Adekunle Gold reveals he wrote song for Beyoncé amid personal grief
Adekunle Gold
Abdullateef Fowewe
Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold shared an emotional story on Tuesday about writing a deeply personal song, “Simile,” for Beyoncé’s Lion King project while coping with the loss of his father in 2019.
In his heartfelt message shared with Dailyeconomy via Gmail on Tuesday, Adekunle Gold said, “I wrote a song for Beyoncé. The oldest song on the album came out of one of the most life-changing moments of my life.”
He explained how grief numbed his senses during that period stating, “My whole world had collapsed.”
He described the creative process for “Simile,” which means “rest on me, lean on me” in Yoruba, as an outlet for his grief and confusion.
Adekunle said, “I sat in my small studio at home, picked up my mic and let everything I was feeling pour out—It wasn’t just a song. It was my grief, my confusion, my cry for direction.”
Although the song was sent to Beyoncé’s team, it wasn’t included in the final project, and the track remained hidden for years.
He recalled, “I secretly prayed it wouldn’t make the final cut. It didn’t. And so Simile stayed hidden on a hard drive for years.”
Fast forward to 2024, Adekunle’s best friend and producer Michael played the song during a studio session, bringing back the memories and emotions tied to it.
Adekunle reflected, “Listening back to Simile reminded me of something I had forgotten, that even in the deepest loss, I was not alone. That I had God to lean on, even when I felt I had to carry the weight of everything by myself.”
Addressing others facing loss, he said, “Grief isn’t just about losing a parent. Loss takes many forms, but the emptiness it leaves often feels the same. If you are carrying grief right now, I want you to hear this: Fowewe, you don’t have to carry it alone. It’s okay to lean on God.”
Adekunle Gold’s new album, FUJI, featuring “Simile,” is set for release on October 3, 2025.
He concluded with a comforting hope for listeners: “So when you hear this song, I hope it gives you what it gave me: comfort. The quiet strength to know that even in your breaking, there is still a voice saying, rest on me, lean on me.”
