The Bridge : S01-E02 | Ft Davido, Cindy Bruna and François-Henry Bennahmias

That changed the game completely. That I was the first black model to work as exclusive for the show. You have to look in the mirror. This is your own competition. I said, We need to teach these people how to do music. I'm not so sure About what ? About the luxury and streetwear. And at that time have, You're going to be the king of that, Hello ! Hi everyone, here we are for the new episode of The Bridge. We're going to share a moment today with the ex-AP CEO François-Henry Bennahmias; the top m

odel Cindy Bruna; and my favourite Afrobeat artist, the one and only Davido. Séb, tell me what you think about it. I think it's a great roster. Different place, but same energy. Let's share! Come on guys, you know what time it is! The Bridge is on. So we would like to open this new episode with you, Cindy. We are glad that you are here and we would like to know how do you break free from parental or society expectation and pursue your dreams. When I got the opportunity to start my career, it was

n't even a career yet; let's say to come and try and to move from the south of France to Paris, my mom was just kind of trusting me and she was like, okay, let's try a year and if it doesn't work, you can still come back. Go back to school and have your life. So it was more like, I trust you, you can go and if it works good for you. But she didn't expect anything crazy. The same for me because I didn't dream... At that time I wasn't dreaming at all. I was just.. -Was it just a hobby, or...? Yeah

, first of all, I didn't even know it was a real job. I'm gonna start like that because... So, my agent scouted me in the south of France, I was 15. And she was like, you could become a model. And I was like, okay, let's try. I came during my holidays in Paris. Two years later, when I was 17, I met my stylist. They both believed in me so hard that I was like, oh, maybe I could, you know, finish school at 18 and move to Paris and try. And they were like, Yeah, you can do it. And the fact that the

y believed in me kind of made me have this little spark of a dream of like, oh, maybe I can do it. So that's really how it happened at the beginning. I wasn't expecting much; I was just trying to be a full-time model and see if I could actually make it work. I don't know; my background is so far from this industry and from, you know, being a model and fashion. So I had to learn everything. And I was like, yeah, let's see. Maybe it could be good. But if it didn't work, in my mind, it was okay for

me to go back to school. It was okay for me to have a normal life and be happy with it. It's funny because I feel like you got two options when you're young: either you want so badly to do it from like the youngest age. For example, for me at the age of I don't know, five, six, I already wanted to become a soccer player. You got another possibility, or maybe you do other stuff. You'll start to play soccer at, what? 10, 12, 15, and once you see that you're good, you're like, Okay, maybe I can ma

ke it happen and become a pro. But it's important to keep going to school, because it's the easiest way to succeed in life in general. What about you, Davido? School is an important thing in your life? Mine was different from hers, man. I come from a really, really strict background, educational-wise. I don't think... I can't remember; I don't think anybody in my bloodline has been a musician. You know, or entertainer. Did you grew up in Africa? Yeah, I grew up in Lagos. At first I grew up in La

gos. Big family. And I grew up with all my cousins. We all live together, all around the same area. My first thought of music was probably when I was probably like 12, you know, because when I was young my mom used to throw parties a lot. She'd throw a party for anything: graduation, naming ceremonies, birthdays... So I just like to have fun. I was very hyper when I was little. I like this mindset. They don't give me sugar; like, when I was young, they can't give me sugar because I'd start runni

ng everywhere. But I like parties and just excitement. So I think from there, that's when the entertainment drive... But with music, because I come from a family where you go to school, after you go to school, you go and work for my dad, in the company. Big company. That's how it goes. That's the path. -Yeah. I was different; I'm the last child of my family. All my siblings went to school in London, in America... I was the only one that stayed in Nigeria with my parents. I am, you know, really,

really cultured Africa-wise. But time went by and then I had a cousin that was a musician and took me to the studio one day. And then I went to the studio with him. First time? -First time ever. Ever? Just opened a studio. And as I watched them make music, I'm like, yo, this is crazy! Like, this is how they make it and stuff. And I kept on going back to that studio, like once in a while. What kind of music...? Like African music. -Okay. Did you have any kind of idol at the time? Yes, the band P-

Square. Okay, those guys. -Those guys, yeah. So, from then I just kept going, but I never told my dad. Because my mom passed when I was 11, so I grew up mainly with my dad; just me and my dad. But I never told my dad. I had a studio in the house: my dad didn't know. Really? -In your own house! Yes, I had a studio in the house. Not too loud for him? Stop it, that's crazy! That's not possible! He's too busy; he stays upstairs... You sure it was a house? It means that you had a big mansion. Big! -Y

ou had a big mansion, for sure! That was a big house. -How much?! Like 20-something rooms. It was big. -Big mansion. So, and I'm on like this floor, he's on like the top floor. And he'd go straight to his room. Once he comes back from work, he's going into the elevator and he's going straight to his room. So he never heard the studio. But when I finished high school I moved to America for college. Where? I first moved to Tennessee. But when I moved to Tennessee; College Dale, Tennessee: that's t

he first place I went to. But it was Christian. He moved me to like, a Christian university. I was like the only African in the whole place. So, I couldn't stay there because I was just not feeling it. So he moved me to Alabama. Okay! -Two hours away. He didn't want me to stay in Atlanta; I was born in Atlanta but he didn't want me staying there, because-- Why? -He thought I'd be distracted. You know Atlanta, the clubs... Everything. So I went to Alabama, but he didn't know that's when the probl

ems start. Because the school I went to was very, very musically inclined. They had the best choir; they had the best choir, they had the best music programme. But obviously he never let me join it. But then, I had a lot of people that did music there. So when I first got to the school and he dropped me off, I went to the school. In the dorm, like, where the students stay, upstairs in my room I'm always hearing like dm-dm-dm. It's like music upstairs from my room. So, I went upstairs one day and

I knocked the door. I'm like, hey, what’s going on here? Who's playing music? Is it a party or whatever. And the dude opened the door, he had a mini studio in the school. It was for all the students? No, just for him! -Okay. So I was like, oh, teach me how... How much is it for all of this? He said 1000, and I'm like, shit! What's up, man! I took everything! And I was like, just teach me how to record myself. That's crazy! I found my way. So that's really... At that time, I'm like 15, 16. What

did you do on that studio? That studio? I started producing. -Okay. I went on YouTube, I taught myself. I was watching YouTube every day, everything's on YouTube. So, I was watching YouTube every day. And then I mastered recording myself. So this period is like, I'm at school but I'm not at school... But my dad doesn't really know. And then, back home, the audios are blowing up. So I'm like, man! I have to go back home. I don't have time! Everybody; all my friends that I know from when I left, t

hey're getting big, blowing up. I'm like, man, I gotta go back, bro! I want to go back; I'm telling dad, I have to go back, I have to go back. And then one day I just went back. It was a long thing; that's another story. I just decided: I left school, and I moved back to Nigeria without my parents knowing. I just moved back. When you told your father that you-- I didn't ask him; I moved back and he heard. He figured it out. -Ah, okay. So, after a while he heard I came back and that was a whole t

hing. But then I just had to like fight, fight, fight, fight, and I just kept on going. So I dropped a song when I moved back. He got me. He got you? -Yeah, the first time I moved, when I moved back to really, really do the music, he got me and then sent me to school. Again. -Again. But this time in a village; not in Alabama. No studio! -No studio! He puts me with the head of the school: this is his door; this is my door. Every day when he's going to school-- Was it a school or a prison? Huh? -S

