Nigerian singer Omah Lay, born Omah Stanley Didia, has voiced strong concerns about what he sees as a noticeable drop in the standard of Nigerian music and Afrobeats in recent years.
Speaking during a recent interview with ViewsFrance, Omah Lay shared his frustration with the current direction of the industry.
According to him, many artists are no longer as committed to the creative process as they once were.
He suggested that the growing pursuit of fame and financial success has shifted attention away from artistic depth and meaningful songwriting. This, he believes, is gradually affecting the overall sound and identity of Afrobeats.
Omah Lay also pointed out that this trend could have wider cultural implications, especially as African music continues to gain global recognition. He warned that the kind of music being produced today may influence the standards embraced by upcoming artists and listeners alike.
Encouraging change, the singer called on his fellow musicians to take their craft more seriously and focus on delivering higher-quality music that can positively shape the next generation.
Omah Lay said, “Nigerian Music is drifting towards a place where artists are not putting so much efforts in the art anymore.
“And that is also hurting my culture. Most artists are just playing with music these days and really not trying to improve the sound and the whole creativity around it.
“It is just quick money and it is really dipping the audience and the new generation, that level of music is what they are growing to and they are even doing worse.
“I don’t want to blame the globalisation of Afrobeats for that but that could also be one of the reasons. Generally, it is a good that that Afrobeats to the world is happening and people are getting to know us from our music. But I just wish we could strive to raise the bar a little more with the craft.”
