Zlatan Ibile, the Nigerian singer, has revealed the meaning behind the title of his forthcoming album ‘Symbol of Hope’.
The rapper spoke about the new project in a question-and-answer session with his son Lashe.
When Lashe asked what the title meant to him, Zlatan explained that it represents his own journey “from nothing to something”.
The 30-year-old artiste shared that during his youth, he looked up to individuals “who hustled right to the top,” using their talent and determination to achieve success.
The individuals, he said, became the “symbols of my hope” that motivated him to strive for greatness.
“When I was growing up, I used to have people I looked up to. I saw people who made it from nothing to something. They used their talent and they hustled right and got to the top,” he said.
“They are the symbols that I saw that gave me hope. And right now, a lot of people look up to me as well, including you. I am like a symbol of hope to a lot of people.”
Zlatan, born Omoniyi Raphael, revealed that his childhood struggles were a major influence on the album.
“When I was young, it was really hard to eat three times a day. The life experience influenced this album. It was like a process. I had to work hard. When others were sleeping, I had to motivate myself and tell myself that I want to be great,” he added.
The album, set for release on October 17, 2025, was a labour of love that took two years to complete, involving a meticulous process of “recording and removing so many songs”.
Zlatan first rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album in 2019 and has since won numerous awards for his musical prowess.
He is known for hit songs like ‘Zanku’, ‘Shotan’, and ‘Lagos Anthem,’ and more recently, the 2022 singles ‘Omo Ologo‘ and ‘Let There Be Light‘.
His path to stardom was paved with hardship, having previously worked as a bricklayer before finding fame, a testament to the very hope his new album represents.
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