Nigerian singer and rapper Keshinro Ololade, better known as Lil Kesh, has opened up about the emotional toll of rising to fame at a young age, describing the experience as “overwhelming.”
Speaking during a recent appearance on The Esther Show, uploaded to YouTube on May 2, the “Shoki” hitmaker recounted the pressures of navigating the spotlight as a teenager.
“Making it big early felt overwhelming,” Lil Kesh said. “I blew at a very tender age. I was 19 when I got signed. I had just turned 20 when I had ‘Shoki.’ So, imagine being in the spotlight that early.”
He added that the early success came with significant personal costs. “Coming to the spotlight at a very early age, I was also deprived of a lot of things—life experiences that I should have learnt before. I was put in a high position at such an early stage. It was overwhelming trying to handle all of that.”
Lil Kesh drew parallels with international pop star Justin Bieber, applauding him for speaking openly about his struggles. “Shoutout to people like Justin Bieber who was vulnerable enough to tell his story. I went through things similar to that,” he said.
Once a protégé of YBNL boss Olamide, Lil Kesh rose to national stardom in the mid-2010s with a string of street anthems, becoming one of Nigeria’s most recognizable young stars. His latest comments offer a rare glimpse into the emotional challenges behind his early success.
