Nigerian rapper and reality television star, Laycon, has opened up about a deeply personal struggle he faced following his massive victory on the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) show in 2020.
In a recent episode of his series Life with Laycon, the artiste, whose real name is Olamilekan Agbeleshebioba, disclosed that he completely lost his “inner voice” in the immediate aftermath of his reality TV win.
According to Laycon, the internal silence lasted for more than a year and only broke in December 2021 following his performance at his sold-out concert, The Icons Fest.
“After I won Big Brother Naija in 2020, I lost my inner voice and the first time I heard that voice again was December 2021 after my sold-out concert, The Icons Fest,” Laycon shared.
When the internal dialogue finally returned, it came with heavy, introspective questions that forced him to confront his reality and happiness.
“The voice kept asking me questions like, ‘Is this really how you want to live? Are you enjoying yourself? What’s next after this? Are you happy?'”
From that conversation came a lot of necessary but uncomfortable truths and realisation about myself. If there was one thing that was consistent throughout the period was the silence,” the rapper explained.
Reflecting on the profoundly transformative experience, Laycon urged his fans to not shy away from moments of silence, but rather to embrace solitude and use self-reflection as a tool for personal growth and accountability.
“Don’t run from silence. Learn to sit with your thought. Control the volume, don’t let it control you. Next time you find yourself alone, plan, daydream, cry if you must.
“Your thoughts are your studio, your thoughts are your stage. This is what my experience has thought me,” he advised.
