I performed at over 300 free shows – Yemi Alade

Nigerian singer, Yemi Alade in an interview on urban Lagos
radio station, Beat FM, today explained she didn’t always
have money for recording sessions at the studio.
According to her,
“It wasn’t easy in the beginning. I performed at over 300
free shows before I became this big. I didn’t use to have
money for studio sessions. It was that bad.”
She also talked about fans and how much love she has
received at performances around the world.
According to her, the most reception was from a crowd in
London:
“My biggest stage so far has been at a performance in
London. I saw a sea of people up there at Wembley,
London.
It was deep. I was shaking. In fact my soul was doing
‘alanta ‘ (a popular Nigerian dance). That has been my
biggest stage so far for the English-speaking audience.
Non-English fans also blow me away. They probably
don’t know what’s happening [but they sing and dance
along regardless].
Sometimes I go online and see Asians dancing to Johnny.
They dunno what’s going on in the song but they are
killing it.
Swahili-speaking fans are great too. I remember one
experience when Tanzanian fans were waiting for me cuz
I flew overnight and so I got in late. So they started
booing me when I got on stage. But as soon as the music
started playing, they started showing me love.”
In response to what inspires her and her strengths, she
answered:
“A lot of things. My environment, mom, family,
experiences, the people I relate with, and all of that. My
strength lies in the ability to continue being original with
my sounds.”
She also sent a message to her fans and all those aspiring to
make it in various endeavours saying:
“You need to get the point where you want to give up
then look back and turn everything around by pushing
harder. It was a crazy experience for me before fame
came. Then my management said to me ‘you mean you
have done this for so long only to quit?’ after listening to
this I reached deep and got my passion to continue.
You see, it’s very easy to get that hit song and relax so
it’s very important to find that inner drive that gets you
going, that way you stay focused.”