Chapter 740: The world tour announcement

The announcement had been ready for several days, but Valerie wanted one final review before it went public. Every country had been confirmed, the cities had been selected, and the dates had been arranged around the availability of the venues and the time needed to move the production from one location to another. The team had also completed its review of Dayo’s previous travel records, making sure they understood which places he had performed in, which ones he had visited without ever holding a concert, and which countries would be completely new to him.

Dayo sat in the conference room at JD Records with Valerie, Ulrich, Alice and Wayne. A large screen at the front displayed the completed tour route, with each region arranged according to its scheduled period. Several members of the planning department were also present, ready to answer questions about the remaining arrangements.

Valerie moved to the next page of the presentation. "We’ve completed the route, and the dates have been checked against the venue availability. The first leg will begin in Africa before moving into Europe. North America and South America will follow, then we’ll cover the Asian markets and finish with Australia and New Zealand. There are scheduled breaks between the major legs, so the production team will have time to move equipment and prepare each location."

Dayo looked through the list of countries on the screen. He had asked for a long tour, and the completed proposal was beginning to show just how much work would be involved. Some of the destinations were familiar, while others were places he had only read about or visited briefly. Seeing them arranged as actual concert stops made the plan feel different from the idea he had first mentioned at home.

"Have we made sure we’re not leaving out countries where the audience is strong?" he asked.

Alice opened her notes. "We compared the streaming figures, ticketing interest from previous events, audience activity and regional demand. We also looked at the countries where you’ve never performed. Some markets have enough listeners to support a major concert even though you haven’t visited them before. We included those where the venue arrangements and local partnerships made sense."

"Good. I don’t want us to visit a country simply because it looks good on the announcement. If we’re going there, I want people to have a proper opportunity to attend."

"That’s why we didn’t put every country on the same schedule," Ulrich explained. "Some markets need one major concert, while others can support several cities. The United States, for example, has multiple stops because the audience is spread across different regions. The United Kingdom also has several cities, rather than making everyone travel to London."

Wayne leaned forward to look at the route. "I’ve been going through the performance catalogue with the music team. We have a lot to prepare, especially if you’re serious about performing songs from the beginning of your career. Some of those songs haven’t been performed in years."

"That’s exactly what I want," Dayo replied. "I don’t want the concerts to become Genesis performances with a few older songs added at the end. People have followed my music for years, and I want them to hear songs from different periods. There are songs that some fans probably never expected to hear live again."

Wayne smiled as he returned his attention to the screen. "Then we’re going to have a lot of rehearsals. We’ll need to work out which songs can fit together, which ones need different arrangements and how much time we can give each section. We can also prepare different versions of the setlist for certain cities."

"I trust you with that part," Dayo said. "Just make sure we don’t lose the original feeling of the songs because we’re trying to make everything bigger."

Wayne assured him that the music would remain the priority. The production could change from one venue to another, but the performances would still be built around the songs and the way Dayo wanted to present them.

After reviewing the route, Valerie closed the presentation and brought up another document. The next item was the public announcement, and the team still needed to settle on a name for the tour.

"We’ve been using World Tour as the working title," she said, "but we need something official before the announcement goes out. It should represent your career as a whole, not just one album."

Dayo considered the suggestion while Wayne looked through the names the creative department had prepared. Several options appeared on the screen, but Dayo didn’t seem convinced by them. Some sounded too much like album titles, while others felt as though they were trying too hard to make the tour seem different from what it was.

"What’s the name you’re leaning towards?" Dayo asked Valerie.

"We haven’t settled on one. We wanted you to make the final decision."

He looked at the list again, then returned to the idea behind the tour. He had spent years releasing music, working with different people and performing in places he had once only imagined visiting. The tour would bring many of those experiences together, and he wanted the name to reflect that.

After a short discussion with the team, Dayo chose The JD Experience World Tour.

Wayne read it aloud, then looked at him. "The JD Experience World Tour. I like that. It gives us room to cover everything you’ve released without making it sound like the tour belongs to one particular album."

"That’s what I wanted," Dayo replied. "It’s about the music I’ve made over the years and the people who’ve stayed with me through it. I don’t want someone to see the announcement and think they’ll only hear the latest songs."

Valerie approved the name and asked the creative department to use it across the announcement materials. The title would appear on the tour posters, promotional videos, ticketing pages and official schedules. Once the final designs were checked, JD Records would release everything at the same time.

The meeting continued for another hour as the team reviewed the remaining details. Ulrich confirmed that the travel and venue arrangements had been checked, Alice discussed the regional promotional campaigns, and Wayne outlined the work that would begin with the musicians and production crew. Valerie also reminded everyone that the company would need to coordinate the announcement carefully so that ticket information was available when fans began asking questions.

By the time the meeting ended, there were no major decisions left to make. The tour had a name, the route was complete, and the dates had been confirmed.