chool or prison? Basically, but from there, then I started from there. I did a song. But the deal was if I go to school in the village, he'd build me a studio. So I go to school for two weeks in the village. Straight two weeks; no phone, no internet, nothing. Then I come back for that weekend. Then I go back to school for two weeks. But he built me a studio, he gave me anything I need. He gave me anything I need. So every two weeks I go to... I had the best studio in Lagos. But it was only opene

d every two weeks. So every time I go every two weeks, all the artists would come because I had the best equipment. So that is where I was getting leverage, because I had the best studio and I was letting people record for free. So that's when I started meeting... You know, I met D'banj, started meeting a lot of people, I met a lot of people then, Olamide... I started meeting people. So I did a song, because I was like, dad, I've been in school for four months now. What's up, man? That's not so

much! -So he gave me some money, I shot a video, I dropped it, back to school. So I didn't have a phone. I mean I drop the song and go to school for like three weeks. I don't even know what's going on, So my boy went to the city for school, he came back. Oh! I said, what? -Crazy. He said the song is going crazy. And I'm like, are you sure? Which song was this? Before Dami Duro, it's Back when. Right before Dami Duro. Yeah. -This is a good song. I said, are you sure? Because I don't want to leave

school and run away again. And I walked. Because my plan was like, man, if I blow up, I'm running away again. I'm not doing this. So I did that song. You know, I kind of was going to shows. Then my dad was hearing that I'm going to shows So that passed and we were fine for a while, but then when I did Dami duro, ♫ Ema Dami duro, emi omo babalowo ♫ it became the biggest song in Africa. The first big one? Yes, that was the first shake. So, sorry, François, I got a question for you, because obviou

sly you got children, right? So, you know sometimes, for example, as a young person, you have a purpose, a goal that you want to achieve. But sometimes you just don't share the same goal than your parents. So, how do you handle it? For example, sometimes you just want to quit. So tell me your perspective about it. First of all, unlike Cindy, I was a very bad student in school. No, but I never liked, actually, the system, okay? Or the way you were taught in school. And my mother was a teacher and

my dad had very high-level education. Okay. They were never, oh, you gotta be a doctor, or you're going to be this or you're gonna be that; never. So they never put pressure on us, with me and my younger brother. But I didn't like the system at all because we are forced into things. And the way you were taught is one way: the teacher was talking, you were supposed to listen to everything, take notes, and that's it. And I've always been, you know, I'm sitting but already I want to move. Yeah, I

see Davido moving, I want to move the same way. You can move, it's not a problem we're on The Bridge. But at class it was impossible. So, I was always very curious about many different things. I started a small business when I was seven years old. Seven! -I was living in a residence where there are 15 small buildings. Two floors. And I found out, in my mind, people said on weekends, nobody wants to wake up to go to the bakery store to get the croissant and the pain au chocolat and the bread. Bec

ause they are lazy. -Yes. So I'm going to knock on every door on Friday night, with my younger brother. Because we're young, everybody is gonna say yes. And we pre-ordered the croissant, the bread, everything, for the entire residency. That's crazy! -That's smart. That's so smart, man. And we're gonna make money, except that, seven and five years old. So we didn't have anything, so our dad to drive us to buy the stuff, negotiate with the baker, okay? And make sure we would get paid. Now nobody w

ould play with children. So it was working fine. We did this for four weekends, and then we had to stop because my brother didn't want to wake up anymore. And I couldn't do this alone. There was no way I could do this alone. But that was my first idea of thinking out of the box and I was seven years old. So I always had in mind to be curious about everything in life. So when I went to the baccalauréat, I went through; failed completely. But completely! Like, no chance to go back in August to try

again, no they said, Get out of here! And at that time, I wanted to be the number one golfer in the world. I wanted to be a world champion. I wanted to be Severiano Ballesteros, As a kid? -He was my idol. Well, yeah, when I was 13. I wanted to be the number one golfer in the world. And I started to play professionally. I was so bad at it. Again, another thing I said, no good! But it was your main goal? To become professional? Oh yes, and to be number one. Not just professional; be number one. B

ut you were so bad, how can you be number one? But no, I couldn't know. -He didn't know! That's self-esteem! -Don't break his dream! That self-esteem, that's another topic. You believe in yourself, that's great. And eventually, a friend of mine which I know from the golf I was a member of, told me, you will never be number one. He told me very blunt: You will never, ever be number one. So stop and come and work for me. I said, what do you do? He used to distribute fashion companies. But I want t

o know your reaction, because it's hard if you have a goal, to become-- -No, he was right. I know, but, how did you handle it? Yeah, you knew that. I stopped in the middle of a competition. Wow. It's like, imagine you're playing and on the 65th minute, okay? No, I don't want to imagine it. Yeah, tell me. -You say, you know what? I'm done. And I left. And I didn't play for almost 30 years. I was so angry. I have a question. -Oui. What did you like the most: the challenge of the possibility of you

becoming number one, or playing golf? Both. But you have to understand where it comes from. Because I was a very bad student in school. My entire youth I heard you'll never succeed, you're not good enough, you're nothing, you are the worst of the worst, and nothing good is gonna happen to you. Even when I got the results of the baccalauréat, I remember because I did the exam in my own place, and all the other kids wanted to know if I had it. And when they saw that I failed they were all like...

And I see that the vision where in my mind I'm looking at these kids in front of the paper. There was no computers at this time, so everything was on paper, and say "one day". Just one day. I'm gonna do it. -We'll see each other again and we'll see. I like that. -And did it happen? I think. I found my own way to be the person I wanted to be in terms of competition. To be the number one. We cannot say number one in business, it's impossible. But to be that driven that it will be my own Champions

League, my own major. The fight that I say I want to do what's best. But it's important what you're saying, because I feel like it's important to figure it out and specially to understand where is your own path. Yeah, because I feel like it's about your purpose, right? Sometimes it's okay to have a door being shut. Because maybe it wasn't meant for you. -To bounce back. But look where you are now, you know? You just have to find your way; you have to find your path. And you did. -Yeah. I have a

question about that. What's the biggest lesson you have learned from a failure? Because we learn when we fail. When I went to New York the first time I didn't speak English. I arrived and I was doing castings for Fashion Week. They told me I needed to go to New York because Paris was not an open market for me as-- -a black woman? For black woman, yeah. So I did come to Paris first for a few months, but every casting, most of the castings I was doing, was not working. So my agent... The team I h

ad, they were like, you need to go to New York; it's not going to happen here. And I knew it was a thing. So when I went to New York for my first Fashion Week, I got the Calvin Klein exclusive for the show, which is... An exclusive is like you can only work, and walk, for only one brand during Fashion Week. And it was Calvin Klein. And when I did that show, I didn't really realise it was such a big deal for career. I was like, Oh, that's great, they want me! Great! And then, the day after, we go

t in the press that I was the first black model to walk as exclusive for the show. I was like mixed with emotions. I was like, first, they see me as a black model. That was the first thing because I'm a mixed-race woman, right? In France and Europe you're mixed, but in the US you're black. -Exactly. So I was seen as a black model. -Black or white. It works like that. Yeah, I was discovering that. And then, I was like, I'm proud, thank you, but, what? I'm the first one? Shocked. I was like someth

ing is off in this industry. I felt like it was the beginning of me getting to see the flaws and, you know, what was wrong in the industry. And I think, also, I didn't really understand the weight of it, what it meant, you know? For all the models, for other black models... For the industry. And then, this job kind of pushed me through the whole international scene of the industry, going to London, then Milan, then Paris, doing all the shows. But I was so naive at that time. I was kind of even d

iscovering brands. I was like, who is Dior? What is brands ? Anything. Because it was never like a dream or something; I was not opening magazines back then. It was kind of crazy to go into this industry. And then, a few months later, like maybe one month later, I finished my Fashion Week. They called what I was doing a career. And I was like, the beginning of a career, great! Let's do this! And then I got a call from my agent telling me I had an exclusive with a photographer this time, which is

