Darey joins the Pitcher Awards 2025 Entertainment Jury lineup

Renowned creative entrepreneur and entertainment executive Darey Art Alade has been named a jury member for the Pitcher Awards 2025, a prestigious Pan-African celebration of creativity.

Now in its 8th edition, the Pitcher Awards will take place on May 17, 2025, as the highlight of the Pitcher Festival of Creativity, an annual event that honors outstanding work in marketing, advertising, media, PR, digital, entertainment, and related fields. The festival serves as a benchmark for creative excellence across Africa and the diaspora, recognizing groundbreaking campaigns and initiatives that shape the industry.

Dare Art Alade—professionally known as Darey—is a visionary creative entrepreneur, entertainment executive, and multiple award-winning Afro-Soul/R&B artist, MC, radio and TV presenter, and show host. With a career spanning nearly three decades, his influence extends across music, media, experiential marketing, and entertainment production.

As the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Livespot360, a culture-driven creative company, Darey has played a pivotal role in shaping Nigeria’s entertainment and creative landscape. He has led groundbreaking experiences, brand activations, and major media productions that push the boundaries of multiformat entertainment.

Under his creative direction, Livespot360 has delivered world-class concerts, festivals, TV productions, and immersive brand experiences for some of the biggest global names, including Amazon, Disney, Nestlé, Fenty, Nickelodeon, Meta, Multichoice, MTN, NBC Universal, Heineken, Netflix, Access Bank, and the NBA, among many others.

Darey has also produced and curated some of Nigeria’s most ambitious entertainment projects, including Love Like A Movie, a first-of-its-kind immersive concert experience featuring global superstars like Kim Kardashian, Ciara, and Kelly Rowland; Born In Africa Festival (BAFEST), a landmark cultural festival celebrating African music, art, film, and fashion; Livespot X Festival, a multi-day entertainment experience headlined by international and local stars; and Entertainment Week Lagos (EWL), launched in 2022 as an annual convention bringing together global and local industry leaders to shape the future of music, media, tech, and entertainment in Africa.

Beyond large-scale events, Darey has helped redefine African storytelling for a global audience. He has spearheaded some of Nigeria’s biggest TV productions, including The Real Housewives of Lagos, one of Nigeria’s most successful reality franchises, and the Nigerian adaptation of the hit international comedy format, Last One Laughing (LOL) Naija, for Prime Video.

Since gaining continental recognition as the runner-up on Project Fame in 2004, Darey has become one of Nigeria’s most celebrated Afro-Soul/R&B artists, songwriters, and music producers.

His critically acclaimed albums—From Me 2 U, unDAREYted, Double Dare, and Way Home—have sold millions of copies worldwide, earning him a loyal fanbase across Africa and beyond.

With a catalog of timeless hits such as Escalade, Carry Dey Go featuring Afro-pop legend 2Baba, Not The Girl, and the powerful anthem Pray For Me featuring the multiple Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, the multi-platinum artist has cemented his status as one of the most influential musicians of his generation. His music and artistry have also received multiple awards and nominations, including the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), Channel O Awards, World Music Awards, The Headies, and the Nigerian Music Awards.

Darey, in the course of his career, has performed alongside some of the world’s biggest music and entertainment icons, including Beyoncé, Wizkid, Jay-Z, Ciara, Cardi B, Burna Boy, Kelly Rowland, Sean Paul, Usher, R. Kelly, Akon, and Lionel Richie. His impact extends beyond the stage, as he has also been an influential media personality, serving as a judge and host on platforms such as Project Fame West Africa, Nigerian Idol, and The Voice Nigeria. In 2021, he was a coach on The Voice Nigeria (Season 3), where his contestant won the competition.

Respected for his excellence as a master of ceremonies, voice-over artist, and media figure, Darey continues to shape the entertainment industry through his vast expertise and creative ingenuity.