Oluwatobiloba Anidugbe, the Afrobeats singer known as Kizz Daniel, lost his mother earlier this year and stepped back from music because of it. Not because of an album. Not because of a label dispute. Grief was the reason, and he confirmed it himself on Friday in a post his fans were not expecting.
A fan on X, @VicroyDominion1, had assumed an album project was behind the singer’s reduced activity, writing, “I guess the album really made you busy; you had to pause for a while.”
Kizz Daniel corrected that assumption directly: “I paused for my mom, not an album … Lost her this year, but I have to keep moving for the rest of the family … Sorry I came late this year.”
The singer, also known as Vado D’Great, made the disclosure while responding to the fan on X on Friday, clarifying that his absence was not because he was working on a new album. Two words buried in that reply told the fuller story: “came late.” He was not absent. He was behind, by his own reckoning, and he knew it.
The award-winning artist, known for hits like “Buga,” “Woju,” and “Twe Twe,” had kept a noticeably low profile in the early part of 2026.
Many fans had believed he was locked in a studio preparing a major project. The reality, as he told it on Friday, was something quieter and heavier than that.
His post drew immediate responses from fans across the platform. Kizz Daniel said he had to take time away from music to process the loss while also staying strong for other members of his family. That framing, keeping moving for the rest of the family, sat in the post without elaboration.
Among those who replied was @Segunthomas9, who offered condolences and said, “May her soul rest in peace; mother’s love is the best.” The singer’s response provided an explanation for his relatively quiet presence in the music space in 2026, while also indicating that his decision to step back was connected to bereavement rather than a planned album project.
Another fan, @30bgsoldier8643, wrote: “Sorry, brother, I accept my condolences. Brother, be strong. I really missed your sound.” @rhidozi_ also responded, writing, “Damn, that must be tough. May her soul rest in peace.” The replies kept coming.
One fan, @mynameisnottobi, sent a message that cut in a different direction, disclosing that their own mother was ill and expressing empathy for what the singer was going through. The comment drew no reply from Kizz Daniel but attracted responses from other users in the thread.
Kizz Daniel has experienced other significant personal losses before this one. His father died in 2015, and one of his triplets died in 2021. Each of those losses came at a different point in his career and his personal life. This year’s loss of his mother adds to a pattern of grief that has followed him through his most commercially successful years.
In a 2025 interview, Kizz Daniel also spoke about the death of his wife’s mother in 2024, and he linked these losses to the emotions behind his song “Al-Jannah.” That song, released before the most recent loss, now carries additional weight for fans reading his Friday post.
Despite the heavy loss, Kizz Daniel said he remains determined to stay strong for his remaining family members and apologized to supporters for the delayed return. The apology was brief, embedded at the end of a short post, and offered without ceremony.
Friday’s disclosure did not come with a press release or a managed announcement. The singer made the disclosure while responding to a fan who questioned his absence; after that, the fan assumed the break was linked to an album. He corrected the record in the same casual register he uses on the platform.
What the post does not answer is when Kizz Daniel plans to return to active music releases. The singer said his break was not because of an album, and despite grieving his mother, he said he has chosen to keep moving for the sake of his family. No release date, no project title, and no timeline was attached to that commitment.
Fans across the platform continued to post condolences through Friday, with several tagging other fans to the thread. Kizz Daniel has experienced several significant personal losses over the years, with his father dying in 2015 and one of his triplets dying in 2021 shortly after their birth.
For now, the only update is the one he gave in fewer than thirty words on X. Kizz Daniel paused for his mother; he said he is keeping moving, and he said he is sorry he came late. The music, whenever it arrives, will follow from there.