Dayo returned to his office while the communications department prepared the final release. He had several things to attend to before going home, but the tour remained on his mind. Twelve months was a long time to spend travelling, and he knew that the experience would affect his family as much as it would affect his work.

He had already thought about it, but there was one person he needed to speak with before the announcement became public even if she knew of the idea already.

At home, Luna was sitting with Jennifer in the living room. Their daughter had been playing with a small set of toys near the sofa, occasionally bringing one over to show her mother before returning to what she had been doing. The television was on at a low volume, but Luna wasn’t paying much attention to it.

Dayo came in and greeted them before placing his keys on the table. Jennifer noticed him almost immediately and began moving towards him, holding one of her toys in her hand. He bent down to pick her up, and she settled against his chest while trying to show him what she had been carrying.

"What’s that?" he asked, looking at the toy.

Jennifer made a small sound and pushed it closer to his face. Dayo played along, examining it before telling her that it was nice. She seemed satisfied with his response and rested against him while he carried her towards the sofa.

Luna looked at him as he sat beside her. "You got back earlier than I expected. How was work?"

"Good. We finished the tour arrangements today."

"Everything?"

"Yes. The countries, the cities, the dates, all of it. We’ve also settled on a name."

Luna turned towards him with interest. "So it’s actually happening now?"

"It’s happening. JD Records will announce it soon."

She asked how long the tour would last, although she already had an idea from their earlier conversation. Dayo explained that the plan covered twelve months, with different touring legs and breaks between them. They would begin in Africa, move through Europe, continue into North and South America, then cover Asia before finishing in Oceania.

"That’s a long time," Luna said as she adjusted the cushion behind her. "You’ve really decided to do the full year?"

"That’s the plan. We have breaks arranged between the legs, and the team has been working on the travel schedule. I don’t want to rush from one country to another without giving everyone enough time to prepare."

Luna looked at Jennifer, who was now occupied with the toy in her hands. "And what about us?"

Dayo had been waiting to bring that up. He shifted Jennifer gently so that she could sit more comfortably against him, then turned towards Luna.

"That’s actually something I wanted to ask you about. Would you like to come with me?"

She looked at him for a moment, making sure she had understood the question. "You mean come on the tour?"

"Yes. I’d like you and Jennifer to travel with me. We don’t have to be at every concert if you don’t want that, and there will be times when you might prefer to stay somewhere for a few days while I handle work. But I don’t want to spend the whole year away from you both if we can make it work just think of it like a work and vacation period."

Luna rested her hands on her lap. She knew the tour would involve a lot of travel, long days and changes in routine, especially with Jennifer still so young. They would need to think about her comfort, her sleep and the arrangements in each country. At the same time, the idea of travelling together appealed to her.

"Have you thought about Jennifer’s arrangements?" she asked. "It’s one thing for you because you’re used to travelling for work, but she’ll need a proper routine. We can’t just move from one hotel to another every few days and expect her to be comfortable."

"I know. We can arrange everything around her. There’ll be a family section with the travel team, and we can make sure she has what she needs wherever we go. We don’t have to attend every event, either. If you want to stay somewhere while I’m performing in another city, we can arrange that."

Luna took a little time to consider it. She didn’t want to agree without thinking about the practical side, but she also knew she would enjoy experiencing some of those places with him. They had spent enough time apart in the past, and she didn’t want the tour to become another period when their family life was put on hold.

"Yes," she said. "I’d like to come with you."

Dayo smiled. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I want to travel with you and Jennifer. We just need to make sure everything is properly arranged, especially for her. I don’t want us to be moving around without knowing where we’re staying or how the next few days will work."

"We’ll plan it properly. I’ll speak with Valerie and the team so they know you’re both coming."

"Don’t make it sound like I’m joining the tour as part of your management team," Luna said, giving him a small smile. "I’m coming with my family."

"I know," he replied. "That’s why I asked you."

Jennifer reached towards Luna, and she took her from Dayo, settling the little girl on her lap. The conversation continued as they discussed what travelling for a year might look like. Luna asked about the longer breaks, the possibility of staying in certain cities for several days and whether they would have enough time to visit places outside the concert venues.

Dayo told her that he wanted the tour to include some time for them to experience the countries they visited. He would have professional commitments in every location, but he didn’t want the entire journey to consist of hotels, rehearsals, performances and airports. There would be opportunities to go out together, meet people and see places they might not otherwise have visited.

"Then I think it could be a good experience for Jennifer too," Luna said. "She might not remember all of it when she’s older, but we’ll have pictures and memories to show her."

"That’s one of the reasons I’d like you both there," Dayo replied. "I want to do the tour, but I also want to experience it with you."

The following morning, JD Records began preparing for the public release. The announcement had been scheduled across the company’s official platforms, and the promotional materials were ready. A short video introduced the tour name before showing the regions and selected cities. The full schedule appeared alongside information about ticket sales and the official booking channels.

