Joeboy says he wasn’t ready when he hit stardom

Joeboy

Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Joseph Akinfenwa Donus, popularly known as Joeboy, has said he wasn’t ready for fame when he hit stardom.

He said he was surprised to see his first hit song, ‘Baby’, become an international sensation barely three months after its release.

He said that at the time he became famous, he didn’t even believe that people would recognise him yet.

Speaking in the latest episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence Podcast, Joeboy said his fame was sudden and he had to pack out of his neighbourhood to adapt to his new status.

The singer said: “I wasn’t ready when ‘Baby’ blew. I had to adapt to get used to fame. It was so sudden. I dropped the song [‘Baby’] in March [2019], and by June I was already doing shows in countries I thought they don’t listen to Nigerian music. Countries like Tanzania, and Uganda. In three months!”

Joeboy recently announced his decision to launch Young Legend, his new label, in partnership with Warner Group, aimed at nurturing the next generation of music talents.

Despite embarking on this new journey, Joeboy remains thankful to Mr. Eazi for his pivotal role in his music career over the past five years.

He wrote: “Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for believing in me when others told you I wasn’t good enough. You are a big part of my journey and I’m grateful for the last 5 years. I wish you nothing but the best.”

Joeyboy gained popularity under emPawa Africa, a record label owned by Mr Eazi.

The singer has won several awards and recognition for his craft.

In 2019, he won the ‘Best Artiste in African Pop’ prize at the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).

The singer also bagged the ‘Best Pop’ category at the Soundcity MVP Awards Festival in 2020.

In November 2023, he released a 5-track extended play (EP) titled ‘Body, Soul & Spirit’.

Joeboy once said he knew he would be successful in the music industry after meeting Wizkid, the award-winning music star.