Ghanaian gospel artist Perez Musik has revealed that he struggled with smoking for 11 years. The “Hewale Lala” hitmaker shared that he started smoking as a teenager, while still in senior high school.

“The first time I smoked a cigarette was in senior high school. I remember it clearly—it happened at Indigo, and I continued for 11 years,” Perez said.

Earlier in the interview, Perez also spoke about a personal betrayal that deeply impacted him, leading him to give his life to Christ. He recounted how he discovered that a fellow musician had been having an affair with his then-girlfriend.

“Someone in the industry was pursuing my girlfriend. I caught him with her once, and when I turned my back, he took her number. One day, I picked up his phone to make a call and found out he was involved with her,” he explained.

Perez Musik, now a renowned gospel musician, has several hit songs to his name. His popular track “Hewale Lala” has amassed over 2 million views on YouTube, and he won Songwriter of the Year and Best Male Vocal Performance at the 24th TGMA.