“There’s no prouder time to be a Nigerian making music than now” – Seyi Shay on Global Recognition, her Recent Viral Blunders & More

Seyi Shay is the cover star of the latest issue of Guardian Life magazine and in this issue the music star talks about how this is the best time to be a Nigerian making music, the fact that she doesn’t regret her move back to Nigeria and more.

She also talks about her recent viral blunders and how she’s just doing it for the laughs.

See excerpts below.

On her recent viral blunders: You know, I’ve never really taken myself too seriously because I believe life is too short. Also, I generally feel like there’s a lot more going on in my life than just the business of music. I’ve done music for fifteen years in different parts of the world and what I’ve learned is to not take it too seriously. Sometimes, let people make fun of you – love hard, laugh harder. I made a particular mistake in December with the T-W-O thing, and it’s still funny. I figured, why not keep doing it, just for the LOLs, you know?

On being satisfied with here she is as an artiste: Yes, absolutely. I’m not going to stop now though, because I still have so much to achieve and do. For instance, I have my CSR and I have so much to do for the growing children looking up to me. I need to make enough money to be able to support that. I also need to make a statement and be planted firmly enough for people to take me seriously when I tell them to support me for one cause or the other. This is one of the major reasons why I do what I do; I don’t do it for self-gain or vanity.

On her song ‘Pack and Go’ being an anthem for domestic violence victims: Olamide actually wrote the song ‘Pack and Go’, but the funny thing is I didn’t record that song with any campaign against domestic violence in mind. My CSR has more to do with less privileged children. When the song came out, people became even more alert to how rife domestic violence against women is in Nigeria. Even worse, nobody is doing anything about it because Nigeria is still largely a patriarchal society. That was when I dedicated this song to the cause. Thankfully, Pack and Go speaks to abused women and I’m really proud and happy Olamide wrote that song and made me come to the studio to record it.

On Nigerians getting global recognition: I still feel like it’s the best decision I ever made in my life. Africa right now is the focal point of music, believe it or not. We have a lot of people looking to Nigerians, South Africans, West Africans and East Africans to bring something to the world, musically. I mean, look at Wizkid; he’s presently one of the biggest artistes in the world and he’s Nigerian. There’s no prouder time to be a Nigerian making music than now. When I was working with Matthew Knowles and the girls, it was really just a development and training ground for me. If I had stayed in the UK, the opportunities I have now probably would have never happened because there are 10,000 artistes just like me.

Read more about Seyi Shay here.

Photo Credit:
Photographer: H3Kenny by Kene Nwatu
Stylist: Henry Uduku
Makeup: Jumoke Tychus for Eyesome Beauty