Steven Maisel, the number one photographer in the world. I didn't know him, obviously, same thing. I was like, okay, let's do that! So, for six months, I could only shoot with one photographer, which was Steven Maisel. And I did the first cover of Italian Vogue, my first prada campaign, Same thing: next day in the press I'm the third black model to have done the prada campaign after Naomi Campbell and Malaika Firth. And I'm like, Whoa, that's huge! Everything was mind-blowing for me. One month

later, Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. But you know, we can call this luck, we can call this a blessing, you know, like a push at the beginning, but after that, to be able to keep a career for 11 years, it's work. -Yeah. But I didn't know that yet. -It's not luck! It's not luck! -Not luck, yeah. You cannot hold a career on beauty, or luck, you know. You need to have so much more. And after I realised, because when you have it, you want to keep it, right? I do my first Victoria's Secret Fashion S

how; first casting, I'm like, I'm never gonna get it. I arrived, I got bleached eyebrows because I was shooting the product campaign. It's literally at the same time. Blond eyebrows, I look like an alien. I arrive at the casting. I have this idea of Victoria's Secret, obviously, I know Victoria's Secret. But I'm like, they're beautiful. I don't see myself as beautiful. I'm like, there's no way. I don't speak English. I arrive at the casting, they ask me questions, I'm like... I don't even know w

hat I'm saying. And same; my agent called me a few days later, you got the show. And the first response I say is, are you sure it's me? Because I'm shocked. And after that, I'm like, okay, first year, great, I'm here. Second year, I'm like I want to get it now! This time I want it. So I feel like after-- Yeah, something switched in my mind. I was starting to dream. I was like, okay, I got it once, I want it again. And I got it for six years straight. But this was work. It was discipline, it was

sacrifices. It was like my team. You know, I feel like you changed the rules and you beat the odds a little bit, you know? And back in the days, when I was 10, I used to listen to this guy. Ten? Man. When I was 10, yeah, it's been a while. Hold on, he's young. And you know, I wanna say-- Did you just call him very old? No, no! I'm not gonna say that! No, don't get me wrong. I didn't say that. -I started young, though. When I did all those songs, I was very... I'm 31. -Yeah, I knew! You're still

young. -You're still young. You're very young. Yeah, but he's a baby, When he was ten, I was like... Skelewu, around that time? No, the first song that I listen to was Back When. I was like 17. -Yeah. Because it's funny, because when you look at this, I feel like the Afrobeat industry is way different now than it was when you started, you know? Of course. And tell me more about it, because this Davido is different than the Davido 10, 15 years ago. -For sure. You've been here in this industry for

a few years. A long, long time. Yeah, I mean, things change, you know. Just like when you were the first black woman. Things change, and people are just... I'll say the culture as a whole, African culture as a whole, has just grown. When I was in Alabama in school, it wasn't cool to be like, oh, you're from Nigeria. They didn't care. But obviously, when you have people, ambassadors from that country changing the narrative; not only music but with fashion, with film... At the time, Nigerian movi

es were watched all over Africa, When I first got signed to an international label, which was Sony in 2016. You see, when you get a signed record deal overseas, they don't know that we're superstars back home. When I signed my first deal, I just came from Mali. I just did 60,000 people in a stadium in Mali. But the way you sign a new deal, they are asking you, so what's your name? Explain what type of music do you do? You have to prove again. Bro, I looked at my manager and I said, I'm not start

ing again, bro! I just did 10 years, but it takes time to understand that. What we're sacrificing now; what them P-Square and Divine and then 2Face sacrificed for us is what we're enjoying now. What we're sacrificing now, the next generation... The next generation is going to come and be bigger, definitely! Because the music is only going to grow, you know, bigger. But I always told them, when I first got signed they put me up with some producers to do an album. Because you know, you signed a de

al, you're getting paid, you need to deliver an album. This is not a joke; this is Sony Music. This is... -Not the studio at your school. You owe them, yeah, yeah, you owe them. I don't want to say names, but the put me with the best of the best of producers. And I was recording and trying, but... I was just like, this is not working out. So we dropped an EP at the time. And this is after I've had like eight years of smash hits in Africa. I'm doing stadiums; people are fainting, you know what th

at's like. But only in Africa. -Yes. Oh no, "only in Africa," boy! No! Not only in Africa! Everywhere in the world! - Everywhere in the world. Worldwide! It seems like Africa's coming to the show, but it's not like being seen. When I was 22 I did 8,000 people in Paris, when I was 22 years old. This is how many years ago. 8,000. -But obviously then, they were not playing us on the radio, not putting on TV... You can't see it. You know, there's no proof. Because it's African music? Because before,

the institutions-- -It's just about culture. Now we have Live Nation. Live Nation is ticketed, it's online tickets. They can look and see, okay, Davido sold 18,000 tickets in New York or he sold... But then, they couldn't see it. Now we have companies that are behind us. So when I first came, they put me with some producers, but it didn't work out. We dropper an EP under Sony, my first project, felt like a failure. To me, to my standards. Some people might see it as a success, but to my standar

d, that wasn't it. You know what I did? I packed my bags because I was in Atlanta for almost a year. And I went back home to Lagos. I went back to the hood and I called all my producers. I said we need to teach these people how to do music. Because they don't understand. They think, oh... Because in their head, we've given this guy millions of dollars. He didn't make the kind of music we want him to make that's going to work. So we get paid back. I said, wait. Let me go back home and come back.

They didn't want your music. They didn't understand it. -Yeah, they wanted to do music with you, not your music. -Yes. So I went back home and I got back to my original producers, the ones in the hood that have never travelled before. Now all of them they've travelled, they are big boys, but then I went back to the hood, and went back to recording. When I came back to London I said, take this. Drop this and you'll see what happens. Which one, Hayya? If. -If? ♫ If I tell you say I love you ♫ Fran

çois, do you know this song? -I'd say try it. Before I came, I know his date of birth, how many kids... What he ate last night... -He googled everyone! I've got the whole thing. Trust me, I went on YouTube to watch things on there. What do you think, I'm gonna show up here not ready? But yeah, so that's the first one I gave them and this is coming straight from Africa. And when they dropped it, it blew up. So that only shows you that if we're given the opportunity 10 years ago, is just about opp

ortunity. It just about opportunity and who you know! There are gatekeepers in this thing; there are people that, if they don't want you to get through the door, you're not getting through the door. But what I said is that they let us get through the door a little bit, and now we're going crazy. You can't go to any club in the world right now and you will not hear African music. But, at the end of the day, it is just about opportunity. It's opportunity. God gave me the opportunity. I want to ask

you a question. What gave you the opportunity, or how did you get the opportunity, to become the AP CEO? That's a good one. -That's a good one! So first of all, so I started to work with AP in 1994. Okay. And in 2008 there was a change of CEO and there was a competition. Not a golf competition? Not a golf competition. -Not a competition. No, there was a competition to see who would become the new CEO. So they were looking at outside candidates and inside candidates. And I went in the final and

I failed. they didn't give me the job. -Another time. Yeah. And at that time, I was very angry because in my mind, I should have gotten the job, especially because I was coming from within and they would take an outsider. But, because I come from the world of sports, I say I lost fair and square. So that's fine. I go back to the US; I was running the US market at that time and I say, you know what? Learn even more. And when they gave me the job in 2012, actually, I was less aggressive towards ge

tting the job. I said, they owe it to me. I was much more... If they give it to me, it's fine but I know exactly what to do now. And actually, maybe, maybe, if I had gotten the job in 2008 I could have failed. Because then it was not the same vibe, the audited me, and I wanted to perform, and maybe I would have gone and taken wrong decisions. -Okay. In 2012, four years later! Only four years. Made me look at it in a completely different way. Full story which I can share. Maturity. -Yeah, but lis

ten to this. Because I got scared when I got it, actually. I really got scared, because now I was in charge of 1100 people. I was in charge of 80 people in the US, okay? So now you're in you're in charge of people's livelihoods and families. And on my third day, there was a big decision to make with a substantial amount of money involved. I had never, ever signed in my life a check of that level. Ever! So I got a guy coming to me, and say, boss, we need to make a decision. And I play poker face.

