Veteran Nigerian singer Salawa Abeni has recounted the physical and emotional challenges she faced after beginning her music career as a child artiste in the 1970s.

The 65-year-old Waka singer made the revelation during an interview on Channels Television’s Rubbin’ Minds, aired on Sunday.

Abeni recalled that she often performed alongside older musicians and had to stand on a stool to reach the microphone because of her young age.

According to her, the pressure of performing at the time sometimes affected her voice and health, with episodes of vomiting blood.“When it is time for me to sing, my voice will go.

I won’t be able to sing. Sometimes I will be vomiting blood,” she said.

The singer also attributed some of the difficulties she experienced to jealousy from people who questioned how a young girl could suddenly attract so much attention in the music industry.