Omah Lay brought a calm demeanor and a bright smile to his time at NPR headquarters. By the third song of his Tiny Desk concert, “soso,” I realized that the Nigerian star was exercising lots of emotions through this set. The first two titles, “Bad Influence” and “i’m a mess,” are self-explanatory, yet the message of “soso” — that he’s yearning for something to take his pain away — could get lost in the song’s upbeat rhythms. At any rate, Omah Lay’s performance showcases a songwriter grappling with all the feels, unafraid to share them with the world.
Omah Lay rose to prominence during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic with his debut EP, Get Layd. In a short time, he’s joined the slew of African artists who’ve dominated dance floors and infiltrated America with Afro-fusion music. The feat is extraordinary and bittersweet, given that when he first broke through, the music industry was in a frenzy and the clubs closed.
