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Wizkid: How I blew up as a young artiste

Published by Tope Fakinlede on August 21st, 2024.

Wizkid: How I blew up as a young artiste

Wizkid

Nigerian music icon Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, widely known as Wizkid, recently shared insights into his rise to fame, asserting that he was the first young Nigerian artist to achieve significant stardom.

In a recent interview with Uplift X, Wizkid credited his parents for their support in allowing him to pursue his musical dreams. Despite their eventual backing, he revealed that they were initially doubtful about his prospects in the music industry.

“I was the first young artist to truly break through in the Nigerian music scene,” Wizkid explained. “My parents didn’t believe it was possible at first.” He elaborated on the challenges of making a major career decision, especially coming from an African background where his parents, a Christian mother and a Muslim father, had to navigate their own differences without letting them affect their children’s choices.

Wizkid expressed deep gratitude for his parents’ unconditional love and support, which he believes has been instrumental in shaping his career. “I love my parents dearly. Their support and love have been crucial in my journey and have kept our family united for so long,” he said.

In a recent announcement, Wizkid revealed plans to release a new album titled ‘Morayo’, named after his late mother, Jane Morayo Balogun, who passed away on August 18, 2023, in London. The album is a tribute to her memory.

Jane Morayo Balogun, born on July 14, 1957, is survived by her husband Muniru Olatunji Balogun and her four children: Yetunde Balogun, Omolara Osunkoya, Olubusayo Balogun, and Ayodeji ‘Wizkid’ Balogun.

Wizkid, born on July 16, 1990, in Surulere, grew up in a polygamous household with a Muslim father and a Christian mother.