Yinka Davies

Yinka Davies Biography / Profile

Yinka Davies was born to a Benin Republic/Sierra Leone Father from the Lisabi clan (although his mother is from the Shagamu royal family in Nigeria) and a mother from Ikorodu in Lagos state. Her father was an Aeuronatic Engineer with the Nigerian Airforce and as a result of his job had to move from place to place. Her parents were divorced and she was partly raised by her grandmother as her father was almost always away. She is the first of five Children.

Yinka Davies Age

Yinka Davies is 54 years old.

Yinka Davies Early Life

She stopped schooling at Secondary level due to her love for the theatre even though she admits she would have stopped before completing her secondary education if not for the insistence of her Principal. She was passionate about Sculpture and Painting and had once heeded Bassey Effiong's call to paint the stage for the performance of Efua Sutherland's play titled 'Marriage of Anansewa'. Her father encouraged her love for the Arts advising her at age nine to follow her dreams. Growing up, she was interested in the type of music her parents listened to like Makossa and Afrobeat.

Yinka Davies Career

At the age of 15, she left her grandmother's house because she wanted to become an actor as this was her first passion after chancing upon a stage play in 1986 at a class excursion to the National Theatre. She cleaned and scrubbed floors just to remain in the theatre and she soon began to get roles.

Between 1986 -1988, she tried to carve out a career as a painter with teachers like the renowned sculptor, Bisi Fakeye and Biodun Lakun who taught her how to paint.

She joined Alex O in 1988 but hated the kind of music she was making because it was 'too shallow', 'too bland', 'too flighty' and lacked depth and she wanted a change of scene. So when she met Bisade Ologunde, producer of Lagbaja and the Colours band, for the first time, she felt that she was doing music that she loved. Music that had depth, originality and was addictive. Bisade Ologunde introduced Yinka to the world of live music and broke open her talents as a lyricist and arranger. Yinka became the first female lead vocalist with Lagbaja ans performed many live shows with the band.

After recovering from her accident, Yinka returned to the stage on 21st June 1995, performing at numerous concerts in and out of the country and in 1997, went on tour to Europe where she performed at many festivals.

She has a brand named 5 and 6 and performs many shows and concerts around the country. In 2017, she teamed up with Terry Ogubor to create a unique body of work titled Motherland.

She is a Judge on the reality show, Nigeria Idol.

Yinka Davies Personal Life

On 21st Jan 1994, Yinka Davies was involved in a car accident while strolling back home from her rehersals on a road along Yoruba Tennis Club in Onikan leaving her with a slight limp. It was after this accident that she completely embraced music and has never stopped singing since then.

Yinka believes that a Woman must be seen, heard and respected and she wants to be remembered as a Nigerian who is constantly seen, heard and respected. She is a single mother of two boys.

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