Nigeria’s Omah Lay Makes His NPR Tiny Desk Concert Debut

Omah Lay’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert is more proof that African artists are taking center stage. To close out Black History Month, the 25-year-old Afro-fusion sensation vibed on the platform with the help of a diverse live band and a few of his many hits. The performance included a string of medlies consisting of renowned hits like “Never Forget,” “Soso,” ‘Bend You,” and “Infinity,” to name a few.

In a previous discussion with OkayAfrica, the Port Harcourt-born singer described his sound as “Afro-fusion,” with an edge of diverse influences.

“Mostly, my sound is afro-fusion. But I still don't like being boxed in some type of way, I'm not that kind of artist, said Omah Lay at the time. “There's so many influences to my music.”

Omah Lay, born Stanley Omah Didia, grew up around the influence of music, and that formed a foundation for his career. His grandfather was a percussionist for Nigeria’s legendary highlife singer Celestine Ukwu, and his father also played the drums. The “Godly” singer gained widespread popularity in early 2020 when his song "Holiday" became a viral sensation on social media. Following the wide reception of “Holiday,” he later put out “You” and “Bad Influence” were later released as part of the Get Layd EP roll out. That release solidified his stance as a musical artist to watch out for, and "Bad Influence," became the most streamed Nigerian song on Apple Music at the end of 2020.