Drake has been awarded the keys to The O2, after reaching the milestone of 21 performances. Prince first established the record in 2007, with his legendary 21-night run. Any act to reach the milestone receives the keys to the venue and joins the 21 Club, in recognition of Prince’s residency.
Drake is the first solo artist to be inducted into the 21 Club since its inception, with his seven night run in April bringing his total performances to 21. The Grammy Award winner first performed two nights at the venue on the Club Paradise tour in 2012, before returning in 2014 for three nights in support of the number one hit album, Nothing Was The Same. Drake performed at The BRIT Awards in 2016 and last played The O2 in 2017 with The Boy Meets World Tour, during which he performed eight headline shows.
The key, designed by The O2 team, was inspired by the latest Assassination Vacation tour artwork. Mounted on black velvet and finished in gold, it will join the rest of the 21 Club accolades backstage, to serve as inspiration for future artists. Drake’s famed reference to the venue was also celebrated during this residency, as the venue (literally) turned into The O3 for two weeks.
Commenting on the accomplishment, Emma Bownes, Vice President of Venue Programming (Europe), said: “It’s great to be inducting the first solo artist into the 21 Club. Drake has consistently brought us incredible shows and our congratulations go to Drake and his team for this achievement.”
