# Belloved

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***Belloved*** is the debut [studio album](/source/Studio_album) by Nigerian singer [Korede Bello](/source/Korede_Bello). It was released on 11 March 2017 by [Mavin Records](/source/Mavin_Records) with no guest acts and features production handled by [Don Jazzy](/source/Don_Jazzy), [Cobhams Asuquo](/source/Cobhams_Asuquo), Altims, and Babyfresh. The album spawns eleven songs and three bonus tracks: "[Godwin](/source/Godwin_(song))", "Romantic", and "[Do Like That](/source/Do_Like_That)", which serve as the album's only singles.

## Background

In an interview with *[Premium Times](/source/Premium_Times)*, Korede Bello admitted that the album's title comes from his surname and the [Bible](/source/Bible) verse [Matthew 3:17](/source/Matthew_3:17).[1] He said the project covered about seven years of work.[1] He added that the album's ninth track, "Favourite Song", was written about ten years earlier, and he waited to record it until he chose the right producer, which led him to work with Cobhams.[1] Korede Bello revealed the title of the album on 15 February 2017 through his [Instagram](/source/Instagram) handle.[2] The track list for *Belloved* was revealed a day before its release.[3]

## Composition

*Belloved* features a blend of musical styles produced primarily by in-house Mavin producers, including Don Jazzy, Babyfresh, and Altims. The album incorporates elements of [dancehall](/source/Dancehall), as heard in "Let Him Go", which combines electronic synths with a laid-back bounce. "Butterfly" uses recurring motifs and showcases Korede Bello's pop sensibilities. Tracks like "If You Smile," produced by Babyfresh, offer a mix of [jùjú](/source/J%C3%B9j%C3%BA_music) and [pop](/source/Pop_music) influences. The album closes with "Favorite Song," "Good Time," and "Ese Baba," which are upbeat and engaging.[4]

## Singles

*Belloved* did not feature any singles, however, three pre-released songs that serves as bonus tracks were released. The first single, "[Godwin](/source/Godwin_(song))", was released on 28 January 2015. Produced by [Don Jazzy](/source/Don_Jazzy), it features lyrics that celebrate God's supremacy and power, highlighting that God is victorious in all aspects of human endeavors.[5] It was nominated for Hottest Single of the Year at the [2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards](/source/2015_Nigeria_Entertainment_Awards).[6] It was also nominated for [Song of the Year](/source/The_Headies_Award_for_Song_of_the_Year) and won [Best Pop Single](/source/The_Headies_Award_for_Best_Pop_Single) at [The Headies 2015](/source/The_Headies_2015).[7] It received a nomination for Song of the Year at the [2016 edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards](/source/MTV_Africa_Music_Awards_2016).[8] The second released single is "Romantic" featuring [Tiwa Savage](/source/Tiwa_Savage), which was released on 10 December 2015. Also produced by Don Jazzy, the song's release coincided with its official music video directed by Mr. Moe Musa and shot in [London](/source/London).[9] It was nominated for Collaboration of the Year at the [2016 Nigeria Entertainment Awards](/source/2016_Nigeria_Entertainment_Awards).[10] The Altims-produced third single "[Do Like That](/source/Do_Like_That)" was released on 13 September 2016.[11] It was certified gold in the [United States](/source/United_States) and [Canada](/source/Canada) on 23 September 2021 and 21 June 2022 respectively.[12][13]

## Critical reception

Joey Akan of *Pulse Nigeria* expressed that *Belloved* effectively caters to his diverse fan base with its thematic focus on love and romance, along with gratitude and reflection on his career journey. He noted that the album's variety in musical styles and engaging tracks like "Oh Baybe (Hermosa)" and "Favorite Song" showcase Bello's versatility. Akan concluded, "He succumbs to their demands on **Belloved**," rating the album 3.5 out of 5.[14] Enisan Daniel of *[tooXclusive](/source/TooXclusive)* noted that the album showcases a variety of sounds produced mainly by in-house producers, with [Cobhams Asuquo](/source/Cobhams_Asuquo) contributing to one track. Despite its diverse musical styles, Daniel concluded that "Korede Bello only showed how unready he is for a major project," rating it 3 out of 5.[15] Wilfred Okiche of *360nobs* noted that the album caters to his fan base with its familiar sound, but lacks excitement and variety. Okiche observed that while the album is suitable for a younger audience, it may not appeal to older listeners. He concluded, "Still there is a positive here, at least for young Bello. *Belloved* is the kind of music sensitive adults would encourage their wards to listen to."[16] Chiagoziem Onyekwena of *Filter Free* wrote that the album was built around a "squeaky clean image" and a "targeted" appeal to his fanbase, commending Korede Bello for finding "a middle ground between pop music and Yoruba folk sounds" while delivering songs driven by a "make the world a better place" outlook. He concluded that "Korede’s opus won’t be everybody’s cup of tea. But as long as his family, friends and fans are sipping it, he won’t have to worry about the non-Bellovers that prefer coffee – and Korede Bello, quite frankly, doesn’t need to," rating the album 53%.[17]

## Track listing

**Notes**

- Track 10 features additional vocals from the Bellovers, Korede Bello's fanbase.[18] It does not count as a real guest appearance.

## Personnel

Credits adapted from back cover.

