Nigeria’s Afrobeats star and America’s gospel giant meet on a new song that arrives this Friday, October 30, 2026.
Two music worlds are about to meet. Davido, one of Nigeria’s biggest Afrobeats stars has teamed up with American gospel legend Kirk Franklin for a new song called “Hope in You” It will be released on Friday October 30, 2026. The song will be part of Franklin’s new album, “I Am What I Am” which also comes out on October 30. The album has 14 songs which mixes gospel with modern sounds.
In Atlanta, fans got an early taste on October 12, 2026 at a listening event for the album in the United States. According to reports, Davido sang a verse and then joined the choir on stage. A short clip of the song has also been shared online and it has already got people talking.
This is Kirk Franklin’s 14th solo album and his first double album. It is split in two equal halves: seven new studio songs in a modern gospel style and seven songs recorded live in the traditional gospel style that many church-goers grew up with. In simple terms, there is something for the young and something for the old.
The album is coming out through Franklin’s own company, Fo Yo Soul Entertainment, together with TRIBL Music Group and the newly relaunched Uptown Records. Other guests on the project include rapper GloRilla, gospel great Karen Clark Sheard and singer Jelly Roll. The album’s first big single, “This Time” with GloRilla did very well. It opened at number 1 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart in early October. That made Franklin the first artist to win ten number one songs on that chart.
Kirk Franklin has been making music for more than thirty years. He is known for mixing gospel with hip-hop, R&B and pop, and for working with artists from many backgrounds. His 2023 album, “Father’s Day” earned him his Grammy Award. For many families his songs are part of Sunday worship, weddings and celebrations. While Davido on the other hand is a household name in Nigeria and across Africa. In 2026 he has stayed busy, he made his first appearance at the Coachella festival in California in April, in June he released a new single “I Know Who I Be” with South African artists Jazzwrld and GL Ceejay. His last project was the album “5ive.”
Interestingly, this meeting has some history. In 2022, after Davido released his song “Stand Strong” a video showed Kirk Franklin singing along to every word. Davido thanked him publicly, four years later they are now making music together.
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