Award-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter Yemi Alade has opened up about a deeply personal experience that once pushed her into depression, lying about her age.
In a candid conversation with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the Afrobeat sensation revealed that she spent three years telling people she was 22, only to later realise she was, in fact, 25 at the time. The shocking realisation, she said, left her mentally unsettled and emotionally drained.
“There was a time someone asked me how old I was, and for about three years I kept saying 22,” Yemi recalled.
“Then one day I calculated it and realised I was already 25. I was depressed for a few days because my mind couldn’t process it. It was mental for three years. I didn’t know my age.”
The “Johnny” crooner described the experience as a turning point in her personal growth, admitting that it made her confront the subtle pressures that often come with fame and public expectations.
Yemi explained that constantly pretending to be younger was not driven by vanity, but by a desire to fit into societal standards that equate youth with success and relevance, especially for women in the entertainment industry.
She noted that the incident became a wake-up call, teaching her the importance of authenticity and self-acceptance in an industry where image often overshadows reality.
“That experience taught me how easily we can deceive ourselves without realising the damage it does. You lose track of who you really are,” she reflected.
Today, Yemi Alade says she has learned to embrace every stage of her life and career with pride, understanding that growth, not age, defines true beauty and success.
