I am Afrobeats greatest artiste – Omay Lay declares

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By Enitan Abdultawab

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Omah Lay has boldly declared himself the greatest Afrobeats artiste of the decade, stressing that his claim is rooted in artistic quality rather than commercial success.

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The ‘Soso’ crooner spoke in a recent interview with Capital Xtra, and maintained that his strength lies in his craft, even if conventional industry metrics suggest otherwise.

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“I am the greatest Afrobeats artiste of the decade. I am the greatest,” he said.

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However, the 28-year-old singer clarified that factors such as streaming numbers, popularity, and public persona might not place him at the top in the eyes of many.

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“When you consider numbers, personality, level of fame, and stardom, maybe you would not consider me. But when it comes to the art itself, I am the greatest,” he added.

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This is not the first time the Port Harcourt-born artiste has made such a bold assertion. He had previously described himself as Nigeria’s best artiste of the last 20 years, joining a growing list of Afrobeats stars who have made similar claims about their dominance in the genre.

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Born Stanley Omah Didia, Omah Lay began his journey in music as a producer at the age of 15 before gaining mainstream attention in 2020 with breakout hits like ‘You’ and ‘Bad Influence’.

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Known for his emotive songwriting and distinctive Afro-fusion sound, he has built a strong global fan base and remains one of the genre’s most talked-about voices.

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At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Omah Lay earned a nomination in the Best African Music Performance category for ‘With You,’ his collaboration with Davido, but lost out to Tyla.

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