At the agreed time, JD Records published the announcement.

JD Records officially announces The JD Experience World Tour, a twelve-month international tour featuring performances across Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Oceania.

The announcement included the confirmed countries and cities, with the concert dates arranged under each touring leg. Nigeria would have several stops, followed by other African markets. The European schedule included multiple cities in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. North America had several major stops across the United States and Canada, while South America included Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

The Asian leg covered South Korea, Japan and selected Southeast Asian countries, before the tour moved through the Middle East and finished in Australia and New Zealand. The complete schedule made it clear that JD Records had planned a genuine international tour rather than a handful of concerts in the biggest markets.

Within minutes, the announcement began spreading across social media.

Fans who had been asking for a tour were suddenly trying to find their countries on the schedule. Nigerian listeners discussed the cities included in the African leg, while fans in Ghana and South Africa shared the announcement with friends and family. Some were already making plans to attend more than one concert.

In the United Kingdom, fans compared the London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow dates. A few people began discussing whether they would travel to another city if they couldn’t get tickets for their nearest venue. The same conversations appeared across the United States, where listeners from different states started comparing the announced stops.

Brazilian fans were especially excited to see their country included, and reactions from Argentina, Chile and Colombia followed soon after. In Japan and South Korea, fans shared the Asian schedule and began discussing which songs they hoped Dayo would perform. Listeners in countries that had never hosted one of his concerts were particularly pleased that the tour would reach them.

The announcement also brought questions. Some fans wanted to know whether additional dates would be added, while others asked about ticket prices and presale access. JD Records had already prepared its ticketing information, so the company began directing people to the official channels rather than allowing confusion to spread through unofficial links.

Entertainment media quickly picked up the news. Several outlets focused on the twelve-month duration, while others discussed the number of countries and cities included in the schedule. Commentators pointed out that Dayo had chosen to perform across different markets instead of concentrating only on the countries where he already had the largest audiences.

Some reports returned to the comparisons between JD and Michael Jackson, particularly when discussing the scale of the tour and Dayo’s international following. The discussion remained mixed. Some people believed the tour could place him among the most influential live performers of his generation, while others argued that Michael’s historical achievements should be judged separately. Fans of both artists continued to discuss the subject, but the tour announcement itself remained the main story.

Artists and music industry figures also reacted. Several congratulated Dayo and JD Records, while promoters in different countries began discussing the scale of the production. For some local artists, the tour was also an opportunity to meet Dayo or possibly connect with his team when he arrived in their markets.

At JD Records, Alice’s department was already tracking the response. The first reports showed strong interest across the announced regions, and the communications team was preparing answers to the most common questions. Valerie remained in contact with the regional offices, while Ulrich’s team began checking that the ticketing arrangements were ready for the first sales period.

Wayne was more interested in the musical side. He had watched the announcement go live, but his attention soon returned to the work waiting for him. The tour would require a large production team, rehearsals and careful preparation of the catalogue. He was already making notes about songs that could return to the setlist and performances that would need new arrangements.

Dayo watched some of the reactions from home, but he didn’t spend the entire morning reading every comment. He was pleased with the response, especially when he saw people from countries he had never visited celebrating their inclusion. The tour had started as an idea he wanted to explore, and now people across the world were making plans around it.

Luna joined him in the living room later that afternoon. Jennifer was nearby, playing with her toys while the announcement continued to appear on the television. Luna looked at the tour schedule and found the first few dates, then moved through the regions they would be visiting.

"People are already talking about it everywhere," she said. "I saw someone saying they wanted to attend concerts in three different countries."

Dayo laughed softly. "I hope they manage to get their tickets."

"Have you seen the reactions from the countries you’ve never visited?"

"Some of them. They’re excited, and I’m looking forward to going there too. There are places I’ve wanted to see for a long time, so it’ll be good to finally visit them."

Luna returned her attention to the schedule. "We’ll have to start preparing our own things soon, especially Jennifer’s. A year is a long time, and I don’t want to leave everything until the last minute."

"We’ll have enough time. I’ll make sure the arrangements are handled before we leave."

She looked at him again. "And you’ll still make time for us when the tour gets busy?"

"Of course. I know the concerts will take a lot of time, but I’m not going there to forget about my family. I want you both with me, and I want us to enjoy the experience together."

Luna seemed satisfied with his answer. She picked Jennifer up when the little girl reached towards her, then carried her over to Dayo so he could hold her for a while. He settled Jennifer on his lap as she played with the buttons on his shirt.

The tour was now official, and the world had begun preparing for it. Dayo still had rehearsals, production meetings and months of travel ahead of him, but he no longer had to imagine what the journey might look like. The schedule was complete, the announcement had been made, and Luna had agreed to come with him and Jennifer.

For the first time since he had suggested the idea, he could begin thinking about the tour as something his family would experience together, rather than twelve months he would have to spend away from home.