Nigerian disc jockey and philanthropist Florence Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy, has opened up about her identity, purpose and the changes she is making as she moves beyond the image that defined much of her career.

Cuppy said she had spent years building and maintaining a public persona that included her signature pink wigs, false lashes, colourful fashion and energetic personality.

According to her, she eventually realised that she had become more focused on performing the Cuppy people knew than allowing them to see Florence.

“I had gotten used to performing who I am, and that is something I am unlearning,” she said.

Cuppy explained that she no longer wants to feel pressured to maintain an image simply because people have become accustomed to it.

“I created a persona I couldn’t sustain, and I don’t want to pressure myself to do so. I mean, I woke up one day and said, ‘I don’t want to wear a pink wig or false lashes. So what?’” she said.

She described the change as a process of freeing herself from public expectations.

“This is the emancipation of Cuppy, and she is freeing herself of the perceptions of others. Now, I do not apologise for who I am, and I don’t do things I do not want to do,” she said.

Despite the changes in her public image and her expanding interests, Cuppy said music remains an important part of her life.

“As Africans, we communicate so strongly through music. I learned that when I was younger, and I hold it close to me even now. It is and will always be, a form of healing for me,” she said.

Cuppy has also expanded her work beyond entertainment, with education, philanthropy and advocacy becoming major parts of her activities.

She founded the Cuppy Foundation in 2018, with the organisation focused on creating opportunities for young people through education and other initiatives.

Her work in that area has also received international recognition. In 2025, she was named a Goalkeeper by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for her advocacy around issues including education and gender equality.