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On September 27, 2020, Lekan Agbeleshe, aka Laycon, emerged the winner of the Big Brother Naija Lockdown edition with 50.11% of the total votes. Five months later, Laycon stars in his own reality TV show, I Am LAYCON, which is the very first Showmax Original in Nigeria.
We recently caught up with the aspiring artist, where he talked about what to expect on I Am LAYCON, his music career and his life after the Big Brother Naija house.
What was it like to star in your own reality TV show?
It’s me, I work, I lead my normal life and the cameras follow me everywhere. When you compare the situation to the situation in the House, it is totally different because this time around I am surrounded by people with whom I am completely comfortable. I just take it one day at a time and have fun.
What was it like filming with your fellow BBNaija ex-roommates?
It wasn’t a shot per se: it was just cameras following me while doing things I would do on a normal day. The people who were on the show were the ones who were able to do it because I hung out with other people, but the cameras couldn’t capture it. For example, I did a recording with Vee (on the show) but that wasn’t the only time we hung out. I also hung out with Lilo, Ozo, Prince and Praise. Neo couldn’t do it. Dorothy and Nengi aren’t on the show, but I actually spent time with these people while we were shooting the show, but there just wasn’t enough time. So for me, my old and new friends that I met on the show, I hung out with them on set.
What do you want viewers to remember from watching your show?
I am always 100% myself, I make mistakes and I grow from them. I have fun with the people I am comfortable with. My first impressions are shitty so I’m misunderstood and complicated but I’m still that guy. I feel like there is an evolution on my part in this show and you will see it.
How has the Big Brother Naija house changed you?
The two weeks we spent in seclusion before I even got to the House changed me, the House changed me, and this thing that I live is changing. I have a feeling that change is part of the growth that you need to adapt to your purpose as a person. I’ve made mistakes and people look at me sometimes and say I’m changing, but I haven’t been through all of these things to stay the same person. I still know what I want to do with my new influence and that won’t change.
Have the dynamics of the relationship between you and your friends changed as well?
There are a lot of things going on simultaneously that I feel for my friends who are on my team, even the things we are talking about are work related but that’s understandable. That’s why there was a point where I had to buzz Bisi, (my best friend) so we could just talk and talk. I told her, “Don’t come meet me and tell me you got this thing before 5 o’clock, let’s relax and talk.” Same thing: I called Brainee and Scar, so that we could sit down and talk as friends.
How was the next morning after winning Big Brother Naija?
I just wanted to talk to my mom and my family to see how they were doing.
Did you expect to win Big Brother Naija?
The only thing I didn’t expect was winning Big Brother Naija, so there was no future plan for it. So that’s the only thing I’m happy to live without having thought about it because sometimes when you think about things a lot when they happen they don’t really shock you and when it does you start to find a way to deal with it. But this one I actually experience, firsthand and while it can be overwhelming, it’s still a pleasant thing that not everyone gets to experience.
What did you miss the most in life before Big Brother Naija?
Since entering Big Brother’s house, I haven’t been alone for 12 hours. I used to like to sit alone and just draw different scenarios and look for a way forward, but I haven’t been able to play my mind games for quite some time because there is a lot to do. Also, I couldn’t read as much as before.
What does an ordinary day in the life of Laycon look like?
Laycon wakes up with different ideas of what he’s supposed to do and how he’s supposed to go about it without wasting any time, and also making sure he achieves most of his goals for the day. He also wakes up knowing that some people who influence the day in a negative way can derail plans, but he just needs to make sure the day is productive.
How do you deal with the pressure of social networks?
I let myself understand other people’s point of view but I don’t let that affect what I want to do for myself because the truth is I have never seen a situation where anyone would go and meet the fans and say, ‘ ‘You should stop doing this’ and the fans are listening. They won’t stop. I mean they care about you which is why they do some of the things they do, but whatever it is, find a way to make sure you are yourself and leave what you are. want to be the motivation for what you do.
When are you going to say to yourself “I have arrived”?
I really don’t know when I’m going to pat myself on the back. I have a goal as a human being, an artist, a son and a brother, so there are different scenarios. I pat myself on the back when I graduated from the University of Lagos; I pat myself on the back when I saw myself on the MTV Base Top 10 Chart; when I signed on my label, when I got a scholarship (even if I lost it); when I entered the Big Brother house and when I won. So it’s an ongoing process. It’s not like each of your accomplishments that you don’t recognize them. You have done something huge because not everyone has come to this point; you are one of the few or many. Either way, there are a billion other people out there who haven’t realized what you have done. So I feel that for each achievement or for anything that gives me joy, I pat myself on the back.
Why was it so important to surround yourself with your life?
For me, personally, I have the feeling that everyone around me knows who I am and that they know how I think or how I react to whatever is going on and the best way to handle things without affecting negatively people. That is why it seems that when I was in the House and they were here, everything was quite consistent. I feel like these people are ready to go the bullseye with me and for me, so it’s important that you surround yourself with people who support you, love you and understand what you want for yourself.
What is your definition of success as a musical artist?
The purpose you have for yourself as an artist – whether it is billboards, going on stage, people calling out your name – not everyone will be able to experience it by as an artist, but if you live your life as an artist and you can’t do it Live it, does that mean you have failed as an artist? If you can change lives as an artist, and you still don’t get to a level where people shout your name when you’re on stage, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed as an artist, because for me, it’s a matter of process. If you fall in love with the process of being an artist – creating music, performing on a large or small stage, creating the beat, the lyrics, etc. – you will never tire of doing these things. Once you know this is an ongoing process that even Beyoncé does, this is what should motivate you. You are also not frustrated because you know you are doing the things that make you an artist.
What other projects are you working on?
I’m going to release an EP and an album.
What’s on your Showmax playlist?
There are a lot of things I would watch on Showmax including my show. But now I’m watching Suit and Game of thrones. Suit, I watch again because I learn a lot from the show and Game of thrones, because it is Game of Thrones!
I Am LAYCON airs first and only on Showmax starting February 11.
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