
Nigerian music icon Tuface Idibia has bared his heart on the often-overlooked emotional toll of fame, describing it as “annoying, depressing, and heartbreaking” during a candid conversation with popular media personality Nedu.
The veteran singer, known for his legendary status in the Nigerian music industry, expressed frustration at the intense scrutiny he faces daily. According to Tuface, fame has distorted public perception of him, with people often misjudging his actions and holding on to outdated narratives.
“Sometimes it’s very heartbreaking and annoying and depressing,” he said. “It just shatters your whole being… Those are the bad sides of fame. There’s this fake standard that is opened for you.”
Responding to Nedu’s suggestion that he seek professional help to deal with mental stress, Tuface insisted he remains grounded and self-aware. He admitted that while people around him have often mistaken his behavior for signs of mental struggle, it was mostly him being “stubborn.”
“I’ve acted in some way that people close to me concluded I was going through something, but it’s just being stubborn,” he clarified. “I think I’m good now.”
The music legend reflected on how fame has impacted his family life, noting that being in the spotlight means every aspect of his personal life—especially his children—is constantly monitored and criticized.
“If I wasn’t famous, my family life would have been different. Everybody’s eyes are on my kids. But if I wasn’t that famous, nobody would give a f*ck.”
Tuface also addressed longstanding misconceptions about his past, particularly those surrounding his relationships and scandals. He emphasized that most of the narratives people hold onto today stem from incidents that occurred before the rise of social media, and that many assumptions about him are outdated or outright false.
“Since I got married, I’ve never had any issue. But people still think I just got somebody pregnant,” he said. “Maybe I’m even the bad guy. But the majority of my scandals were before social media.”
Despite the emotional weight of public judgment, Tuface said he has learned to grow a thick skin.
“You are not judged by the normal standard of a normal person. You just have to grow a thick skin; if not, you will join them to be crazy. I’ve grown to understand that everybody cannot like you.”