud, and a calm voice in a loud city stands out. Fans hear that calm, and they trust it, and they come back to it, song after song.

His relationship with Davido is another part of his story that matters. Davido did not only sign him. He mentored him, he featured on his songs, he took him on tour, and he gave him a platform that a new artist could only dream of. Mayorkun has repaid that faith by working hard, by making hits, and by staying loyal to DMW. That loyalty is rare in an industry where artists often leave a label as soon as they become famous. Mayorkun has stayed, and his loyalty has made him stronger, because he has a team, a mentor, and a home in the industry.

University Life, Accounting, and a Dream That Would Not Wait

Mayorkun’s time at the University of Lagos is an important part of his story, because it shows a young man trying to balance two lives at once. He was studying accounting, a practical subject that his family hoped would give him a stable career, and he was also making music, writing songs, and performing at campus shows. That balance is hard. It means going to lectures in the day and recording at night, passing exams and writing choruses, and trying to be a good student and a good musician at the same time. He did both, and he did them well enough to graduate, and well enough to become a star. That is a sign of discipline, and it is a sign that he took both parts of his life seriously.

His university years also gave him a network, a stage, and a chance to learn how to be a performer. He performed at campus shows, he met other young musicians, and he began to build a small following. He was not yet famous, but he was becoming a musician, and he was learning that a good song, shared at the right time, could change a life. He also learned to be patient, to work hard, and to trust that his moment would come. When it came, in the form of a cover video and a message from Davido, he was ready, because he had spent years at university becoming ready.

The Mayor, the Fans, and a Title That Became a Promise

The title Mayor of Lagos is not only a name. It is a promise, a promise that Mayorkun would make music for Lagos, about Lagos, and in the spirit of Lagos. He has kept that promise, by making songs that sound like the city, by performing in the city, and by staying close to the fans who gave him the title. His fans are mostly young, and they see in him a star who is like them, a young man who studied, who worked hard, and who became a star by singing well. They do not only listen to his songs. They feel as if he represents them, and that feeling is the reason his title has lasted.

He has also used his title to build a brand, a style, and a way of performing that is his own. He wears stylish clothes, he has a confident, relaxed manner, and he makes music that is bright, melodic, and full of energy. That brand is not a marketing trick. It is a reflection of who he is, a young man from Osun who became the Mayor of Lagos, and who is proud of both parts of his story. He is not a star who forgot where he came from. He is a star who carries both Osun and Lagos with him, and who sings about both, in every song.

Sade, Yawa, and the Early Singles That Built a Star

Before his first album, Mayorkun released a run of singles that built his name, song by song. Yawa, released in 2017, was a playful song about a woman, about love, and about the fun of a relationship, and it kept his name on the radio while he was working on his debut album. Sade, also from that period, was a romantic song that showed a softer side of his voice, and it became a favourite across Nigeria. These singles were not part of a big plan. They were songs, released one at a time, each one a small gift to his fans, and each one a reminder that he was still here, still writing, and still able to make a chorus that a whole country would sing.

That singles strategy is part of his genius as a pop singer. He does not wait for an album to be perfect. He makes a song, he shares it, he watches how people respond, and he makes the next one. That is a modern way to work, and it is a way that suits his talent, because he is a maker, a person who likes to write a song, record it, and share it, without waiting for permission. His early singles, taken together, tell the story of a young star finding his voice, and they are a catalogue that any singer would be proud of.

Still The Mayor and a Title That Grew With Him

Still The Mayor, released in 2025, is an album that says something simple and confident, that Mayorkun is still here, still the Mayor, and still making music that matters. The record is not trying to prove anything to anyone. It is a collection of songs by a singer who has been in the industry for nearly a decade, who has seen trends come and go, and who has learned to trust his own voice. It includes love songs, dance songs, and songs about life in Lagos, and it shows a mature artist who is comfortable with who he is. A title like Still The Mayor could sound like boasting, but in Mayorkun’s hands it sounds like gratitude, a thank you to the city and to the fans who gave him the name in the first place, and who have kept it alive, year after year.

My Take:

I think Mayorkun is the most hopeful star in Nigerian music, and I mean that in a simple way. His music makes me feel hopeful, because it sounds like a young person who is working hard, dreaming big, and enjoying life at the same time. When I hear Eleko, I do not hear a song about fame. I hear a song about a young man who has found his voice, who is singing about love, and who is happy to be where he is. That happiness is real, and it is infectious. I think that is why his fans love him so much. He does not sound tired, or bitter, or bored. He sounds alive, and that aliveness is a gift.

