A long-running controversy surrounding Diamond Platnumz’s 2013 hit “Number One” resurfaced after producer Sheddy Clever publicly admitted that singer Dayna Nyange was sidelined in the song’s creation, a claim the artiste had made for years.
Released in September 2013, Number One became one of the defining songs of Diamond Platnumz’s career. Produced by Sheddy Clever, the track later received a major boost when a remix featuring Nigerian star Davido dropped on January 6, 2014, helping launch Diamond’s breakthrough onto the international Afrobeats scene and cementing his cross-border appeal.
But behind the success, there was a dispute that lingered in Tanzania’s music circles.
At the time of the song’s release, Dayna Nyange raised complaints, alleging that the beat and possibly the core concept had originally been hers.
The disagreement became a talking point in the industry, though it never reached a formal public resolution.
Now, speaking in an interview on EFM, Sheddy Clever acknowledged that Dayna’s claims had substance.
According to the producer, Dayna had already recorded a song using the instrumental and initially hoped to feature Alikiba on it.
When that collaboration did not materialize due to scheduling issues, events took a different turn.
Sheddy says Dayna later played her version for Diamond Platnumz. After hearing it, Diamond reportedly contacted Sheddy directly expressing interest in the beat.
“She came to Diamond and let him listen to her song,” Sheddy said in the interview. “After that, Diamond called me and said he wanted that beat. We agreed, and he came to record Number One.”
Sheddy admitted that during the period when the song was released and Dayna was voicing her concerns publicly, he denied her claims in interviews.
“I used to reject Dayna’s story back then because I was trying to fulfill my dream and reach my goals,” he said, adding that the situation weighed on him.
The revelation reopens conversation about credit, ethics, and power dynamics within the music industry, especially regarding producers’ responsibilities when handling artistes’ material.
While Number One remains a landmark record that propelled Diamond to continental stardom, Sheddy’s remarks add a more complicated backstory to one of Bongo Flava’s biggest hits.
Neither Diamond Platnumz nor Dayna Nyange has publicly responded to the producer’s latest statements at the time of writing, but the interview has already stirred renewed debate among fans about recognition and fairness in music production.
