Why I adopted my mom’s name as stage name – Asake

Nigerian singer Ahmed Ololade, better known as Asake, has explained why he chose his mother’s name as his stage name.

Netizens have questioned the stage name because it is frequently associated with a feminine name.

In a recent CNN interview, the YBNL signee stated that he adopted his mother’s name because of his friends.

His words: “My friends started using it to play with me, and they said, ‘omo Asake, omo Asake, Asake came yesterday’ and you know students can be funny, so at the end of the day they removed the ‘omo’ and started calling me Asake.

“So it’s so easy for me [to adopt the name] because when I’m introduced on stage, people expect a beautiful lady or a nice girl. I just like the feeling and the shock on their faces. Also, I love my mother and the fact that people call my mother’s name through me.”

He also stated that his music is tied to his upbringing.

He said, “I fell in love with theatre as a child; my father used to be a singer and my mother dances a lot, so it’s a family thing; although my parents didn’t do it professionally, they only did it for the fun of it.”

The ‘Joha Crooner’ also stated that despite his love for dancing, the financial rewards music offers made him choose the latter.

“The main reason why I left dance is for the love of money. I know I want to be very honest. Dance is something that I love. I can’t even do without moving, but I feel like the kind of money I want, I’m not sure dance can give me.

“I think both music and dance work together because, in a video without a dancer, it’s like this song is boring.” (sic)