MORGANABLE LIFE & CULTURE / MUSIC
Kirk Franklin has joined forces with Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido on “Hope In You,” a gospel song that brings two different musical worlds together.
Akure —
Kirk Franklin has joined forces with Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido on “Hope In You,” a gospel song that brings two different musical worlds together.
The track appears on Franklin’s new double album, “I Am What I Am,” which arrived on October 30, 2026.
The collaboration gives listeners a meeting point between Franklin’s choir-led gospel sound and Davido’s melodic Afrobeats style.
Rather than treating the partnership as a brief guest appearance, the song places both artists within a track built around faith and encouragement.
It also reflects Franklin’s long-running interest in taking gospel music beyond traditional genre boundaries.
“Hope In You” runs for three minutes and 27 seconds. Davido contributes a melodic verse, while Franklin anchors the song with his gospel approach.
The recording combines uplifting production with a steady bass-driven rhythm. Together, these elements create a sound that can appeal to gospel listeners.
The song was included on “I Am What I Am,” Franklin’s 14-track double album. The project contains seven studio recordings and seven live performances.
It was released through Fo Yo Soul Recordings and TRIBL Records, under an arrangement with Uptown Records.
The album gives Franklin room to present both polished studio collaborations and performances rooted in the live gospel tradition.
The studio section features several guests from different musical backgrounds. Alongside Davido, the album includes Jelly Roll, GloRilla and Tobe Nwigwe.
Meanwhile, the live recordings feature gospel singers Karen Clark Sheard and Tim Rogers. This mix shows how Franklin has brought artists from gospel, hip-hop, country and Afrobeats into one project.
The track had been previewed before the album reached streaming platforms. Franklin and Davido presented it during a listening event in Atlanta on October 12.
The early performance gave attendees an introduction to the collaboration ahead of its official release. The song then became available as part of the full album on October 30.
After the album’s arrival, the pair also performed “Hope In You” for the music platform From The Block.
The appearance offered audiences another opportunity to hear the collaboration outside the album recording.
It also helped bring the partnership to a wider online audience, particularly among listeners who follow Davido’s work.
For Davido, the collaboration adds another international connection to a career built around Afrobeats.
The Nigerian singer has developed a global audience through songs, live performances and collaborations with artists across different markets.
His participation in a gospel project places his voice in a setting that differs from many of his familiar releases.
However, the partnership does not represent a complete departure from Franklin’s musical approach.
The American singer, songwriter and producer has spent decades combining gospel with contemporary sounds.
His work has included elements of hip-hop, R&B and pop, while keeping faith and spiritual themes at its centre. As a result, the Davido collaboration follows a broader pattern in his career.
Franklin has often defended his decision to work with artists outside gospel music. His projects have attracted debate among some listeners who question whether collaborations with mainstream performers fit the genre’s traditional expectations.
Yet Franklin has argued that music can create opportunities to reach people who might not otherwise engage with gospel.
That debate has become part of the conversation surrounding “I Am What I Am.” The album features artists whose audiences and musical identities differ considerably.
For example, Davido brings an Afrobeats following, while Jelly Roll is associated with country and rap influences.
GloRilla represents contemporary hip-hop, and Tobe Nwigwe draws on rap and spoken-word performance.
The project therefore places gospel in conversation with several popular music styles. Still, the presence of these guests does not mean every track follows the same formula.
The album separates its studio recordings from its live performances, giving listeners two different presentations of Franklin’s music. This structure also highlights the importance of choir-led worship and live musicianship in his work.
Franklin’s career provides context for the album’s crossover direction. He became widely known through projects that brought choir arrangements and contemporary production to a broad audience.
Songs such as “Stomp” helped introduce gospel sounds to listeners beyond church and gospel radio. Over time, he continued to work with performers from different genres while maintaining his position in gospel music.
For Nigerian listeners, Davido’s appearance may be the project’s most immediate point of interest. His participation connects a major Afrobeats name with an established American gospel musician.
It also offers an example of how African popular music continues to enter collaborations across international genres. Such partnerships can introduce artists to audiences who may not regularly listen to their usual catalogues.
Nevertheless, the song’s longer-term impact will depend on how listeners respond to it and how the artists continue to present the project. Its release alone does not establish chart success or commercial performance.
Those outcomes will require reliable streaming, sales or chart data over time. For now, the confirmed development is the release of a new collaboration within Franklin’s latest album.
Ultimately, “Hope In You” brings together two artists with distinct musical backgrounds around a shared gospel setting.
Franklin contributes decades of experience in contemporary gospel, while Davido adds the sound and reach of Afrobeats.
Their partnership gives “I Am What I Am” an international dimension and creates a fresh connection between Nigerian popular music and American gospel.
With the album now available, listeners can hear the collaboration as part of Franklin’s wider musical statement.
The project does not limit gospel to one production style or guest list. Instead, it places live worship recordings beside studio tracks featuring artists from several genres.
Through “Hope In You,” Franklin and Davido offer a clear example of that approach, bringing their different audiences together through one song.
