Before the hit records, sold-out shows, and braids that moved like main character energy, Adekunle Gold was just Kunle, a soft-spoken creative with a deep love for art, design, and the kind of music that sits in your chest long after it ends.
Now a staple name in Nigerian music and one of Afrobeats’ most beloved genre-benders, his story didn’t start with a viral hit or a sudden glow-up. It started slowly. The kind of journey that builds brick by brick with awkward auditions, Photoshop tricks, heartbreak, and a whole lot of believing in yourself before anyone else does.
Adekunle Almoruf Kosoko grew up in Ikotun, Lagos Nigeria and life wasn’t always kind to him. Even though his home was deeply rooted in tradition, he was allowed to explore. He joined the church choir as a teenager and started writing music early. He wrote his first song at age 15.
In 2008, he chose the name “Gold”, not just because it sounded cool, but because it felt destined. And to be honest, it was.
Adekunle Gold isn’t just a musician. He’s a visual artist through and through. He studied Art and Industrial Design in Lagos State Polytechnic and got really good at graphics and editing during his Siwes at LTV— like “King of Photoshop” good.
That title wasn’t random. He went viral after posting a Photoshopped image of himself hugging Tiwa Savage. Funny, yes. But it also showed something: even before the music came through, he understood how to draw attention and more importantly, how to keep it.
He designed the official YBNL Nation logo before he was even signed to the label. It proves that sometimes, your side hustle is what gets your foot in the door.
Adekunle auditioned for a lot of talent shows out there. He tried. And tried again. But he never got picked.
He was frustrated, tired, and at one point, ready to quit. But instead of walking away, he did something better: he decided to stop chasing other people’s validation and focus on building his own lane.
That lane led to “Sade”; a cover of One Direction’s “Story of My Life.” It dropped in December 2014, and within weeks, everything changed. The song exploded. His voice, his sound, his name was suddenly everywhere. That song was a launchpad. That song took him outside Nigeria for the first time to perform in London in 2015.
By March 2015, Adekunle signed with YBNL Nation. His debut album Gold dropped in 2016 and debuted on the Billboard World Albums chart. The boy who once got turned down by talent shows was now topping global lists.
While the music scene was booming with electronic beats and high-tempo hits, Adekunle Gold gave us thoughtful music that felt like storytelling in a language your spirit understood.
His sound was a blend of highlife, folk, pop, and Yoruba soul. It didn’t sound like what everyone else was doing and that was the point. Critics didn’t always get it at first, but his audience did. And he stayed committed to what felt true to him.
What many people didn’t know in those early years was that Adekunle Gold was living with sickle cell disease. He’s a sickle cell warrior who, for a long time, carried that battle quietly while building his career. He’s spoken about the pain, the exhaustion, and the emotional weight of it but also the strength it gave him. Today, he uses his platform to give back through the Adekunle Gold Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting people living with sickle cell. His journey is not just a story of musical success, but one of resilience, advocacy, and purpose.
Adekunle Gold’s pre-fame journey is a reminder that the “before” is just as important as the “after.” He didn’t skip steps or wait for handouts. He worked behind the scenes, doubled up on his skills, stayed patient, and played the long game. He explicitly stated that he believes: “God has prepared me all the way, kept my growth steady so I don’t burn out fast”.
Adekunle Gold’s journey shows us that rejection isn’t failure. It’s redirection.
Your ‘random’ skills matter. That graphic design hobby opened real doors for him.
Authenticity always wins. Staying true to your sound might not be popular at first, but it will make you stand out.
Growth is layered and everything counts.
Before he blew, Adekunle Gold was already putting in the work, showing up, building slowly, and finding beauty in the journey. And that’s what makes the glow-up even sweeter.
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