Inside, I'm shaking like this. But said, sure, what do you want? So, we should do this, or we should do that. I said, what's the cost of this? Millions. What's the cost of that? Millions. You have to make the decision. So, can I think about it? No. And I might say, okay, we do this. I knew, but I didn't know. I knew, but I didn't know. I went with my guts and say that's what I feel, we go there. -I knew but I didn't know, okay. We talked about luck, or whatever, fate, but it was the right decis

ion to make. On my third day! It's like being a baby CEO. But eventually, you grow into the position. And because I knew the company, 18 years in already, people knew me. So there was sort of a kind of trust that we could build things together. And eventually... So, what got me the job? I think it was simply written. It was meant to be. -It was meant to be. I was running the number one country in the world, the US at that time, okay? Which I grew a lot. So they said, maybe he's good enough to do

this on a worldwide basis And that's how I started. And you did a good job. Look at where AP is now. No, did a good job. Thank you, Davido. Thank you so very much! Why do you say that? -Thank you so very much. Because on all his videos he's wearing another brand! Which one? -Richard Mille. It's Richard Mille, but hey, Richard is a friend of mine. So good. Maybe because you didn't call him when you were working... If you call me now, we go all in... -That's right! That's right. I have a question

about that, because, Davido, just said that to change the narrative, and I think you did. All of you. You made Jay Z an ambassador of AP. Why? Because I have another question about that. That's special for me, because you have to understand I moved to the US in 1999. Oh. And I came and I met Jay the first time in 2001 And in 2001, obviously, Jay was not who he is today. We had two partners: Biggs and Damon Dash. It was also the time when there was Aaliyah, a singer that could have had an outsta

nding career. And actress. -Sure. The first time we met, Jay told me we're gonna make a watch together. And I said, good luck with that! I don't see how I'm going to sell this to people in Switzerland. And eventually we were seeing each other on a regular basis in New York. And then, in 2004, I flew to Switzerland with a picture of P-Diddy and William Lauder, from Estee Lauder, when they launched their fragrance deal, and a picture of Jay Z with Prince Charles for a special horse race in the UK

with a proper outfit, the nice hat and the whole thing. And I said guys, listen to me. Hip hop is exactly what jazz was in the 20s. It started in the black community and eventually became mainstream. Hip hop is going to do exactly that and Jay is the right person to be with and we should launch a watch together. And they said yes. And you have to understand, at that time, at that time, to actually have a luxury company to partner with someone of colour, good luck! Good luck! -But why? Because th

at's the way it was, period. But the point is not even that; we launched the watch, press conference. 9am in the morning in New York and I told Jay the night before, if you show up late, I swear to you... He showed up at 8:45. Perfect. A hundred journalists in the room, TV stations... That changed the game completely, because that opened completely new doors because a lot of athletes were listening to music, you know, and they were listening to his music. -Sure. And they were starting to talk ab

out AP. 'Cause he is so big! And in two seconds, AP became something different. And that was a huge milestone in the evolution of what Audemars Piguet is today. We made the Financial Times for the first time in the history of the company. We made the Financial Times. They spoke about this relationship and when I used to have people from the world of music come into my office, I told them, you're here because of that; that opened the world. That's why you're here today. And people look at this an

d take pictures. Famous people come to the office and take the pictures. So that's the story. But it's cool, because I feel like you opened a lot of doors because when we look at fashion and stuff like that, it was not common back in the days to see athletes wearing Louis V stuff, or you know, kind of stuff like that. When we look at fashion shows now, we can see a new relation between streetwear and luxe, like luxury, and I think it's a fu**ing good thing. I'm not so sure. About what? About the

luxury and streetwear. Are you saying that I'm wrong? - No! I think I have another point, -Tell me. because I think they didn't share the same values. Okay, back in the days? Yeah, no! Even now. Sometimes, no offence, luxury brands just want to... -The culture. Yeah, and hip hop culture is not the same as luxury. And the street culture is not the same as luxury. And it's the same problem in sneakers, you know? You have really good brands like LV and everything doing the same damn shoe than Nike

30 years ago. Okay. So I think there's a lot of opportunism in that and it was my other question: Do you think it's a good thing for the culture? No, but let's put it this way. If you say this about now, maybe I could say, okay, potentially. But back in the day... -In 2005, To be opportunistic? -That's crazy. No. It was a major risk-taking move. It could have gone either way. Nobody knew at the time what it would do. But were you afraid of failure? Zero. -Zero! No, no, because it was too... It'

s funny because my parents raised me with no music. No music? -Zero. They would listen to the radio, but not music per se. So the sound system was the worst of the worst. I said one day I'm going to make money and I'm gonna get huge speakers. I'm gonna put it so loud! It'll be perfect. Because I've always loved music. And for whatever reason, which I don't know, I was always drawn to black music. So for me, my youth was Motown and then the ----- Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool and the Gang, all this. B

ut it was black music. And for me, when I discovered hip hop, especially when I moved to the US; you have to understand that I spent hours and hours in studios with Jay, Damon, Biggs, Aaliyah... I was with them, How was it? Crazy. -Insane! And I said I felt that it was the right move to make. Right, okay. So, for me, I was not second-guessing myself. It was much more like, that's the normal path. Anyway, the experience of the studio is crazy. I love it. -It's crazy. Every time you go there, or e

very time I go there I want to be an artist. That's crazy. No. -Why? That's a different lifestyle, you know? But it's so good! The vibe is different. Can I share something which I saw recently already three times? The last Netflix on The Greatest Night in Pop. Yeah, with Michael Jackson. -Which is the birth, the birth, and Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones. The birth of We Are the World, Yeah. -In 1985. Is it on Netflix? -Yeah. That documentary, -I'm gonna watch it. I cry every time I watch it, I c

ry. Michael was the first person at the studios, right, or something? Yes. -I saw that part. Really?! -I cried. I totally agree that, at that time, it was not an opportunistic move, No. -It's easy to say it now. It's what you love. Because hip hop was what you loved at that time. But be honest; right now, do you think luxury and hip hop and street culture is genuine? I won't answer yes or no, because it's not a yes or no answer on this. What I can say is this: I started my career at Audemars Pig

uet wearing a three-piece suit and a tie, okay? And ended my career with a hoodie, okay? What I want to say is this: It's good news that these two worlds at some point met. For a good reason. Okay. Is it perfect all the time? No, but nothing is. -But it doesn't have to. But nothing is. But if, at the end, what it did is actually open many more doors or gates than ever before, and I do believe that the mix of these worlds is always more beneficiary than staying in your own fields anyway. On the b

ig picture, it's a win. And do you think it's an opportunity for diversity, and other persons in other worlds apart from luxury, to work in that industry or with that industry? Listen, we can talk about this. We don't know each other. We are meeting for the first time. And okay, I was making fun of him because he was wearing Richard Mille in the videos and not AP. But he said, I have AP, and I said, fine, that's good. So, he said, when can I get AP? Maybe instead of just asking to get AP, at one

point, these luxury brands will come to Africa. They will. Because they are not today. It's not the case now. No, they are not. -It's coming. They will, and at that time you're gonna be the king of that. Hello! So we have to do a 50/50/50/50/50. Ah! It's not opportunistic! It's really good, I think. I got one question about the tour for an artist. How do you handle pressure and the fact that you have to show up every single night? Because, for example, I don't know your last tour; you have over

