Lagos, Nigeria – October 17, 2025 – In a raw confession that’s struck a chord with aspiring artists and broken families alike, Nigerian singer Euphemia Ekumah, better known as GoodGirl LA, has laid bare the painful rift that nearly derailed her dreams: a father’s outright disownment over her defiant pursuit of music at the expense of formal education.
The 28-year-old Afrobeats sensation, whose sultry hits like “Early Momo” and “Go Low” have cemented her as a genre force, spilled the tea during a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, revealing how her bold rebellion at 17 led to two years of estrangement from her family. “When I told my parents that I wasn’t interested in going to school anymore, my dad asked me to leave his house. It was crazy. At one point, my dad even disowned me. Then, I left home,” she recounted, her voice steady but laced with the weight of old scars. Forced into JAMB exams by family pressure despite zero passion for academia, GoodGirl LA hit her breaking point around 17 or 18, absconding to chase the mic over the books—a move that ignited fury in her Delta State household.
The disownment wasn’t just words; it was eviction. “He said, ‘Pack your bags and go,’” she elaborated, painting a picture of a strict patriarch who viewed her music ambitions as folly, not fortune. For two grueling years, silence reigned—no calls, no visits, just the hum of Lagos studios filling the void. “I regret ever going to school in the first place. I wish I’d left home earlier,” she admitted, flipping the script on societal norms that prize degrees over dreams in Nigeria’s cutthroat creative scene. Yet, in a classic redemption arc, success became her olive branch. As “Early Momo” climbed charts and endorsements rolled in, the family thawed—her father, once the stern gatekeeper, now beams with pride at his daughter’s glow-up.
This isn’t uncharted territory for GoodGirl LA, whose discography pulses with tales of resilience. Signed to Mavins Records in 2021 after grinding as an independent act, she’s evolved from R&B crooner to Afrobeats diva, collaborating with heavyweights like Black Sherif and Ladipoe. But the interview peels back the glamour, exposing the emotional toll: “Music saved me, but family… that wound heals slow.” Fans, who’ve long adored her vulnerability in tracks like “Need Me,” flooded socials with solidarity, turning #GoodGirlLAStory into a trending confessional space on X. “Queens who hustle through the hurt— this is why we stan,” tweeted one supporter, while another shared, “My dad did the same; your story just gave me courage to forgive.”
The revelation arrives amid a broader conversation in Naija entertainment about parental pushback in creative fields. Peers like Tems and Ayra Starr have echoed similar battles, ditching “stable” paths for spotlights that now shine global. Industry analyst Joey Akan hailed it as “therapy for the culture,” noting how such stories normalize the grind: “In a society that worships certificates, GoodGirl’s win proves passion pays dividends—eventually.”
Undeterred, the singer teases a sophomore project infused with these very reflections, vowing to mentor young talents facing the same fork in the road. “To every kid told to ‘get a real job’—keep pushing. Your breakthrough mends more than money.” For GoodGirl LA, the disownment was a dark chapter, but as she quips, “It ended in waves, not goodbyes.”
NigeriaWire Entertainment Desk. Insights from recent interviews and social buzz.