It is without doubt that Dare Art Alade and Deola Art Alade have secured their place as Nigeria’s latest entertainment power couple.
The singer and show host, 41, and producer cum design expert, 39, have seen their star power and net worth skyrocket, thanks to their unlikely championing of one of Nigeria’s 360 creative agencies, Livespot360 group.
Deola found fame in the hugely popular interior design industry, while husband cum partner Darey’s launch into international limelight began with his excellent performance as a contestant on Project Fame Africa in 2004, making him one of Nigeria’s leading RnB stars. The power couple have gone ahead to make a success of their individual career as a trained music graduate of the University of Lagos and a trained Graphics expert from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
But it is their off-screen ventures that have attracted increasing attention. And in 2023, they come top as the biggest entertainment power couple in Nigeria.
Both witty, charming and talented, the couple have managed to create an empire, from their canny investments and individual successes.
The pair also count many of showbiz’s most famous faces as their closest friends, helping to elevate their image.
A look at the soaring success of the power couple and how they managed to ascend to the big leagues.
Family Life
Darey and Deola tied the knot on February 17, 2007. The lovely couple have two children – Femi, 16, and Tinuke Alade, 11 – and the couple are clearly determined to raise their family far from the glitz, glamour and buzz of the Nigerian entertainment and showbiz world.
“I mind my business there are just too many things to do. The distractions are everywhere and over the years I have been actively involved in growing our business, music career and raising my family,” Darey said in a 2018 interview.
In the same interview, Deola explained that the family understands that Darey is in the spotlight and the family remains behind him rather than dragging the glamour of stardom with him. “He, Darey, is the star so we allow him to be the star and we are behind him and that’s fine. I am a private public person and this is why you don’t get to see me everywhere. Some people are all over the place, but I am not. I only show up where I need to and when I am not at work, I go back to my house and I am okay.”
On what has kept the marriage strong in the last 17 years, Darey said their friendship and keeping it all within the family has made their bond stronger.
“Friendship. And not pushing our business out there. I’m the king, she is the queen. In as much as we push each other, we encourage each other, we support each other, and she is one of the most brilliant minds that I’ve ever met, and I’ve met a lot of people in my lifetime, but nobody like her.
“She really is one of a kind, especially when it comes to seeing things that you don’t see. Sometimes, you need that eagle eye, you need someone who can see as far, wide as even you can’t possibly see, and once you have someone like that, it balances things out. Where she is weak, I am strong, where I am weak, she is strong; we complement each other like that and I think it is what we carry everywhere, especially in the work environment. Normally, couples do not work together, especially in this country. Cultural barriers maybe, and so many other reasons why that doesn’t happen. As luck would have it, it has never been an issue for us,” he said in a 2018 interview.
Darey and Deola have been close for over two decades, often being seen going on holidays together. Despite their age difference, the couple have remained steadfast and committed to their union and family.
Star-Studded Friendship Circle
The couple spend most of their time between their home, situated on highbrow Victoria Island, and their offices – Livespot360 group situated on Remi Fani-Kayode Ave, Ikeja GRA, Lagos and the luxurious Livespot Entertainment Centre known as Livespot Entertarium, situated on Oba Elegushi Beach Rd, Lekki Phase I, Lekki.
The Art-Alade couple are very well connected, counting many fellow celebrities as close pals. The creation of their Livespot360 group has given the couple an edge over many entertainment couples while raking in tens of millions and positioning the Nigerian and African entertainment industry to bite from Africa’s US$62.67m entertainment industry.
Every Nigerian entertainer wants to be in the good books of the Art-Alades because they control an unimaginable share of the Nigerian entertainment industry.
The couple are also tight with fellow celebrity power couple including Banky W and Adesuwa Etomi, Olu and Joke Silva.
Unknown to many, one of the recurring faces in the Art Alade family is Ayeni Adekunle, a Nigerian entrepreneur, writer, and published author. He is known for founding Black House Media Group, ID Africa, Plaqad amidst other media platforms. Ayeni is close to the family and handles the couple’s media influence. The couple have been with Ayeni since the inception of their marriage till date.
Business Venture and Success
As a team, Darey and Deola have gone to make a success out of their Livespot360 group.
After kicking off, Livespot360 group has been able to turn consumers into fans and advocates by merging entertainment and marketing. The company has put together some of Nigeria’s most remarkable experiential and digital marketing campaigns and concerts in recent times.
Between 2014 and 2016, Livespot360 was responsible for Darey Art Alade’s ‘Love Like a Movie,’ which saw in attendance some of the world’s top celebrities – Kim Kardashian, Kelly Rowland, and Ciara. ‘Love Like a Movie’ has been voted one of Nigeria’s best music concerts of all time.
In December 2017, Livespot handled production, experiential marketing and digital engagement of Falz’s debut concert tagged The Falz Experience which was later described by Nigerians as “The Best Music Concert of 2017”.
Other laudable projects include the Livespot X Festival, Entertainment Week Lagos, Born in Africa Festival (BAFEST), The Voice Nigeria Season 3, Disney’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Africa Premiere, Amazon Studios’ Last One Laughing, Real Housewives of Lagos, Netflix Blood Sisters Premiere, Fenty Beauty Africa launch, among many others.
Livespot360 has gone beyond the borders of entertainment to work with leading brands such as Airtel for its ‘Data Life’, ‘Smart Connect’ and ‘By Your Side’ campaign, GTB’s Fashion Weekend, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Heineken, World Economic Forum, First Bank and so many more providing integrated marketing solutions.
In a recent interview, Deola hinted that the establishment of the creative collective is to alter the world around her with creativity and true to her words, Livespot360 is doing just that.
Though the couple’s net worth is unknown, it is believed that it runs into hundreds of millions of Naira.
Given the couple – who have two young children – were previously estimated to be wealthy from their individual careers as a singer and interior design expert, the creation of their Livespot360 group has doubled their fortune over the years.
Even when many didn’t quite expect their Livespot360 to grow to become a billion-Naira outfit, entrepreneurial Deola has an impressive track record of putting Darey’s fame and stardom to commercial use. Little wonder they created a record with Darey Art Alade’s ‘Love Like a Movie’ that has been voted one of Nigeria’s best music concerts of all time.
So while Darey drives the company’s creative vision, Deola is the design expert who oversees Livespot’s activities and makes strategic decisions that have helped the couple grow the outfit.
Since proving their expertise with the integrated Communications and marketing firm, the couple have gone ahead to produce some of the best content for streaming platform, Showmax.
Showmax’s leading franchises, Real Housewives of Lagos and Real Housewives of Abuja are two of the Art Alade couple’s biggest achievements on television.
The success of the two shows have further increased the social and economic capital of the couple and further placed them a notch higher than their peers.