... I don't know, maybe 50 dates or something like that. And when you have a stretch of like four shows in four days; you do one day Paris, the next day London, the other day Amsterdam. You can be tired after your first two shows. Very. But the fans from Amsterdam, they don't care about what you did two days ago and you still have to show up. Of course. -How do how do you handle it? I mean, I feel like... Well, with me, once I enter the stage, I just become a different person. Once I get in, onc

e I enter there and I'm seeing them shouting and going crazy... It's like adrenaline? So, even every time... So many times I'm tired, I'm exhausted. I don't even care if you're flying private, you're still going to be tired, you still in the air... Because we have to say, it happens. Yeah. Most times, you know, when I was younger... is easier now because I pace myself. When I was younger! -31 years old! Really?! Okay, when I was that age. Look at you, you're young! It's nothing personal. Nothing

personal. You have to add his age, her age, and then you get mine. These days... When I was younger, I'm performing for how long? 45 minutes? Right now my show is almost three hours. Wow. So I can't do the same things I was doing five years ago. Because me, I love partying. Back home I'm going out every night, like we go to eat, we lit every day we're gonna go partying, we're doing all that. Party for everything. It's all like that. -My dream. So I like parties, but it got to a point where I re

alised, hmm, I can't be doing the shows and going to parties. Doing the shows and going to parties. -It's impossible. I'd be throwing up backstage... And my manager would be like, You see? You have to slow down. You're not young anymore. So these days I kind of space it out, even if it's good money, some nights I'm like, we have five shows back to back; let's just take two after parties. You know, so the rest of the shows is a three-hour show, and it's so much more what we're doing. On my last s

how, I'm using like three stages. So I come out of one stage, I come down from the top, I start and I do Stage A. -Showtime. After I do Stage A, I run. and it's big arenas; 20,000 people. Run, come out, do Stage B. All this time I'm changing, changing clothes, getting clean. And you still have to remember the routine. You have this thing in your ears; so one ear is music, one ear they're telling you, yo, we're changing this song to this song, we got 45 minutes left. So you can't do all that drun

k or high... Because you have the same type of pressure, before, I don't know, the Fashion Weeks, -Fashion Weeks. stuff like that. Every fashion show. -Really intense. Every fashion show, and shooting. Specially because you still have to be pretty. That's a fact. -I'm trying. But yeah, it's really intense. Especially right now, we go from shows to events, to parties, that are actually work -And afterparties. But they are actually work. Like, sometimes you are actually invited by brands to do an

event somewhere, but you work the whole day. So it's kind of like you have to keep it up during the day and then during the night. So it's a, I'll say, a hard balance to keep to stay healthy. And especially during Fashion Week; I know that in most Fashion Weeks you end up getting sick because at some point your whole body shuts down. Can you say "I'm tired"? It depends; if it's a party that is not a brand. But most of the brands now they do parties. You see brands doing events. You can call it a

n event or a party, but it's work; you actually have to show up. you call your brand to get you ready, your stylist is getting you a look... Like you're actually getting into work. So usually it's part of the job, you know. So you just have to keep that balance again and try to be healthy as much as possible and keep it up. But your body shuts down sometimes, yes. And what's the most difficult part of your job? So for me, at the beginning of my career, I was young, younger-- I'm gonna slap these

three! I'm gonna slap them. I was younger, and you go into castings, and you have to be chosen, right? You have to be liked. So it's competition. You can call it competition; it depends how you see things. It is. -Yeah, but for me, I kind of changed that because it wasn't working for me. It's like you go into that place and you want to be... It's like you want to be good enough. So I had to change that mentality because I don't want to compete with my friend that is sitting next to me. We're di

fferent. If they choose you, good, if they choose me, good. But at the beginning of my career I was kind of feeling like, Okay, I didn't get the job, who got my job? But it was never mine, you know? You have to kind of dissociate yourself and be like, if it's yours, it's gonna be you. You're good enough, you're beautiful enough. Everybody in the world is beautiful, and they're going to pick the person they're looking for. And to keep that confidence, I think is the hardest. Especially at this st

age. -Because you can be... You're kind of judged on how you look from the outside. You have two seconds in the room to actually show your book. But at the end, they cannot judge you for anything else than how you looked. So it's kind of hard to keep telling yourself that you're good enough, that you beautiful enough and that's okay. And if you're not chosen it's just that they were looking for another profile. I'm me; nobody can be me. If you're looking for me, I'm right here. If you're looking

for someone else I cannot change. But when you start that job, sometimes you kind of feel like, oh, maybe I should have kept my hair, or I should have done this or I should have be more like her... No! Keep being you, do you! Do you! If they want you, they're gonna come and get you. So it's hard to find that balance and I feel like my team really helped with that. Like my agent, Dominique Savri, and my stylist, Michael Carpin, they're really part of my team and they kind of help me also build m

y confidence up. And be like, it's good, you're good. Even if you don't get that job, even if that door closed. You just have to not give up on you, and your team, and your work. But it's interesting because I have a question for you. You are part of a team, but your teammates are also sometimes... You have a partner who is playing at your position. -Position. So, how do you manage to have the good energy, the good mindset and the good relationship with them? The confidence. -Yeah. No, it's diff

erent because, when I look at your job, for example, it's more about other people's perception. It's not about you. -Really, yeah. But as an athlete, it's about what you're going to do-- Performance. -Yeah, it's performance. It's gonna be about the performance. -It's plain. And it's about you. And for me, there is concurrency in sport. There is concurrency in modelling, there is concurrency in the watch industry, in music industry. it's just about trying to be the best version of yourself. Yeah,

that's what I was about to say. The difference is that you are all in the team. It's not individual. But at the end of the day it's a mix of individuals. I feel like if, during a game, all the players can reach their best, at the end of the day if we play against a better team, what can we say, you know what I'm saying? It's just about being the best version of yourself. And yeah, that's it. Yeah, I feel like we have to kind of kill that competitions mindset. But it's important also. I get it b

ecause you guys all have to... You have to find the balance. Guys, I got it, but I feel like, if you kind of, like-- Shut down a little bit? No, it's not about this. If you compete with yourself, there is no end to it. You're always gonna have to improve, right? My mental coach told me one time, you have to look in the mirror. This is your own competition. That's it exactly! It's just about you. I heard that in the movie. -Yeah? Yeah. -It's possible. But it's so true, though. It's really true. I

