Omah Lay, the celebrated Afrobeats artist, has recently shared his struggles within the music industry, revealing feelings of being unloved and undervalued by both media and industry insiders. Despite the support from his fans, family, and team, he often feels isolated and disconnected from the broader industry.
In a candid interview with Amazon Music, Omah Lay admitted to escaping into a “fantasy world” as a coping mechanism for the harsh realities he faces. He shared, “I have my fans, family, and team but I don’t feel loved especially by the media and the people who call themselves the gatekeepers. This is something I’ve never talked about. I’m that artist that lives in a fantasy world. I just live in my head 90 percent of the time.”
He also discussed the additional challenges of being a Nigerian artist, especially when traveling with a Nigerian passport. Omah Lay described the difficulties he encounters, noting, “Travelling especially being a Nigerian and having a Nigerian passport, I have just seen the cruelty of the world so much. The immigration officers often maltreat me once they see the Nigerian passport until they realise that I’m Omah Lay that’s when the treatment changes.”
