Seyi Shay, the British-Nigerian singer, has revealed the impact of Sound Sultan‘s death on her career and personal life.
In an interview with TVC, the 39-year-old songwriter said the loss of Sultan, her mentor who brought her to Nigeria and co-signed her into the industry, nearly led her to quit music.
Shay described Sultan as a “father figure and best friend”, recalling how she lived with him and his wife in Festac, Lagos, for a year when she first arrived in Nigeria.
“During the filming of Nigerian Idol, my mentor, also my best friend, who is like a father figure to me, and also the person who brought me to the Nigerian music industry, died. He passed away, Sound Sultan,” she said.
“When I first came to Nigeria, I was living with him and his wife in Festac for a year. He was the one who co-signed me and introduced me to everybody in the industry to make sure that those who were his people look out for me.”
The singer revealed that what made the loss painful was missing the chance to see him one last time. She said she had planned to visit him in New York during a break in filming, especially since he had asked her to bring him something special.
Shay said his death left her emotionally shattered, adding that she questioned her future in music.
“So, when he passed away, it was really hard for me to complete the filming, but I made it to the end. What hurt the most was that I didn’t get to see him before he passed away,” she said.
“I was supposed to fly to see him in New York that weekend when we had a break. He asked me to bring him something specifically.
“It just tore me apart. I felt like I didn’t have the will to continue to do music without Sound Sultan, my peace of mind, and my mental health. So, I decided to go on a little break.”
Sultan died on July 11, 2021, at 44, after a four-year battle with blood cancer.
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