Akon Talks About “Nights Like This” Tour With Ne-Yo And Returning To The Stage After 18 Years

After nearly two decades after a full U.S. tour, Akon is back on the road and the response has exceeded even his own expectations.

The Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer is co-headlining the Nights Like This nationwide tour with fellow hitmaker Ne-Yo, marking the first time the longtime collaborators have toured the United States together.

Ahead of their stop in Camden, New Jersey, Saturday at the Freedom Mortgage Pavillion, Akon shared that every show has sold out so far, proving fans have been eager for this duo.

“It’s been unbelievable,” Akon says. “Everybody’s super excited. Every show’s been sold out since we started. You can tell people have been thirsting for that kind of music and energy.”

Although the two artists have known each other for nearly 20 years and have collaborated extensively behind the scenes as writers and producers, this marks their first U.S. tour as a duo.

According to Akon, the chemistry comes naturally because of their long history together.

“We’ve been locked in for a while,” he says. “We’ve worked on projects for other artists and collaborated ourselves, so this just made sense.”

One of the biggest surprises of the tour has been the audience itself. Akon expected longtime fans to return, but he didn’t anticipate seeing entire families filling arenas.

“You’ve got the mother, her daughter and the grandmother all in the audience,” he shares. “Three generations coming to the same show. You don’t really see that often.”

While he regularly experiences multigenerational crowds during international tours, seeing the same trend across the United States has been especially meaningful. His last major U.S. tour was in 2008, making this comeback even more significant.

Despite being 53 years old and more than two decades into his career, Akon says preparing for this tour hasn’t changed much. The biggest challenge wasn’t keeping up physically, it was creating the perfect set list.

With Ne-Yo’s catalog leaning towards R&B, dance and pop and Akon’s featuring internationally influenced hits, as well as pop and hip-hop songs, balancing the two styles required careful planning.

“It was about finding the right mix that gives the audience the best experience,” he explains. “You really understand that this is a collaboration.”

Fans can expect more than just each artist performing their own hits. The nearly two-hour show also includes a unique segment where Akon and Ne-Yo trade songs they wrote and produced for other artists, highlighting the songwriting careers that have made both men influential far beyond their own recordings.

For Akon, one song continues to surprise him every time he performs it live: “Locked Up.” Unlike many of his chart-topping records, the song wasn’t written with concerts in mind.

“It was made for people to relate to,” he says, but now has evolved into one of the most energetic moments of every show, something the artist admits caught him completely off guard.

Technology has also transformed the concert experience since his last major U.S. run. While audiences now hold up smartphones throughout performances, Akon isn’t fazed by the change.

“Everything is on the phone now. That’s just where we’re at today,” he notes.

Audiences are also responding to his newer released music like “Akon’s Beautiful Day” and “Boom Body” featuring Shaggy. He believes today’s music spreads faster than ever before.

“Back then, I’d have to work a record for six months to a year,” Akon says. “Today, after two weeks, people already know the lyrics from top to bottom.”

Returning to Camden also carries personal meaning. Having grown up in nearby Jersey City, Akon spent plenty of time throughout South Jersey and Philadelphia in his younger years. While he joked that some of those memories weren’t always positive, he says performing there now represents a full-circle moment.

As for fans attending the tour, Akon has one piece of advice: come with an open mind.

“Don’t expect anything,” he states. “Be prepared for everything. From the moment we press play until we say goodbye, it’s nonstop hits.”