Asake has described himself as “devastated” following the death of a fan at a concert in Nairobi, Nigeria, on Saturday (December 20).
It has been reported (via BBC) that 20-year-old Karen Lojore died in a crush while in long queues to get into the Nyayo National Stadium. Delays were reportedly affected by rain, and other fans were also injured.
Speaking with the BBC, Kenyan police spokesman Michael Muchiri described the incident as “very unfortunate”. He added that the situation had been very serious, but the police had worked to contain the crowds, averting more deaths.
He said: “It looked like crowd control at the venue was not very ok,” but that in the coming weeks, investigations would determine the cause of the tragedy and how to avoid future incidents.
On an Instagram story shared from his account on Monday, Asake wrote: “I am devastated by the tragic incident that took place at the festival on Dec 20th in Nairobi. My heart goes out to the family, friends, and loved ones of Karen Lojore, and I pledge to support and do my best to understand what happened. Those responsible should be held accountable.”
He continued: “Music has always been my way of sharing love and joy, and it breaks my heart that anyone had to experience such loss. My thoughts are with everyone grieving, and I pray that Karen rests in peace. God Bless Kenya.”
Asake’s most recent album, 2024’s ‘Lungu Boy’, reached number one in his native Nigeria, as well as number 15 in the UK charts. Last year, he was seen surprising fans alongside WizKid in a London pop-up event celebrating the release.
Its success led to him being nominated for Best International Artist at the 2025 Brit Awards, his second consecutive appearance in the category.