23rd August, 2024
By Oluwapelumi Oluwayemi
Afrobeat sensation Omah Lay has opened up about the huge impact of his Nigerian upbringing, attributing his strength and uniqueness to his early experiences.
In an interview on the Zach Sang Show, the artiste described his childhood in Nigeria as “beautiful,” stating that his humble beginnings shaped his unique approach to life and music.
“It was beautiful growing up in Nigeria, where you have less,” Omah Lay shared.
“Now that I have more, I can use my experiences and resources in ways that people who have always had more might not. In my opinion, it makes you very strong and unique.”
Reflecting on the role of his family in his journey, Omah Lay expressed deep gratitude for his mother’s strong support.
He stressed that her trust and love have been instrumental in motivating him to achieve greatness.
“My mum is very proud, she knows I love her so much and she loves me so much too. Her love for me is my fuel, and I just look back at her and see how far we’ve come; my energy doesn’t die. She’s very proud of me, and she trusts me and my decisions. She trusts that I’m going to be a very awesome human being, and that keeps me going—it’s very motivating,” he said.
Omah Lay also spoke about his family’s rich musical heritage, revealing that his father played the drums, albeit not professionally, while his grandfather was a percussionist for legendary high-life singers.
He credited this lineage with validating his passion for music.
“My dad played the drums, not professionally, though, but he played on the chairs, in the dining room, and stuff. My granddad used to be a percussionist; he played for some legendary high-life singers in his day, and I think that is part of where my whole music thing came from. Growing up and realizing that your granddad was a percussionist, it’s another validating fact that I was born a musician,” he added.
