When Coachella announced its lineup for 2026, fans around the world rushed to scan the festival’s poster for their faves. Justin Bieber? Easy to spot. Sabrina Carpenter? Bold and clear. Davido? Well, you might need to zoom in 300% or borrow NASA’s telescope to catch that text.
Of course, this is not new. In 2019, Burna Boy had his own very public squabble with Coachella after discovering that his name had been printed in microscopic font. Burna, not one to take such disrespect, took to Instagram to declare, “I am an African Giant.” That moment gave birth to the title of his Grammy-nominated album and turned a slight into a global rallying cry. Fast forward, and it looks like history is repeating itself. Different artists, same disrespect.
Here’s the irony: while Coachella treats African acts like small print disclaimers, these same artists are selling out arenas and stadiums across the globe. Davido has headlined major venues in the U.S., U.K., and across the world including the O2 Arena(2x), State Farm Arena, Accor Arena, Toyota Arena, Scotiabank Arena to mention a few.
https://x.com/davido/status/1949533572643295364?t=kXL3RtIcidM4ZnBiP7e_tQ&s=19
Davido isn’t a side-stage warm-up; he is a main eventer who commands global audiences. It’s almost comedic at this point. Imagine the Coachella design team: “Yes, let’s make the African superstar’s name so small that even Google Maps can’t find it.
Davido is not some up-and-coming act to be hidden in the margins; he’s a superstar whose influence reaches far beyond Africa. Coachella can’t say with a straight face that Davido isn’t bigger and more impactful to global music than many of the artists listed in higher placements and Coachella’s refusal to reflect that reality is insulting.
https://x.com/davido/status/1953024224940933189?t=oWtXH2Hv2PYATLzE_vXCVQ&s=19
So yes, Davido’s name is tiny on that poster. Yes, people squinted, zoomed, and struggled to find it. But the truth is, when he gets on stage, he won’t need font size to prove anything. The crowd will scream, the hits will land, and once again, Coachella will be reminded: Africa may appear small on your poster, but on the global stage, we’re written in bold.