t sounds like... -Cliche. But that's right. You are your worst enemies. Also, yes! Don't you agree, my dear? Not exactly. -No? Because as much as you want this, and in fact I respect that. But also competition outside, whether it's outside in your own team or outside from another team, -It drives you. or another brand, or another model, or whatever, -Whatever industry. it pushes you to the best of you, no matter what. -That's true. And if you had zero competition, eventually, slowly but surely,

you will start to go down. Because you learn from the competition. And you can see things from the competition that you will say, Okay, this, I don't, this, wow! They do this. Now I've got another idea. And you need to learn from all those type of things because this is very subtle. That's true, that's right. It's not a one size fits all, where there's only one way of looking at it, -It's a mix of everything. But anything, when you're successful in life competition is extremely key. You want com

petition. -Learn from the competition, but keep the emotions out of it, maybe. Your emotions? No, like, learn from the competition, be like oh, that person did better than me; what can I do to do better? But keep your emotions; don't hate the person. Yeah, sure. -Exactly. Wow, sometimes, they are...! But I feel like you can look up to people, that you can admire their path, but at the end, you still have your own. You're not taking something out from them, no? -You think so? Sometimes. -A little

bit. Sometimes you have to take it from them, to have yours. -Of course. I don't like it. I just don't like it. -To create your own team. In our sport it can happen, for example. If you look at another player in your position, he is maybe better than you in passing. You're going to be like, okay, if I want to be a better player, maybe I'm not gonna be able to reach his level, but if I can improve a little bit, I'm going to be a better player. Yeah, but it's still about you, then. It's always ab

out you, but you have to look at other people too. But I want to say something; you mentioned something which I don't agree with at all. At all? -At all! What is it? -You're gonna see where I'm going with this. She said earlier that okay, she's beautiful, but everybody is beautiful. -That's not what I said. And to this I'm going to make a real statement because we obviously know each other and I say, no, no, Cindy. Some others are not beautiful they wat you are. Because since we've met for the f

irst time, this wonderful lady, -I was a baby. she is as beautiful inside as she is outside. And that's the important. -And that makes a huge difference. Because, since I've met her the first time she hasn't changed one bit, and she's a very... You see what she wants? I want to compete, I want... she wants to be nice with everyone. She's very loving as a person. But that makes me respect you even more. But don't you think sometimes you have to be a little bit... Feisty? Sure. Me? Sure! But you c

an keep your heart. -Always. It's about your value. Yeah, it's important even in business. But there was something else which was mentioned in different ways since we started, which is also extremely important for people to understand: She started with her agent, stylist, management; he started with friends, his own producers, everything. You never ever succeed alone. Alone. -Never. But never! You could be as talented as you are, you could be as hard working as you are; you don't reach high leve

ls without people around you. Yeah, sure. -Ever. Even if it's an individual thing. Completely. -Completely, yeah. Because I got one question: do you look at, for example, top charts? Do I look at it? -Yeah. Of course! And do you look at it for recognition, or just to be like, okay, let's see where I'm at. Because how do you get it? Because that's the question. If you're a second, what's gonna be...? I'm always, I'm always first, so I can't... -Okay, okay. Not, but listen. I know how it feels to

be-- -No, that's a fact. I know how it feels to be number one, -Number two. and come down and go back and come down and go back. But that's the fun of it. Because you lose it and you're like, I'll go back to get it. And this happens; I've had that situation like three times in my career. So yes, I look at the charts; I want to be number one. Are you scared sometimes that you could at some point go down, -Yes. a little bit, and not ever come back? Yes. -Yeah? You know, -Do you have that feeling?

I tell people this all the time. I've been with, I don't want to mention names, people that I idolised. -Back in the day I was crazy about them. Like, I used to shake like when I see them. And you're better than them now. So one day, I don't... We went somewhere, okay. And I was like, people going crazy. Like I'm not even looking at... -At the money...? Back in the old time, that would be me. So I always say to myself, and I tell my friends, the day I notice that something is shaking somewhere,

It was a good run. -Thanks for everything. I enjoyed my life, you know. I don't want to force it. It's funny to talk about retirement, because in our team-- Retirement, here we go again! Third time! No, because it's important to think about it, because as an athlete, as a top model or whatever you do, at some point it's gonna be finished. And in my team we've got Toni Kroos, one of the best midfielders ever, and he's playing such a high level this season. And he just has a one-year contract. So

after each season he can decide if he wants to stop or not. But as I said, he is so, so good. And when you talk to him now, he is like, maybe I can stop at the end of this season. Why? Because I want to finish at the top. And that's hard to understand, but at the end of the day, I feel like he is also right, because being Davido, for example, and stopping when you are here, for your ego is different. And there's something, that people remember what's happened last. -Exactly. Yeah, not your entir

e career. -Exactly. Exactly. Even me; I was watching something the other day and I was like, wait, we did all this? Even you yourself, you forget. Sure. But even you, for example, because you stopped at the top. Yeah, but I don't see--I'm sorry. -No, go ahead. It doesn't feel like he stopped. It's like, life is long; No, he decided to stop. -Even if you jump from one project to another one, I feel like -It's opening a new chapter. It's a new chapter. Yeah, but at the end of the day... Listen, th

ere was my biggest lesson, and it took me a long time to understand why, I failed in school, I failed in golf, and I succeeded in business. It took me 59 years to understand. as a big CEO of a huge French company who's number one in the world in their category, told me one day: a business is a mountain without a summit, okay? At sports, yes, at some point you cannot play any more at the highest possible level because your body will actually be too old to keep going and to keep the momentum. At s

ome point, less and less now, in your field, okay? You could go further, but at some point, yes, it's gonna stop. In business, it lives even after you're gone. After you're gone, the business still exists, or it's another business, so it never stops. And when I finally understood that, I said, I got it now. Every time I was exposed to an absolute deadline, failure. Every time there was no risk because it never stops, basically; you can still play the game of business, the sky's the limit. And th

e second you start to think in your mind that the sky's the limit, then there is no risk per se. There are no limits anymore. It's a free ride. And you can just go, and go, and go. Because even if you fail, and you will fail with your career, -You still can bounce back. you don't die. You don't die. You always come back. And that was the biggest lesson. Do you think you always come back? Absolutely. If you want to, if you keep going. You always come back; some people don't. I'm not that sure, I'

m not that sure. But that depends if they give up. If they give up. Life in general. Ah, no. Wait, wait. Different story. You're talking about business. Different story; I'm talking about business. Even if you change from one company to the other, the business itself. -Ah, okay, it remains the same. Not you, but business, yeah. It goes. So the reason why I decided to leave was because, first of all, when you reach almost sixty years old, you have to pay attention; you're gonna have so many more

years ahead of you in great shape. And I said I've got so many other things I want to do with my life. And I've learned so much from the incredible experience at AP that now it's my turn to reinterpret this, like creating a new sound almost, and say, now I know exactly what I want to do for me and the people which I love the most. You're next with me by the way. So did you figure what that's gonna be? Do you know what you're gonna do now? Absolutely. But you don't want to share. -No. Even on The

