A playful, heartfelt dive into how they fell for each other—one moment at a time.
Between playful bombastic side-eyes, endless smiles, and undeniable sparks of affection, Moozlie and Jr Ecko’s love is instantly felt in our three-way virtual conversation. The couple, ever eager to express their adoration, recently celebrated their first year together. As their love deepens with each passing day, they say they’re embracing the journey at their own pace—falling for each other, one moment at a time.
And just like that, their love story began.
Right off the bat, when asked how they met, Moozlie quickly passes the question to Jr, jokingly admitting that she always gets the details wrong.
“I first saw Moozlie 12 years ago at an event where she was obviously emceeing. No contact, no approach, no nothing—from afar I remember thinking, ‘What a beautiful girl.’ 10 years later, Moozlie walks into a studio as the talent, and I’m there as the photographer. That’s when I finally told her about the crush I had on her a decade ago.”
A friendship quickly blossomed, but Jr knew they had moved beyond the friend zone when Moozlie started replying to his texts after work hours.
For Moozlie, the realisation hit at one of Jr’s game nights.
“He just kept hitting me with these one-liners, and that’s when I thought—wait, this guy is flirting with me!” she says with a little scream. Although she kept her glasses on the entire time, it was impossible to miss how her face lit up, clearly smitten by Jr’s playful teasing.
“In that moment, that night, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I think I love him,’” she says before bursting into laughter, with Jr just as amused.
The next year was all about getting to know each other—a phase Moozlie playfully calls ‘uku trial(a),’ a kasi slang term for testing the waters and assessing potential.
JR reflects, “I always tell her that she met me at a point where I had completely given up on love and needed to reassess so many parts of myself. And unfortunately, I also couldn’t let her go while I was figuring things out. I knew we were going to be something special, and I wanted to be the closest thing to perfect by the time I asked her to be my girlfriend.”
Their love is built on unconditional support, genuine care, and deep friendship.
“There’s an everydayness to being in a relationship that I don’t think we fully consider in the beginning. After all the fun and cuteness wear off, and a year passes, you start reevaluating—do we still like each other? What’s really going on? Having that real, solid friendship with your partner carries you through every single day. Because life doesn’t stop, and the truth is, some days that very person will annoy you. But when the foundation is knowing that this is your person—someone you genuinely like and admire—it all just makes sense,” Moozlie shares.
Coming from a long-term relationship herself, she admits that what fell short in the past was maintaining a deep friendship.
“I’m also learning that relationships aren’t just about me, as the girl. Yes, I’m the prize, but my partner also deserves the same effort and adoration. This relationship has really made me look in the mirror in ways I hadn’t been honest about before.”
For Jr, his longest relationship was two years, which he doesn’t consider long at all. But with Moozlie, he’s in it for the long haul and hopes to not only marry her one day but build a future filled with love and growth.
“She’s the first person I want to tell anything to, and that has been the base of our relationship. It’s like, ‘Hey bestie, guess what just happened!’ That level of friendship brings a certain kindness into our relationship, and I love that.”
When asked how this relationship has changed them personally, Jr shares, “Being able to come back to God with my partner has been such a big deal for me. In previous relationships, God almost felt like a private thing, but embracing that part of my life with the person I love has been the biggest growth for me.
“On a lighter note, I now enjoy dripping, I do my nails, and I take better care of myself—just the little things that match my partner’s energy. She’s adventurous, so now I’m even more open to traveling. This relationship has opened doors for me to explore and express myself in new ways.”
Moozlie laughs, admitting that her world has also become way more creative. “Now everything feels like AI, and it’s like anything is possible. It’s so inspiring!”
Never shy to showcase their love, the pair effortlessly adds to the conversation around Black love—its joy, depth, and resilience—at a time when negativity often takes center stage.
For Jr, loving out loud is deeply personal. Growing up, he never witnessed displays of affection between his father and stepmother, which shaped his early perception of love.
“I don’t remember seeing them kiss, buy each other flowers, or even go on dates. At some point, that shapes what you think love is. But when you see Black love celebrated so openly—like Murdah Bongz and DJ Zinhle, Nandi Madida and Zakes Bantwini—it’s healing. You start believing in love—the purest kind. It encouraged me, and I hope our love reinforces that for others.”
Moozlie adds, “I think the true sign of love is fruitfulness, and you see it in so many people. My friends who are in loving partnerships live such blessed lives. Taking it one day at a time—that’s the vision and dream for our love. Fruitfulness.”
