Nigerian singer Omah Lay has shared his views on the structure of the Afrobeats industry, stating that the genre is largely centred in Lagos and strongly influenced by the Yoruba ethnic group.
The artiste, whose real name is Stanley Omah Didia, made the remarks during a listening session for his forthcoming album titled Clarity of Mind, where he spoke about the dynamics of Nigeria’s music scene.
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According to Omah Lay, many of the opportunities and industry connections in Afrobeats are concentrated in Lagos. He noted that the genre’s roots are often traced to legendary musician Fela Kuti, widely regarded as a pioneer of the sound and a prominent Yoruba cultural figure.
“Afrobeats is mainly Lagos. It’s mainly Yorubas. Fela Kuti is the pioneer, we all know that, and he’s Yoruba,” he said.
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Reflecting on his personal journey in the music industry, the Port Harcourt-born singer explained that artistes from other regions often need to establish themselves in Lagos to gain wider recognition.
“I’m from PH, and you have to break into Lagos. There are only two people from PH that you know; Burna Boy and me,” he added.
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During the event, the singer also opened up about a difficult personal experience he had while attending the Grammy Awards. He recalled going through a breakup during the ceremony, which left him emotionally distracted throughout the event.
“While Justin Bieber was performing at the Grammys, I was having a breakup right inside, an embarrassing moment,” he said.
Omah Lay explained that although the relationship lasted only two months, he had initially believed it might lead to something more serious.
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“The relationship was only two months, by the way. It was a relationship where I thought I was going to have a baby. I wasn’t present at the Grammys; I didn’t even enjoy anything,” he said.
The singer was recently nominated for a Grammy alongside Davido for their collaboration titled With You. Recalling his preparations for the ceremony in Los Angeles, Omah Lay said an attempt to get his hair styled for the event turned into an unpleasant experience.
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“I went to LA for the Grammys, I got a barber to prepare for the show and he messed me up. I got another barber who was like the best barber in LA and his price was exaggerated to fix me up. He came and he completely messed me over,” he said.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Abiona Collins
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