Award-winning Nigerian singer Yemi Alade has opened up about how her intense focus on her music career caused her to lose track of time for several years.
The ‘Johnny’ crooner made this revelation during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, where she disclosed that she once believed she was 22 years old for three consecutive years.
“There was a time if someone had asked me my age, I realised I kept saying for three years that I was 22,” Yemi Alade recounted. “And then I realised I was 25. I took out my phone and I did the mathematics. I was depressed for a few days.”
The singer explained that her entire existence during that period centred around her music, leaving little room for anything else, including keeping track of her own age.
“My mind was also not taking into account that years were passing by,” she said. “I was so invested and in my own world. I secluded myself and only focused on the music.”
Yemi Alade’s candid admission highlights the emotional and mental toll that pursuing a career in the entertainment industry can exact on artistes.
The singer, known for her energetic performances and Afropop hits, has become one of Nigeria’s most successful female artistes, with a career spanning over a decade. Her dedication to her craft has earned her numerous awards and international recognition, including performances on global stages.
However, her recent revelation suggests that such success often comes at a personal cost, with artistes sometimes sacrificing their awareness of time and personal milestones in pursuit of their dreams.