Bridge? -No. He's gonna tell me and I'm gonna tell you. Ah, yeah! I know, I'll start being your brother. We're here to share, so... Yeah, but not that. -Yeah, no. She knows it, she knows. Really? That's why I was saying that it's still a beginning. It's not the end. It's the end of something, obviously. But it's like a beginning of something else, -It's another chapter. which is incredible. It's not the end of the book. -Exactly. And I have a question, Davido. That, right now the music changes,

also with social media. Is it important for you? Oh, definitely. Now, if you want to drop a song, you have to know, okay, what are we doing for Tik Tok? Are we doing a challenge? It's just... -Trends. But really, you're a businessman. So if you come into my world, you're talking about numbers. Numbers don't lie. Yeah. If we didn't have the dance for Unavailable it wouldn't have been as big. You think so? -That's the truth! The dance made it bigger. Even in our dressing room, every time we liste

n to this song. So now there's so many aspects you have to... Before, all you had to do was mix and master, send it to the label, send it to radios, that's it. That's it. Now there's like 10 apps. There's Twitter, there's TikTok, there's Triller, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, YouTube Shorts... Yeah, a lot of things. Wait, wait; you are really saying that it's not even the music anymore? I mean, it's the music, but promotion, promotion. Sometimes, it's just a part of music, not the entire music,

going viral. Yes, sometimes it's just like 5 seconds. Right now, it's crazy. -It's crazy! Somebody who just sings for the first time in their life and have the biggest song in the world, right now. If it's just 5 seconds on TikTok. That's crazy. Does it change? Is it important in modelling, social media? Of course. -Oh yeah. Yeah. -Sure. So first of all, it kind of opened the voices for the models, of being someone and not just an image that we see on magazines. So now we actually can talk to a

public and to an audience. And then obviously it's selling. So when your platform is big, however big, but you can sell, -It helps. It helps, yeah, because that's my job. My job is actually to sell a product. I feel like I'm blessed with a very nice community and I really feel the support from the people that follows me. What do you want to share with your community? Apart from modelling. -Most of it is work, let's be honest. -Yeah. But I think Stories kind of help us show more. Like families, m

oments... You know it's going to disappear, so you don't really pay too much attention. You're showing a little bit more of your life, of who you are, what you fight for, the charity you support... That's what I like to use it for. -Your book? You did a book. -My book, yeah. Being able to share with my community my story, my childhood, was very special for me. Okay, what was the most important to share in your book and social media about your book? About my book? For years, I was unable to talk

about my story. It took me years to actually call it... to have a name, like a title, kind of, and be like, okay, we were victims of domestic abuse. Having that made a whole difference. So when I started, even in my modelling career, I hadn't really worked on my past to actually heal, but to even be able to talk about it. So I was like in the silence. We had the taboo in my family. And that's how it was. Then I started my life, I was growing up, I felt strong, I went to New York, I was a woman,

right? And one day I went back to the South of France, and I met that man that was my stepfather in a restaurant. And the little kid came back. I was afraid, scared... The whole feeling came back. I was like, whoa. For me it was like, how? It's like if I forgot about it. But it was still here inside. It was another life. -Yeah. And I was like, how? I'm a grown-up woman, I live in New York and I went to reach my dream, and I'm here, just like a kid being scared again. So something kind of clicked

in my head. I was like, let me do something. So the "something" came with, let me find a charity that I can support around that topic. So I found the charity in France whose name is Solidarity Femme. They have the national number 3919 and I met with them. I wasn't talking about my story at all, but I was like, I have a platform, I have an Instagram. Maybe I can talk about your charity. Let me do something. It was really like, I want to help; I don't know how, but maybe I can talk about it and b

ring awareness to that topic. And it really started like this and then I met with them. I met with the people that receive the calls from the victims. And I asked them a million questions. I just I was thirsty for getting to understand the topic. Even though I went through it, it's like if I didn't understand. I didn't have the reason, I didn't have a why, a what, and getting to meet professionals and people that experienced it even like victims and survivors, I kind of connected with my story.

I was like, whoa, that's exactly how it happened. Oh, that's called verbal abuse. That's called psychological abuse. They have a name. And slowly, slowly it was my healing process. Until a moment that I was like... It was crazy because it was during COVID and I was with my mom and my sister. We went back to living together. Something that never happened since we left the abuse. So even before, when we were still in the toxic environment, I was with my mom and my sister we never talked about it a

nd one day I opened up the subject and I'm like, yo, it's crazy what we went through, right? Just like... -Just randomly. Yeah, randomly, like, by the way, it's kind of fucked up. Then we kind of laughed about it. Then we started to have little conversations during COVID. I was like, yeah... I don't know it was really random and uncomfortable, but we started talking about it. It was important. It was important to have that moment. And then, I don't know what went through my mind and I was like,

Mom, would you like to write your story? That's how it happened. I was like, do you want to talk about it? Maybe we can do something, you have so much to share. People need to hear it. We can bring awareness, we can talk about it. There's so much to do. And she was like... She was okay. She was like, yeah, sure! I think she didn't really understand what it meant. She was like, yeah, sure. But she said yes. And a few months after COVID, I mean, a few months after the first confinement I called he

r and I was like, so are you still down to it? Let's do this, I can ask you a few questions that I found online on how to write your autobiography It was like really random. And I gave her those three questions that were just simple like, are you ready to talk about it? Who do you want to address your book to? Simple questions. I call her at nighttime. And she's like crying, like super in bad shape, and I'm like, whoa, that's not what I wanted. I thought it was okay, but maybe not. And I'm like,

you know what, I'm gonna do it myself. Because I feel like I didn't want to put on her the weight of it. I didn't want to have that responsibility, but I felt like I could hold it onto my shoulders You were able to share. Yeah, I was like, so I'm gonna do it myself. And I did it. And it was hard, it was difficult. But I was well surrounded. And the feedback kind of gave me the strength. When I was going down, I had someone telling me that it helped them or that what I was saying resonated with

what they experienced. Every time I was going back up and so it was just like this and, like that, I think I'm writing to my healing process deal. Maybe not done yet. But I made it. It helps to share. -It did! And I feel like, hearing survivors talk about what they went through, kind of like opened my own mouth, you know? That kind of gave me the strength to talk myself. And I felt like that's what I want to do. I want to talk so you are able to talk and you're able to talk. And even some of my

friends that I'm really close with, we never talked about this before. And after I wrote my book, they came to me and they explained to me everything that they went through that was very similar to what I went through. And so I know it helps; the more we talk, I don't know, there's this energy that just goes around. Even when I was reading your book, because I faced off some domestic abuse with my stepfather, I never talk about that. But I was really emotional when I was reading, because I was l

ike, it's what I lived. It was that. So I think it's really important to have a voice to share that with a lot of people. Yeah, yeah. Hopefully it can help. And you know, bringing awareness is so important, because the domestic abuse, when we see it from the outside, it feels like it just happened straight, like this, right? And you have many thoughts about it. But the truth is that, when love gets in the middle, and it goes slowly, slowly, you don't even see it. That's the crazy part. And even

at 40. -Yeah! You can realise, at that time, it was not okay, not cool. You normalise what is happening, you justify it, and then you're actually not realising that you're a victim. Like, with my mom, it took us so long to actually realise that this is not okay. We are victims of domestic abuse. It took us years. And that's the crazy part, because it goes, it comes, and you normalize it, and then you're like, it's not so bad, you know? Like you don't see how you think-- And you can't see in othe

r families if it's the same thing or not. You can't realise when you are in it. I think the most difficult part is to realise that it's not okay. Yeah, completely, and get help. I think we need to go in and get the help. Because sometimes it's really hard to leave by yourself. So that was really important to share that, and I thank you for it. And congrats because that's so powerful. Thank you. On that note... After that... So... No, but I think it was important to talk about it. Sure, it's impo

rtant to share, and even the people who are watching maybe it can help them. So we have to share. -That's the goal. Everything is not perfect in our life. And in the life of people who succeed. Nothing is perfect, right? Well, I will write a book, I will write a book at some point. You will write a book too? -Sure I will. About your life? About my life in general, but there will be a chapter dedicated to the dark side of success. Oh! What is the dark side of success? From Star Wars? No, no. But

