From Grass to Grace: “I used to hawk fruits in traffic” – Singer Crayon recounts his humble beginnings

Crayon, the well-known singer, has candidly shared details of his earlier hardships, reflecting on his days of selling fruits in the bustling traffic of Lagos.

In an interview with Punch’s Saturday Beats, the Mavin superstar delved into the inspiration driving his latest album, ‘Trench to Triumph Story.’ He conveyed that the album serves as a musical narrative of the arduous journey he undertook to reach his current level of success.

Through this revelation, Crayon offered a glimpse into the challenges he faced and the remarkable transformation that has taken place in his life, symbolized by his journey from selling fruits in the chaotic streets of Lagos to becoming a celebrated artist in the music industry.

“My ‘Trench to Triumph’ story is about where I come 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 spoke on his experience meeting with the veteran actress, Ngozi Ezeonu, after singing a song which 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 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 playing 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.”