Seyi Shay, the Nigerian singer, has opened up about the challenges she faced earlier in her career, which included being publicly labelled a member of the secretive Illuminati.
In a recent interview, the songstress reflected on her initial reception in the industry after returning to Nigeria.
The 39-year-old singer revealed that her unique sound and artistic style were often misunderstood by the public.
“The game has changed. I have noticed isolation (since I came to Nigeria). I know that is not necessarily the good word for a lot of people. Some people might say isolation is bad, but for me, brilliant. The best three years of my life,” she said.
“It has been discovering new artistes, playlists. Dining out, what sounds I really like and the ones I do not really like. Just literally being a consumer. And it has been incredible. Now I know the music I have is really the right music. It is original, authentic, and it is fresh.”
She recalled the intense criticism she received for music videos like ‘Crazy’ and ‘Irawo’. According to her, the backlash reached its peak with the 2019 visuals for her hit song ‘Mary’ featuring Phyno.
“I have been able to put a lot of thought into my project and have been very happy with it. When I started, most Nigerians did not get my sound. I remember videos like ‘Mary’, ‘Irawo’, ‘Crazy’,” she said.
“I got such much stick for ‘Crazy’ even though Wizkid was in it, they were like this is wild. And then with ‘Mary’ with Phyno.”
“That was when I joined the Illuminati. That was when it was official. I was an Illuminati member,” she stated, recounting the fan allegations with a sense of irony.
The Illuminati is widely alleged to be an international secret society that controls world affairs, with rumoured members across politics, business, and entertainment.
Watch the official video of ‘Mary’:
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