Omah Lay Shares Emotional Single 'Understand'

Rising Nigerian pop star Omah Lay shares the emotional "Understand," his first solo release of 2021, out today on Sire Records. On "Understand," Omah Lay finds himself in deep reflection about romance, wondering why his beloved seems less invested in their relationship than him. Listen HERE and watch the lyric video HERE.

In a reunion with Tempoe, who produced last year's breezy, introspective smash hit "Godly," Omah Lay's strengths as a songwriter and vocalist are in full bloom. "I enter rain 'coz I give you umbrella / I thought we in this together," he sings in disbelief. "Give you my last card you spend am." Omah Lay's silky vocals carry so much emotion-even when submerged beneath the soothing, hypnotic production, you can feel every bit of hurt and confusion in his voice.

"It was a tough one to record and I hope the fans listen, understand and connect with it," he explains, adding poignantly, "Most importantly, I hope she listens."

Omah Lay most recently featured on the Masterkraft remix of Justin Bieber's chart-topping "Peaches," with Alpha P, a fellow Nigerian upstart. Bieber, who is a fan of Omah Lay's, personally reached out to invite him onto the remix. Last year, Omah Lay released two EPs, Get Layd and What Have We Done, the latter of which features the 6LACK-featuring "Damn." In the wake of recent tragedy, Omah Lay used his platform as an artist to bring awareness to the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria, speaking with Teen Vogue and Harper's Bazaar about the situation and ways to support the affected communities. "Understand" shows that all these textured, introspective singles are just the start for Omah Lay - 2021 is set to be his year.

With his darkly sparkling vocals, evocative storytelling, and contagious rhythms, Omah Lay is quickly becoming one of Nigeria's most talked-about musical innovators. The 23-year-old singer and producer's brand of Afro-fusion effortlessly pulls from his deep personal history with West Africa's percussion-heavy highlife genre, as well as his enthusiasm for the popular sounds of his generation-from classic rap to the Afro-beats empire flourishing in his home base of Lagos. Throughout his inventive Get Layd EP, his lithe voice unravels tales that range from introspective to romantic to gratifyingly explicit, expertly laid over lush and soulful instrumentals. Layered with vivid scenarios and heartfelt confessions, Omah Lay's rich music not only depicts a young man daring to reveal his grittiest vices and innermost feelings, but also doubles as a fascinating window into Afro-fusion's bright and expansive future.

Listen here:

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