Nigerian singer Omah Lay has voiced concern over the declining quality of Nigerian music and Afrobeats, accusing some artists of prioritizing quick fame over musical depth.
In a recent interview with ViewsFrance, the Port Harcourt-born artist, whose real name is Omah Stanley Didia, criticized his peers for not investing sufficient effort into their craft. He claimed that many musicians are focused on rapid financial gain rather than lyrical substance or creative innovation.
Omah Lay warned that this trend is negatively impacting Afrobeats and African culture, particularly in international markets. He urged fellow artists to enhance their artistry and deliver higher-quality music for the next generation.
“Nigerian music is drifting towards a place where artists are not putting so much effort into the art anymore,” he said. “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.”
While acknowledging the benefits of Afrobeats’ global expansion, Omah Lay stressed the need to raise creative standards. “It is a good thing that Afrobeats is going to the world 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.”
His comments come amid growing debate about the evolution of Afrobeats, which has seen massive international success but also criticism over perceived declines in musical complexity and originality.
