Joeboy: I’m not encouraging alcoholism with my latest song

Joeboy, the Nigerian singer, says ‘Alcohol’, his latest hit single, is not meant to encourage alcoholism as alleged.

The 24-year-old had released the critically-acclaimed project in September.

Some music lovers consider the song as an explicit endorsement of drunkenness by the musician while others see it as a fit for post-heartbreak situations.

The project has also inspired several alcohol-related trends across social media platforms.

But in a recent interview with Genius, Joeboy said he is not encouraging alcoholism in any way with the song.

He also urged his fans against getting drunk to escape from life challenges, adding that such would not address the situation.

“Being tipsy inspired ‘Alcohol’. There are different challenges in life; it never ends. There is always something one needs to fix or solve,” he said.

“I am not encouraging alcoholism in any way but I understand that people need breaks. However, trying to run away from one’s problems won’t fix them at the end of the day.”

The musician, born Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa, said the song is different from his typical sound, adding that it signifies his evolution as a singer.

“It is really special for me, seeing how big the song is becoming and how big it is going to get. It was a different step (direction) in my sound. It’s not like the regular Joeboy sound that people are used to,” he said.

“I am more or less known as a lover boy. I am not saying it’s a bad thing but I wanted to explore different sounds. Alcohol is the first step in evolving my sound.”

He also disclosed that he was nervous while recording the song because he was unsure of what people would say about it. 

“I was a bit nervous before the song was released because I was not sure if people were going to accept it. It is totally different from what I normally do,” he said.

“The reception has been amazing so far. It is my biggest charting song since the beginning of my career.”