Losing Sound Sultan Almost Made Me Quit Music – Seyi Shay

Nigerian singer and songwriter Seyi Shay has revealed how the death of her mentor, Sound Sultan, in 2021 profoundly affected her career and personal life.

In an interview with TVC, posted on YouTube on Saturday, Shay explained that losing her mentor, who she described as a father figure and best friend, made it difficult for her to continue in music.

She also shared that she became pregnant around the same time, which contributed to her decision to take a break from the industry.

“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 recalled.

Shay went on to describe her close relationship with Sound Sultan, saying, “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.”

She added, “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 is that I didn’t get to see him before he passed away. 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 torn 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.”

Shay also shared how her pregnancy influenced her decision to step back from the spotlight: “Also, during that period, I got pregnant and I told myself there’s no way I’m going to have my child in the toxic music industry that I’m in and under the scrutiny that I was constantly under. So, I just thought I should take a break.”

Watch her speak below…