- Altims — production (tracks 1 & 6)
- Baby Fresh — production (tracks 2, 3, 7, & 11)
- [Don Jazzy](/source/Don_Jazzy) — production (tracks 4, 5, 8 & 10)
- [Cobhams Asuquo](/source/Cobhams_Asuquo) — production (track 9)
- Korede Bello and [Fiokee](/source/Fiokee) — live guitar (tracks 2 & 10)
- Fiokee — live guitar (track 3 & 7)
- David Etimi — violin

## Release history

Release history and formats for Belloved Region Date Format Label Worldwide 11 March 2017 Streaming · digital download Mavin

## References

1. Augoye, Jayne (18 March 2017). ["INTERVIEW: Why I’m studying Journalism while singing — Korede Bello"](https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/music/226440-interview-im-studying-journalism-singing-korede-bello.html). *[Premium Times](/source/Premium_Times)*. Retrieved 4 December 2025.

1. Akin-Bankole, Feyikemi (15 February 2017). ["Finally! A Debut Album From Korede Bello"](https://culturecustodian.com/finally-debut-album-korede-bello/). *The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.)*. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. ["See the Tracklist for Korede Bello's Debut album "Belloved""](https://www.bellanaija.com/2017/03/see-the-tracklist-for-korede-bellos-debut-album-belloved/). *[BellaNaija](/source/BellaNaija)*. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Kpade, Sabo (16 March 2017). ["Korede Bello's New Album, 'Belloved,' Is Pop Excellence"](https://www.okayafrica.com/korede-bello-belloved-album-download/). *[OkayAfrica](/source/OkayAfrica)*. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. ["Korede Bello Releases "Godwin""](https://www.channelstv.com/2015/01/29/korede-bello-realeases-single/). *[Channels TV](/source/Channels_TV)*. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. O'Neill, Danielle (15 June 2015). ["The Nigeria Entertainment Awards Announce 2015 Nominees"](https://www.okayafrica.com/nigeria-entertainment-awards-nominees-2015/). *[OkayAfrica](/source/OkayAfrica)*. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Abisoye, Adeyiga (2 January 2016). ["Headies Awards 2015: Full List Of Winners"](https://www.channelstv.com/2016/01/02/headies-awards-2015-full-list-of-winners/). *[Channels TV](/source/Channels_TV)*. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Klein, Alyssa (22 October 2016). ["Here's the Full List of Nominees at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards in Johannesburg"](https://www.okayafrica.com/mtv-africa-music-awards-2016-nominees-mtvmama2016/). *[OkayAfrica](/source/OkayAfrica)*. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Boye, Don (10 December 2015). ["VIDEO PREMIERE: Korede Bello ft Tiwa Savage – Romantic"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160101102658/http://notjustok.com/2015/12/10/video-premiere-korede-bello-ft-tiwa-savage-romantic/). *[NotJustOk](/source/NotJustOk)*. Archived from [the original](http://notjustok.com/2015/12/10/video-premiere-korede-bello-ft-tiwa-savage-romantic/) on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. ["Nominations are Here! Find out who Made the 2016 Nigerian Entertainment Awards Nominees List"](https://www.bellanaija.com/2016/06/nominations-are-here-find-out-who-made-the-2016-nigerian-entertainment-awards-nominees-list/). *[BellaNaija](/source/BellaNaija)*. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Yhusuff, Al (13 September 2016). ["Korede Bello – Do Like That (Prod. By Altims)"](https://tooxclusive.com/songs/korede-bello-do-like-that-prod-by-altims/). *[tooXclusive](/source/TooXclusive)*. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Alake, Motolani (23 September 2021). ["Korede Bello's 'Like That' gets certified Gold in the US"](https://www.pulse.ng/articles/entertainment/music/korede-bellos-like-that-gets-certified-gold-in-the-us-2024081822503201581). *[Pulse Nigeria](/source/Pulse_Nigeria)*. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. ["Korede Bello's 'Do Like That' bags Gold Certification In Canada"](https://guardian.ng/arts-2/korede-bellos-do-like-that-bags-gold-certification-in-canada/). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian_(Nigeria))*. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Akan, Joey (13 March 2017). ["Korede Bello celebrates fan love on "*Belloved*" album"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170318162700/http://pulse.ng/reviews/pulse-album-review-korede-bello-celebrates-fan-love-on-belloved-album-id6361903.html). *Pulse Nigeria*. Archived from [the original](http://pulse.ng/reviews/pulse-album-review-korede-bello-celebrates-fan-love-on-belloved-album-id6361903.html) on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Daniel, Enisan (22 March 2017). ["ALBUM REVIEW: Korede Bello – **Belloved**"](https://tooxclusive.com/artist-album-reviews/album-review-korede-bello-belloved/). *[tooXclusive](/source/TooXclusive)*. Jim Donnett. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Okiche, Wilfred (31 July 2017). ["360Review: *Belloved*- Korede Bello"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170930092259/https://www.360nobs.com/2017/07/belloved-korede-bello/). *360nobs*. Archived from [the original](https://www.360nobs.com/2017/07/belloved-korede-bello/) on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

1. Onyekwena, Chiagoziem (13 March 2017). ["On Korede Bello's Debut Album, Only *Bellovers* Are Allowed"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170323113825/http://filterfree.ng/album-review-korede-bello-belloved/). *Filter Free*. Archived from [the original](http://filterfree.ng/album-review-korede-bello-belloved/) on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2026.

1. ["You can now cop Korede Bello's debut album 'Belloved'"](https://thenativemag.com/korede-bello-finally-dropped-debut-album-belloved/). *[The Native](/source/The_Native)*. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Belloved](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belloved) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belloved?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.