As Dayo walked onto the stage, the sound of the crowd hit him like a wave.
"JD! JD! JD!"
His name echoed from every corner of the arena, loud and steady.
He froze for a second. He wasn't expecting that.
People were waving light sticks and holding up small boards with his name written in bold colors — some even had his photo printed. It was overwhelming. For a moment, all the stress, all the sadness he'd been holding in, melted just a little.
He smiled. A small, tired smile, but a real one.
He looked around the massive arena, Capital One Arena. He had a few seconds of peace looking at everyone waving at him.
The host walked forward with a grin.
"JD! The crowd clearly loves you," he said over the mic. "How are you feeling tonight?"
Dayo took the mic slowly. "I'm… I'm grateful," he said. "It's been a long week, but seeing everyone here cheering me means a lot."
The host nodded. "We all heard the news. It must have been tough. Are you sure you're okay to perform?"
