This weekend, Adekunle Gold, a well-known Afropop musician, will discuss his activism for sickle cell disease on the Globacom-sponsored CNN African Voices Playmakers.
Known for his poignant lyrics and distinctive performance of his songs, Adekunle Gold tells CNN’s journalist and the 30-minute show anchor, Larry Madowo, about how he overcame the vicissitudes of the illness to reach the zenith of his career despite its concomitant difficulties.
He has been using his celebrity status to advocate for people who are living with the disease after fighting it behind closed doors for his whole life. In an emotional and illuminating first long-form interview, Madowo walks the singer through his experience of living with the condition and how it has shaped his newfound mission in life.
Gold, who was born on January 28, 1987, is a Lagos State Polytechnic graduate with a Higher National Diploma in Arts and Design. After releasing the successful song “Sade” in 2015, which received a lot of plaudits, it was nominated for Best Alternative Song at the 2015 edition of The Headies. “Sade” was a highlife cover of “Story of My Life” by One Direction. In the same year, he inked a record contract with YBNL Nation and put out “Gold”, his debut studio album, which debuted at number seven on the Billboard World Albums chart. Thereafter came his three singles, “Sade,” “Orente,” and “Pick Up.” His fifth studio album, “Tequila Ever After”, was released in 2023.
The singer, who has been married to the equally successful singer, Simi, since 2019, has won several awards, including Songwriter of the Year at The Headies in 2023, Best African Music Artist of IARA in 2017, Best New Act Award at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards in 2015 and 2016, and City People Entertainment Awards for Album of the Year in 2016 and 2017.
This edition of the programme will air on DSTV Channel 401 on Saturday at 8.30 a.m. Reruns will air the same day at noon, and at 4.30 a.m., and 7 p.m. on Sunday. This program will be replayed on Monday at 4 a.m., Saturday at 8.30 a.m. and 12 p.m., Sunday at 4.30 a.m. and 7 p.m., and Monday at 4 a.m. the following week.
