For Adekunle Gold, the journey into music started long before fame, hit records and sold-out performances. It began with a young boy watching church choir leaders and wishing he could one day stand in their place.
The Nigerian singer shared the story of his musical beginnings during an interview on the One54 Podcast, explaining how his church upbringing influenced both his love for music and, eventually, the stage name “Gold.”
“I found my love for music in the church,” he said.
Gold said he was fascinated by young people who led the choir and desperately wanted the opportunity to become one of them.
“I wanted to be that guy so bad,” he recalled.
But the opportunity never came.
Two other boys regularly occupied the leadership position, leaving Gold watching from the sidelines.
“It never happened for me,” he said.
That early disappointment, however, did not stop him from pursuing music.
Another setback at Project Fame
His determination would later be tested again when he auditioned for Project Fame.
Gold recalled that he particularly wanted the approval of Cobhams Asuquo, one of Nigeria’s respected music producers and songwriters.
“I wanted Cobhams to like me,” he said.
The feedback he received was mixed. Cobhams reportedly told him that he liked his voice but that it was not suitable for what he was looking for at the time.
Instead of allowing the rejection to define him, Gold chose to focus on the positive part of the assessment.
“For a cool man to say he loved my voice, then, okay, maybe I actually have something,” he said.
The experience reinforced his belief that rejection should not necessarily signal the end of a dream.
“You can either crumble or go, you know what, it’s time to go to work,” Gold said.
He chose the latter.
The moment ‘Gold’ was born
The singer also revealed the unusual story behind the name that eventually became central to his identity as an artiste.
In 2008, while attending a youth conference, he heard a preacher repeatedly say: “You can’t substitute brass for gold.”
The phrase stayed with him.
Gold said he suddenly felt that “Gold” was the name he should adopt.
“I just got a nudge like, yeah, that’s your name. That’s it,” he recalled.
The name would later become one of the most recognisable identities in Nigerian contemporary music.
Music that connects with memories
During the podcast, Gold also reflected on the emotional power of music.
He explained that a melody can unexpectedly transport listeners back to moments from their past, whether involving a particular person, location or period in their lives.
“Melodies are so powerful,” he said.
According to the singer, music can cross cultural and language barriers because emotions do not always require translation.
He also cited Fela Kuti’s view of music as something spiritual.
“Fela even said, music is spiritual, don’t play with it,” Gold recalled.
For Gold, that perspective is particularly meaningful given that his own relationship with music began in a church environment.
“I’m just blessed to make songs that do that to people as well,” he added.
His story ultimately reflects a career built through persistence. The young boy who once watched church choir leaders from the sidelines went on to face rejection, continue developing his abilities and establish himself as a successful Nigerian artiste.
Behind the fame, Gold’s journey remains rooted in a simple beginning: a love for music discovered in church.