What I love most about his story is the cover video. He sang Davido’s song, he shared it online, and Davido saw it and signed him. That is a modern story, and it is a story that gives hope to any young person with a phone and a voice. You do not need a rich family, or a famous uncle, or a big connection. You need a good performance, shared honestly, and a little bit of luck. Mayorkun had the performance, and he had the luck, and he made the most of both. I think that is a lesson for anyone who is waiting for a break. Do not wait. Sing, record, share, and let the right person find you. Mayorkun did, and it worked.

Eleko is the song that first made me a fan, and I still think it is a perfect debut hit. It is bright, it is melodic, and it is easy to sing along to. It does not try to be complicated. It simply says what it means, in a voice that is smooth and confident. I have heard it played at parties, in cars, and on the radio, and every time I hear it, I see people smile. That is not a small achievement. A debut song that makes a whole country smile is a song that has done its job, and Mayorkun wrote that song, and he sang it, and he made it look easy.

Mama is the song I think about most when I think about his softer side. It is a song about a mother, about love and gratitude, and it became a favourite across Nigeria for a reason. Many young Nigerians have a close relationship with their mothers, and a song that honours that relationship will always find an audience. Mayorkun sang Mama with warmth and with sincerity, and it showed that he was not only a party singer. He was also a singer who could write about family, about respect, and about the people who raised him. I think that is an important part of his story, because it shows that he has not forgotten where he came from.

His title, the Mayor of Lagos, is another thing I like, because it is a title his fans gave him, not a title he gave himself. A fan-given title is more honest than a self-given one, because it means the people have decided who you are. Lagosians decided that Mayorkun was their Mayor, because his music sounded like their city, and because he represented them. He has lived up to that title, by making songs about Lagos, by performing in Lagos, and by staying close to the city that gave him his name. I think that is a beautiful relationship between a singer and a city, and it is one reason his career has lasted.

I also think his loyalty to Davido and to DMW deserves praise. In an industry where artists often leave a label as soon as they become famous, Mayorkun has stayed, and he has built his career with the team that believed in him first. That loyalty is not a weakness. It is a strength, because it shows that he values the people who helped him, and that he is not only thinking about himself. Davido gave him a chance, and Mayorkun has repaid that chance with hard work, with hits, and with a career that has made DMW proud. I think that is a good model for any young artist. Find a team that believes in you, work hard for them, and stay loyal to them.

If I have one wish, it is that Mayorkun keeps growing as a writer, because I think his best songs are still ahead of him. Back In Office and Still The Mayor show a mature artist who is still learning, still experimenting, and still able to write a song that connects. I hope he keeps making albums, keeps collaborating, and keeps singing about Lagos, about love, and about life, because his voice is one that Nigerian music needs. He is not a loud star, but he is a lasting one, and his songs will be played for many years to come.

What I take from his story, in the end, is a simple idea, that a good song, shared at the right time, can change a life. Mayorkun sang a cover, Davido heard it, and a career was born. That is a hopeful story, and it is a true one. You do not have to wait for permission to make music. You have to make it, share it, and trust that the right person will hear it. Mayorkun did, and he became the Mayor of Lagos. I think that is a lesson worth remembering, whether you make music or not. Do the work, share it honestly, and let the world find you.

I will keep listening to his music, and I will keep recommending Eleko and Mama to anyone who wants to understand Nigerian pop. I will tell them to listen for the melody, for the calm in his voice, and for the joy underneath it, and to notice how much feeling fits into songs that sound so bright. I think they will understand then what I have come to understand, that Mayorkun is not only the Mayor of Lagos. He is a student from Osun who became a star by singing well, by working hard, and by staying true to the city that gave him his name.

I also think about his song Che Che, because it shows his ability to write a playful love song that is also a dance song. It is a song about a woman, about love, and about the joy of being with someone you like, and it is sung with a smile. I have heard it played at parties, and I have seen people dance to it with real feeling. That is not a small achievement. A love song that makes people dance is a song that has done two jobs at once, and Mayorkun does that often. He writes songs that are romantic and fun at the same time, and that is a rare gift.

His album Back In Office is another record I like, because it is a statement that he was back, that he was still the Mayor, and that he was still making hits. The album mixed Afropop with Amapiano and other sounds, and it showed that he was still growing, still willing to try new ideas, and still able to write a song that connected with listeners. He was not stuck in the sound of Eleko. He was moving with the times, while keeping his smooth, melodic voice at the centre of his music. That willingness to grow is rare, and it is the reason he has lasted for nearly a decade, while many young stars from his generation have faded.

