Nigerian singer Joeboy has shared how a viral cover of an Ed Sheeran song became the turning point that launched his music career.
In an interview with CNN, Joeboy explained that he started out without any industry connections and relied heavily on social media to gain visibility.
“We didn’t have any access to the industry. We believed the best way for us to be seen or heard was to do covers of popular songs,” he said.
One of those covers was Sheeran’s global hit Shape of You, which he posted on Instagram. The video quickly gained traction and went viral, eventually catching Mr Eazi’s attention.
“It went viral… and a friend of mine tried to send the video to a bunch of established artists. Mr Eazi was one of them and that’s how we started talking,” Joeboy revealed.
That moment proved decisive.
“I got signed to Mr Eazi through social media,” he added.
Reflecting on the unexpected breakthrough, Joeboy expressed gratitude to Ed Sheeran, acknowledging the role the song played in his journey.
“I thank God for Ed Sheeran for making that song. Who would have known?” he said.
Despite his success story, Joeboy cautioned upcoming artists against chasing viral fame as a primary goal.
“Virality is not something you should chase,” he advised, emphasising the importance of consistency and authenticity.
Oluwatosin Ajibade, popularly known as Mr Eazi, is the founder of emPawa Africa, a platform dedicated to supporting emerging African artists.
After being discovered in 2017, Joeboy went on to release hit songs like “Baby” and “Beginning” under emPawa Africa. He has since expanded his career by launching his own label, Young Legend, in partnership with Warner Music Africa, solidifying his position in the Afrobeats scene.