first of all, how do you evaluate success? You feel it. Success is not about a number that you see on a spreadsheet. Why? -It could, but that's nothing. Maybe not for you. No, but for me, success is based on how you bring people together, how you improve people's lives, potentially, also, through the course of your career, how people react to what you decide every single day to make the company look different. But eventually, first of all, everybody knows that, when you're at a very high level,

you're alone. You can say it in any way, shape or form, but you are alone at some point. That's one, and the second thing is, and I'm gonna give a perfect analogy to who you are and where you are today in football: When you reach a success level, which is important, like we did at AP, and you'll have a lot of new people joining. It's like, imagine that you join Real Madrid you haven't played one game yet, okay? But you already behave like you won 14 Champions Leagues. Oh, that's a fact. -Okay? A

nd if you behave like this when you haven't even put the jersey on, or even score one goal or whatever, you're wrong. And you see many people like this when they join companies; they don't embrace the culture, they do not actually take the time to learn from the people who have been already there that brought the business to where it is until now. And you want to tell those people, guys, you have to prove yourself. You have to understand you joined a major name. As a Real Madrid player you have

to embrace the institution. Exactly. -That's different. Yeah, but that's-- -That's different, you know? You didn't win the 14 Champions Leagues, but you have to embrace the institution: the way you behave, the way you talk to people the way you play. -But you cannot act like you've won the Champions League. -No! You're right. -Okay. And in business you start to see those people and say, but wait, you haven't done anything yet. So calm down. One. The second thing is that you start to see things f

rom within. People want a part of the sun and sometimes people don't react to success the way we should react to success. Because success, what is it, exactly, you know? A personal story. We reached at some point a certain level in the company. And we could have said that was a milestone. We could have said, oh, that's perfect. We could have said that's a victory. That's our Champions League. It was one of the saddest times of my life. Really? -Yeah. Because I was losing the vibe that took us th

ere. Yeah. -Yeah. It was not the same feeling. It's like going in front of the keyboard or something and feeling empty when you know that you produce outstanding songs. And suddenly, -What's next? You say, but wait. And I've met a lot of major athletes in my career. And I will always remember Lebron James. When I told him, when you celebrate a victory, like an NBA final, how long do you celebrate? And you said, -One night. a few hours. Yeah. -But then the following day, you're back at it, becaus

e you want to keep the momentum going. And it's always the same thing in any business, no matter what it is. The path is always much better. -Yeah, because even when you climb a mountain, and you go to Mount Everest, you're at 8,000 metres. You think you're gonna stay there for four hours? No, you're gonna die. So you go there, -Take the picture. shoot a nice picture, out. But the whole path-- -The whole journey. is what gives you the reward. That's true. And that's where the dark side comes. Be

cause you start to see people say, wait, you haven't climbed anything yet? Wait, why are you acting this way? And the other thing is, do not ever forget where you come from and who you were. When you've built the momentum, in my case, one watch at a time, one person at a time. We had to beg, to beg for people to buy our watches 20 years ago. Beg them, no one wanted them. When we were selling a watch a week, it was like, ah! Champagne! And suddenly the world wants you, everybody wears your brand.

Everybody says you're the best. People tell you, oh, I love you, I love you so much. They don't. You think so? -They love... No, no. -They love-- I know you do. Yeah, because I love you, you know. Gotcha. -No, but you have that feeling of... you don't even know what's real and what's not real anymore. It's gone. And you start to have doubts. What am I in for? The people because of me, me, or just because of what I can provide? -That's a good topic. I want to know what you think about it Davido.

Because obviously you're a big, big artist. And you know, you have-- -No, no; huge, huge! You know, I was saying-- There is a big, big, big, huge! I told you he's my favourite Afrobeat artist, so you can say what you want. -I was telling somebody the other day, because I have a friend, very rich, and he's single. And every time I'm on the phone with my wife he'll be looking like, ah! He has everything in this world, but this is what he's missing. I met my wife before I had money. Before. But I

was saying to myself, if I didn't meet her, and now I was single and I met a girl, I already know. It's not gonna be the same. -Yeah. Yeah, I'm cool, but you're talking to me because I'm Davido and, you know, I have money. -Everything comes with it. Yeah, so that's why, to me, my own success is when I'm doing something and I'm seeing everybody around me: all these people around me were there when I was nothing. And they see you now. That's the sweet thing to me. Whether it's awards, whether it's

concerts, whether it's when I bought my first Rolls Royce. When I bought my first Rolls Royce I went there with my cousin that I remember all the time we used to talk about, I'm going to buy this! I'm going to buy this! And that's the feeling. Not that you blow up and you start hanging out with different people. You need to keep the people that were there with you, grinding. I wanna see the people that knew me as nothing. So now they see me as something as well. You know, you do something and I

go to my boy, like, yeah ni**a, I did it ni**a! I told you! -Yeah, we did it! And sometimes when my family members call me, it's just crazy; like, they could be stuck somewhere. They could be stuck in... Ireland. And they'll be like, ah, David, I just missed my flight, but I told them that I'm Davido's cousin and she's a big fan. Just show your face. And I'll show my face, new tickets! Even people that are far away from me but they're my blood. -That's funny, because the last time my mother too

k a flight and obviously we have the same name. So one person came to her and said, do you want to say hello to the pilots? She said, okay, no problem. And she spent the whole flight with the pilots, just chilling like that, and I was like, okay, I did something a little bit. -Amazing. That's how I feel with success. I just love having the people that were there with me at the beginning, Still around. Like, even when I do my shows; backstage at my shows all people that's working there are basica

lly my family. Like my cousins do my logistics, pampering, my managers I've known them from when we were kids. My PA has been with me since I was 13 years old. But sometimes you can meet good people late in your life. Yeah, as well. -You do. You can know somebody for 30 years and the one time you do something bad, you're the worst person. But I've been blessed to have good people around me for a long time. And don't forget, it follows a bit what you were talking about a bit earlier, but if you t

hink about it, if I could stop a 1000 people in the streets right now, and I put all of them in their deathbed, okay? And I tell them you're going to age old to 99 years old. You keep your full mental capacities. I'm gonna ask you just one question. You know, you have five minutes to live, your full brain capacity. Tell me what you want to say. No one's going to talk about a business that they didn't achieve. No one's going to talk about a goal that didn't score, a fashion show or brand they did

n't get, the x billion or million that they didn't get, or the extra song. Five minutes to live, if you're a normal human being the only thing you're gonna talk about is the love. The love that you didn't give enough or that you receive so much, but you will talk about the people that matters to you the most no matter what it is. And if you keep that in mind every day, whether you're 31, okay? A very old 31! Whatever, you never forget. At the end, as cheesy as that could sound, that's the truth

right there. The rest is fun, challenging, sometimes you get down, you go up and always keep in mind that what's gonna matter the most at the end is the connection you make to people that will stay with you sometimes for 5, 10 or 20 plus years. The real treasure in life, that's what it is. And I can talk like this because I'm older than all of you guys. Not so much ! Not so much, but I think we can finish on it. Family over everything, that's it. Love is everything. I definitely received some ni

ce gems from you guys. Definitely you guys, too. It was nice. -It was nice. And Davido, don't forget now: we know where you live. Thank you guys. Stop wearing Richard Mille. Yeah, man, no more! Thank you. -Thank you. See you in the next episode.