I think about his loyalty to Davido and to DMW a lot, because it is a quality that is easy to overlook. In an industry where artists often leave a label as soon as they become famous, Mayorkun has stayed, and he has built his career with the team that believed in him first. That loyalty is not a weakness. It is a strength, because it shows that he values the people who helped him, and that he is not only thinking about himself. Davido gave him a chance, and Mayorkun has repaid that chance with hard work, with hits, and with a career that has made DMW proud. I think that is a good model for any young artist. Find a team that believes in you, work hard for them, and stay loyal to them.

His live performances are another part of his story that I admire, because they show his energy and his connection with his fans. He performs with a band, he dances, he talks to the crowd, and he makes every show feel like a party in Lagos. His concerts are popular with young Nigerians, who see in him a star who is like them, a young man who studied, who worked hard, and who became a star by singing well. He does not perform from above. He performs from beside his fans, and that closeness is the reason his shows feel so alive.

I also want to say something about his voice, because it is the centre of everything he has done. It is smooth, melodic, and relaxed, and it sits comfortably on top of a beat, like a driver who knows the roads of Lagos and does not need to rush. He does not shout. He sings clearly, and he lets the melody do its work. That calm is part of his appeal, because Lagos itself is loud, and a calm voice in a loud city stands out. Fans hear that calm, and they trust it, and they come back to it, song after song, album after album.

When I look at his whole career, from a cover video in a university room to Still The Mayor, I see a man who has grown, who has learned, and who has stayed true to himself. He started as a student with a dream, he became a star with Eleko, he became the Mayor with his first album, and he is still the Mayor today, nearly a decade later. That is a long time in Nigerian music, and it is a sign that he has built something lasting, not only a hit, but a career, a title, and a relationship with a city that loves him.

His song Sade is one I want to mention, because it shows his romantic side in a way that Eleko does not. Sade is a gentle, melodic song, about a woman, about love, and about the joy of being with someone you like, and it is sung with a warmth that is easy to feel. I like that Mayorkun can make a song like Sade, which is soft and romantic, and a song like Eleko, which is bright and danceable, and both sound like him. That range is a sign of a great pop singer, someone who can make a song for a party and a song for a quiet evening, and who can make both well. I hope he keeps making both kinds, because the world needs party songs and it needs love songs, and Mayorkun can make both.

I also keep thinking about the young students in Nigeria who look up to him, because he gives them a model that is different from the usual star story. He shows them that a university student can become a star, that a person who studies accounting can also sing, and that education and music are not enemies. They can live together, and they can make a person stronger. That model matters, because it tells a young person who is studying and dreaming at the same time that he does not have to choose one or the other. He can do both, and Mayorkun is proof of that, a graduate of the University of Lagos who became the Mayor of Lagos, by singing well and by working hard.

Still The Mayor is an album title I like, because it is both confident and grateful. It says that he is still here, after nearly a decade, and that he is still the Mayor, not because he claimed the title, but because his fans kept giving it to him. That is a rare kind of success, a title that is renewed by the people, year after year, rather than by a marketing campaign. I hope he keeps earning it, song by song, because Lagos needs a Mayor who sings about it with love, and Mayorkun has done that, from Eleko to his latest record, without ever forgetting the city that made him.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mayorkun’s real name and where was he born?

Mayorkun was born Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel on 23 March 1994 in Osun State, Nigeria. He grew up in Osun and later studied accounting at the University of Lagos, where he began making music seriously.

How was Mayorkun discovered by Davido?

Mayorkun recorded a cover video of Davido’s song The Money and shared it online. Davido saw the video, liked his singing, and signed him to his record label Davido Music Worldwide in 2016.

What song made Mayorkun famous in Nigerian music?

Eleko, released in 2016 as his first single under Davido Music Worldwide, made Mayorkun famous. He followed it with hits including Yawa, Sade, and Mama, which became favourites across Nigeria.

Why is Mayorkun called the Mayor of Lagos?

He is called the Mayor of Lagos because his fans gave him the title, and his debut album The Mayor of Lagos in 2018 took its name from it. His music sounds like Lagos, and he has become one of the city’s most loved singers.

What albums has Mayorkun released so far?

Mayorkun has released The Mayor of Lagos in 2018, Back In Office in 2021, and Still The Mayor in 2025. He is also known for hit songs including Eleko, Mama, Che Che, and many collaborations.

What is Mama by Mayorkun about?

Mama, released in 2017, is a song about a mother, about love and gratitude for the woman who raised him. It became a favourite across Nigeria because its message is simple, heartfelt, and easy for listeners to relate to.