MAISON MARTELL UNITES THE CREATIVE WORLDS OF DAVIDO AND PRINCE GYASI THROUGH AFROBEATS COLLABORATION

The Martell VS Limited Edition brings together music, art and design in celebration of Afrobeats and its influence on culture around the world.

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Maison Martell, the oldest of the great Cognac houses, last night unveiled the Martell Afrobeats collection with Davido and Prince Gyasi in New York City, marking the global launch of new Martell VS and XO Limited Edition bottle designs. The launch builds on Martell's established engagement with Afrobeats and contemporary culture, bringing together its five-year relationship with Davido and Prince Gyasi's new role as Martell Creative Partner.

The limited release marks the first major product expression of Prince Gyasi's role with the Maison, pairing the Ghanaian artist's distinctive visual language with Davido's longstanding influence in Afrobeats. Through his Martell VS creative expression - and an XO release launching exclusively in Africa - music, art and design come together in a celebration of Afrobeats and its wider cultural relevance.

For the collection, Gyasi interpreted the movement and energy of Afrobeats through a vivid visual world inspired by sound, rhythm and the landscapes of West Africa. His designs bring together Martell's signature blue with waves, rich gold and vivid colour, creating a visual expression that connects music with movement. Davido sits at the centre of the Martell VS label design, his portrait interpreted in Gyasi's distinctive visual language and surrounded by soundwaves representing his global reach.

"Martell's heritage is rooted in craftsmanship and an optimistic spirit, with an openness to the cultural forces shaping our world. Through this Limited Edition, Davido and Prince Gyasi bring music, art and design together in a way that feels distinctive, joyful and contemporary. It reflects the spirit of celebration and creative exchange we want people to experience through Martell," said Sébastien Borda, VP Marketing Prestige, Pernod Ricard.

For Davido, the bottle design represents the latest evolution of a relationship with Martell which has developed alongside his music career. "It's been a blessing to help push the sound of Afrobeats to the world. Five years with Martell, and we've built something really special for this launch. Bringing Prince into the mix to connect the music with his creative vision took it to a new level. I'm grateful to work with partners who have a shared goal of pushing African culture forward," said Davido.

Prince Gyasi used the Martell bottles as canvases, translating the movement, emotion and energy of Afrobeats into colour, rhythm and visual storytelling. "When I hear music, I experience it visually. With these designs, I wanted to capture the feeling of Afrobeats - the movement, the joy, the confidence and the way it connects people across the world," said Prince Gyasi. "Davido brings that energy through music, and I wanted to translate it through colour, movement and emotion. The aim was to create something that feels alive," said Prince Gyasi.

Hosted by Martell Culture Ambassador Adesope Olajide, known globally as Shopsydoo, last night's private launch event in New York City welcomed tastemakers and creative voices across music, art, design and culture for a celebration of creativity, artistic performance and conversation. Davido and Prince Gyasi sat down for a fireside conversation exploring their individual creative journeys and the ideas that shaped the design of the bottles. The evening reflected Afrobeats' influence beyond music, and the connections it continues to create across contemporary culture. The night concluded with Davido joining Nigerian DJ Ecool on the decks, bringing the music at the center of the collaboration to the launch experience.

Martell's announcement also coincides with the release of Davido's latest music video, Already Falling, filmed at Château de Chanteloup, Martell's historic estate in Cognac, France. Featuring the Martell Afrobeats bottles, the video brings the collection directly into Davido's own creative world, connecting his music, Martell's heritage and the visual language of the collaboration in a way that feels both contemporary and culturally resonant. Together, the launch and the film reflect the wider cultural reach of Afrobeats and the way its influence continues to move beyond borders connecting music, art, design and global culture.

The Martell VS Afrobeats bottle is now available in the US at fine retailers nationwide while supplies last, and online via Martell.com for an SRP of $35USD; while the new XO expression will be released across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya.

To learn more, please follow along on Instagram at @MartellUSA.

Enjoy our quality responsibly. MARTELL® Cognac. 40% Alc./Vol. (80 Proof). Product of France. ©2026 Imported by Martell & Co., Purchase, NY

About Maison Martell
The oldest of the great cognac houses, founded by Jean Martell in 1715, Maison Martell is renowned throughout the world for the finesse and elegance of its cognacs, the result of a legacy of savoir-faire handed down through nine generations. Together with a passion for its craft and a profound attachment to the terroir, Maison Martell is defined by the audacity with which it has challenged convention to create new expressions of cognac, including the icon Martell Cordon Bleu in 1912. The free spirit of the House is symbolised by its historic emblem: the swift.

About Davido
As the most followed Afrobeats artist on social media with more than 30 million followers, Davido has spent the past fifteen years helping transform Afrobeats from a regional movement into one of the world's most influential genres. Earlier this year, he wrapped his 42-date 5IVE ALIVE TOUR — the largest African concert tour of 2025 — spanning twelve countries across four continents, made his historic debut at Coachella, and was featured on the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album with the single "No Place Like Home" alongside Major Lazer and Nelly Furtado. Fifteen years into his career, Davido continues to demonstrate his far-reaching impact, helping shape the global rise of Afrobeats while establishing himself as one of the defining artists of his generation. He continues this legacy with his sixth studio album, ORIADÉ, released this summer, featuring collaborations with Leon Thomas, Mayorkun, Black Sherif, Aya Nakamura and more. The 13-track album further solidifies Davido's legacy in music, building on a career defined by international success and his ongoing influence on the evolution of Afrobeats

About Prince Gyasi
Prince Gyasi is a Ghanaian visual artist, born in Accra. Self-taught, he took his first photographs as a teenager on an iPhone, and has since built a practice spanning photography, film and fashion. His images are known for saturated, block colour and surreal compositions that sit somewhere between photography and painting. They are shaped by his synaesthesia, which links colours with words and emotions. Through his work he offers a hopeful, celebratory picture of Africa that pushes back on the way the continent is often shown. He was the first African artist to shoot the Pirelli Calendar, photographing and creative-directing its 50th-anniversary 2024 edition, and was named one of TIME's Next Generation Leaders in 2023. He has collaborated with Apple, Off-White and Balmain, notably on Balmain Men's Fall/Winter 2024 with Olivier Rousteing. His work is held in some of the world's most prominent contemporary art collections, including the Pinault Collection (Bourse de Commerce, Paris), the Jean Pigozzi Collection and the Museu de Arte do Rio in Rio de Janeiro.

About Pernod Ricard USA^®
Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA., the world's second largest spirits and wine company. Pernod Ricard employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide, is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI) and is part of the CAC 40 index. The company's leading spirits include such prestigious brands as Absolut Vodka, Avión Tequila, Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky, The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Kahlúa Liqueur, Malibu, Martell Cognac, Olmeca Altos Tequila, Beefeater Gin, Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Código Tequila, Monkey 47 Gin, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin, Malfy Gin, Hiram Walker Liqueurs, Midleton Irish Whiskey, Redbreast Irish Whiskey, Aberlour Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Lillet, Jefferson's Bourbon, TX Whiskey, Skrewball Whiskey, Smooth Ambler Whiskey, Rabbit Hole Whiskey, Pernod and Ricard; Château Sainte Marguerite rosé and exquisite champagne Perrier-Jouët.

Pernod Ricard USA is headquartered in New York, New York, and is responsible for more than 1,000 jobs across the country. As 'Creators of Conviviality', we are committed to sustainable and responsible business practices in service of our customers, consumers, employees, and suppliers. Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active program to promote responsible drinking. For more information, visit: www.pernod-ricard-usa.com

SOURCE Pernod Ricard USA