Nigerian singer Michael Adebayo Olayinka, popularly known as Ruger, has opened up about how a childhood heartbreak shaped his emotional life and contributed to past struggles with vulnerability.
Speaking on The Bro Bants podcast, the Toma Toma hitmaker recounted a formative experience from his early years that left a lasting impression on his perception of love and relationships. Ruger revealed that he was just six years old when an older girl he admired—and believed was his “girlfriend”—broke his heart.
“She used to call me her boyfriend, and I believed it,” he shared. “But one day I saw her with a man through the window… It broke me. I cried and started singing ‘Imagine That’ by Styl-Plus. That was the beginning of my toxicity.”
The artist admitted that the incident left him emotionally bruised, creating a mindset he has worked hard to unlearn as he matures.
In a recent Snapchat post, Ruger also hinted at a major shift in his personal life, expressing a desire to settle down. Reacting to the wave of weddings around him, the singer reflected on his lifestyle and signalled his readiness for change.
“Everybody is just getting married,” he wrote. “Got me questioning myself—how long will I continue this playboy life? I’m settling down this year. I’ll soon be 30, tf.”
Ruger’s candid revelations offer fans a more introspective glimpse into the artist behind the bold persona—one who is actively reckoning with his past and contemplating a future rooted in love, commitment, and growth.