November 04, (THEWILL) – Afrobeats singer, Charles Chibueze Chukwu, professionally known as Crayon, has opened up about his past struggles, reminiscing about the days he spent selling fruits in the bustling Lagos traffic.
In Punch’s Saturday Beats, featuring the Mavins Records signee, he shared insights into the inspiration behind his latest album, ‘Trench to Triumph Story.’
He expressed that the album serves as a musical portrayal of the challenges he faced on his journey to where he stands today.
“‘Trench to Triumph’ is the story of where I came from and how I got to where I am today.
“I was born in Orile Iganmu (Lagos) and when I was seven years old, we moved to a ‘face-me-I-face-you’ apartment in Ojo. We were about nine or 10 people sharing a room. I am the eldest child of my parents, and I faced a lot of financial struggles growing up. Money was very tight. I was sent home regularly from school due to unpaid fees, and I ended up taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination five times.
“During that time, I was working on my music, and helping my mum at the stall where she sold fruits in the market. Sometimes, I would even hawk the fruits in traffic. Going from that kind of life to being signed by Mavin Records, and on my way to becoming a global superstar, is my triumph. I used to be in the trenches and now I am triumphant.”
He also delved into the memorable moment when he met veteran actress, Ngozi Ezeonu, following the performance of a song that prominently featured her name.
“First, I appreciate the marketing team at Mavin Records. We were going back and forth on ideas on how to push my song, ‘Ngozi’, and Ella, the head of marketing suggested that we should do something with Ngozi Ezeonu.
“So, I reached out to her management, later contacted her personally and shared the idea with her. She was really open to the idea. She is such a sweet soul. She actually knew the song, because her kids used to play it in the house. I was so excited seeing her, and it was a full-circle moment for me because I used to watch her in movies while growing up, and my mum is one of her biggest fans.
“When I showed my mum the video of my visit to her, she was quite excited as well. That visit was one of my best and funniest moments this year. When I posted the videos and pictures, some people even thought she was my mum.”
