Nigerian Afropop singer, Stanley Omah Didia, popularly known as Omah Lay, opened up about his battle with depression and how he almost attempted suicide. In a recent conversation with H-Steph, the singer discussed his mental health struggles and how he incorporates his depression battle into his music.
Omah Lay revealed that going through depression has given him a better understanding of what people go through when dealing with the mental illness. He shared that he believes he has to be there for those who are struggling with depression because he can relate to their pain.
“I was at the verge of, I was suicidal, mahn. Trust me, I was really fcked up coz of depression. But I think I have to be there to actually help the people who are there right now to get out of that place."
The "Godly" crooner also explained how creating music based on his personal experiences helps him cope with his struggles. He shared that he wants to make music that is real and relatable to his fans. He expressed disappointment in some Afrobeats artists who only make music for hype and do not touch on deeper topics like mental health.
“I mean it will take a real person like me to go there and then make music out of it and talk about it so openly how I’m a mess, how I think and how I’m fcked up and everything."
Despite the challenges, Omah Lay revealed that he will continue to create real music based on his experiences. He believes that it's essential to use his platform to bring awareness to issues like depression and to show people that it's okay not to be okay.
