Mr Eazi reveals the moment he knew he had become a recognised artiste

• Mr Eazi says his 2016 London headline show at O2 Kentish Town was the moment he realised he had officially become an artiste.

• He recalled being amazed as the audience sang his songs word for word, giving him confidence to pursue music full-time.

• At the time, he was still running a used mobile phone business in Lagos and kept his music career private because he feared it would affect his credibility as an entrepreneur.

Nigerian musician Mr Eazi has recalled the moment he realised he had become a recognised artiste, pointing to his first headline show in London in 2016 as the turning point.

Speaking in an interview with Brut, the singer said his performance at O2 Kentish Town on July 22, 2016, changed his perception of his music career after he watched the audience sing his songs word for word.

Mr Eazi said the reaction from the crowd gave him the confidence to pursue music full-time.

“I would say to the crowd, ‘I don't know if you know this song,’ and point the microphone to them, and they would sing everything. That is when I said I am officially an artiste,” he said.

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He revealed that at the time, he was still running a used mobile phone business in Lagos while pursuing music on the side.

According to Mr Eazi, he deliberately kept his music career separate from his business because he feared being identified as a musician would affect how seriously people took him as an entrepreneur.

“I remember the first time I had a show in London, and I promoted the show myself at O2 Kentish Town. I came out and saw the crowd. July 22, 2016, that was the day I said, ‘From now, I am a musician," he recounted.

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The singer said that before the London show, he felt he was living “multiple lives”, trying to balance his business and music careers while keeping the two worlds apart.

“There is even a video where I was speaking as an entrepreneur and promoting music on the side. I didn't want anybody to know because I felt like if they knew I was a musician, they wouldn't take me seriously in business,” he said.