A story of cross-continental collaboration and the new era of entrepreneurial artist teams moving culture in real time.
Stockholm, Sweden. January 26th 2026 – Cross-continental collaborations don’t happen “one day” anymore — they happen in the moment, through real relationships, fast decisions, and artists tuned to a global frequency who move like entrepreneurs.
Stockholm, Sweden. January 26th 2026 – Cross-continental collaborations don’t happen “one day” anymore — they happen in the moment, through real relationships, fast decisions, and artists tuned to a global frequency who move like entrepreneurs.
That’s exactly how AQT, a multi-faceted creative, entrepreneur and humanitarian born in Brooklyn and now based in Houston, Texas — and rising Swedish-Japanese pop newcomer Leonardo Yukawa came together on “DAGGER,” a track built to reflect the current global sound: Afrobeats pulse, pop clarity, and international intention.
The official music video, filmed in London, premieres January 29, 2026, bringing a visual identity to a record that captures what modern culture looks like when borders are irrelevant and execution is everything.
Shared purpose, ambition and synchronicity
Some collaborations are engineered. This one was shaped by synchronicity, and the kind of shared purpose that turns a moment into momentum.
The story begins with Jonathan Yukawa (Leonardo’s manager) and Jenna Khadum (a music entrepreneur working with AQT) , childhood friends who hadn’t seen each other in nearly 20 years. After building separate lives around the world, they unexpectedly crossed paths again at a gas station in their old neighborhood in Sweden. What could have been a quick catch-up became something more: a reconnection rooted in shared ambition and a mutual pull toward music, entrepreneurship and culture.
That reunion sparked a new creative chapter. Jonathan and Jenna began collaborating on projects and soon traveled to Berlin to support an Afrobeats festival, where they met up with AQT and team. Different circles, same frequency.
Six months later, the momentum carried into Los Angeles during Grammy Week, where Jonathan, Jenna, AQT and friends were in town for work and events, sharing a house as a creative base. One night, as AQT played unreleased music he was developing, Jonathan proposed a clear idea: AQT and Leonardo should collaborate, in the lane of the global Afrobeats-pop crossovers shaping the modern sound.
Six months later, the momentum carried into Los Angeles during Grammy Week, where Jonathan, Jenna, AQT and friends were in town for work and events, sharing a house as a creative base. One night, as AQT played unreleased music he was developing, Jonathan proposed a clear idea: AQT and Leonardo should collaborate, in the lane of the global Afrobeats-pop crossovers shaping the modern sound.
With collaborations like Wizkid’s “Essence” (and its global remix culture) opening new doors for Afrobeats-pop cross-pollination, the vision was simple: create a record that feels international by default, not “international as a strategy.”
“Today creatives are built for the moment, they can spot an opportunity and act on it fast. We live in a world where people moves through networks. When you build real platforms, communities and bridges, opportunities don’t need years to happen. They happen fast, if you’re intentional and execute decisivley. That’s what 2026 looks like, and that’s what this track reflects.” Jonathan Yukawa
“Today creatives are built for the moment, they can spot an opportunity and act on it fast. We live in a world where people moves through networks. When you build real platforms, communities and bridges, opportunities don’t need years to happen. They happen fast, if you’re intentional and execute decisivley. That’s what 2026 looks like, and that’s what this track reflects.” Jonathan Yukawa
From Stockholm to Houston straight into the global scene
Same evening as Jonathan arrived back in Sweden, he went to the studio with Leonardo and briefed him. AQT sent the track, and Leonardo recorded vocals soon after. What started as a conversation turned into a finished song quickly by a Stockholm-and-Houston based team collaboration and a shared instinct for what’s connecting audiences right now.
The track received strong early feedback and was released as part of AQT’s album, marking the first chapter of a partnership that now steps further into the spotlight with the official video release.
What “DAGGER” represents on a cultural level
“DAGGER” is a snapshot of how culture moves now. It wasn’t built through a traditional industry pipeline , it was built through relationships, opportunity, mobility, and a generation of artists who think globally by default. In today’s connected world, sound travels instantly, scenes overlap, and collaborations don’t need permission, they need momentum.
“DAGGER” is a snapshot of how culture moves now. It wasn’t built through a traditional industry pipeline , it was built through relationships, opportunity, mobility, and a generation of artists who think globally by default. In today’s connected world, sound travels instantly, scenes overlap, and collaborations don’t need permission, they need momentum.
On a deeper level, “DAGGER” reflects a new era where identity is layered and influence is shared. The record connects Sweden’s pop legacy, a country long associated with shaping global pop sound, with the Afrobeats movement rooted in West Africa and driven globally by Nigeria’s cultural impact. Rather than treating these worlds as separate, “DAGGER” treats them as part of the same modern language: rhythm-led, melody-driven, and designed to connect audiences across borders in real time.
“Culture is people moving toward something together. In a connected world, platforms aren’t just built online; they’re built through relationships, and showing up in the right rooms. This collaboration is proof of that.” Jenna Khadum
“Culture is people moving toward something together. In a connected world, platforms aren’t just built online; they’re built through relationships, and showing up in the right rooms. This collaboration is proof of that.” Jenna Khadum
About the Artists:
Leonardo Yukawa
Based is Stockholm, Leonardo Yukawa is a Swedish-Japanese pop artist and song writer emerging from Sweden’s new wave of global-facing talent, melody-first, emotionally direct, and built for international audiences.
“I love making music that touches people’s hearts. ‘DAGGER’ is proof that with the right people around you and the right timing , you can move fast and create something that hits on more than one level.” Leonardo Yukawa:
“I love making music that touches people’s hearts. ‘DAGGER’ is proof that with the right people around you and the right timing , you can move fast and create something that hits on more than one level.” Leonardo Yukawa:
AQT
Known formally as Abdul Quam Tadese, AQT is a multi-faceted creative, entrepreneur and humanitarian. Born in Brooklyn, New York and currently based in Houston, Texas, AQT has built a loyal audience through high engagement, strong storytelling, and cross-appeal. Following the success of “Lagos Nights,” he stepped into his solo chapter with “Journey,” a debut that blends Afrobeats with contemporary American influence.
“It didn’t feel like a business move, it felt like energy and timing. When I heard Leo on the record, it clicked. Different worlds, same frequency.” AQT
“It didn’t feel like a business move, it felt like energy and timing. When I heard Leo on the record, it clicked. Different worlds, same frequency.” AQT
“DAGGER” — Official Music Video Premiere: January 29, 2026
Artists: AQT x Leonardo Yukawa
Video: Filmed in London
Production: Stockholm x Houston
Track Release Date: November 2025
>>Listen to DAGGER on Spotify!