A surprising last-minute decision changed the course of one of Davido’s most iconic music videos. The Afrobeats superstar has revealed that the lead female role in the video for his hit song Aye was unexpectedly handed to a makeup artist after the original actress pulled out just before filming.
Speaking during an interview with Capital Xtra, which began trending on Wednesday, Davido shared the behind-the-scenes story that fans had never heard. He explained that the woman initially selected for the role had to withdraw because of restrictions tied to a beauty pageant contract.
“The girl that was meant to be the main girl, she was in some pageant thing. So we were about to shoot and the manager said they called from the pageant that she’s under contract and we can’t use her for the video,” Davido recalled.
With filming already scheduled and no chance to delay production, the team had to think fast. Rather than cancel the shoot, they looked to someone already on set.
“We couldn’t reschedule so we had to use her make-up artist,” the singer said.
Davido revealed that the unexpected casting decision turned into one of the most memorable stories behind the success of the Aye video. He added that the video’s massive popularity later created tension between the original model and the makeup artist.
“The video got so huge that they fell out,” he said.
Released during the early stages of Davido’s career, Aye quickly became one of the defining songs of the Afrobeats movement. The music video remains one of the singer’s most recognisable works and continues to enjoy millions of views years after its release.
The revelation has sparked fresh conversations among fans, many of whom are only now learning that one of Nigerian music’s most memorable video performances happened purely by chance.
