Still grieving over the death of the late legendary Sound Sultan, Seyi Shay, a respected Nigerian singer, shared how she almost abandoned music altogether.
The singer revealed this during a candid sit-down with TVC, recounting the significant impact Sound Sultan had on her. Describing Sound Sultan’s influence on her was both personal and professional; she expressed, almost in tears, “He was my mentor, my best friend, and a father figure.”
“He brought me into the Nigerian music industry and gave me a home when I first arrived,” Seyi Shay recalled.
She remembered how, in her early days, she lived with Sound Sultan and his wife in Festac for a year, saying those days were her foundational journey in the entertainment world.
Sound Sultan died on July 11, 2021, after a courageous battle with blood cancer.
His death occurred while Seyi Shay was filming Nigerian Idol, making the moment even more devastating.
“I was supposed to visit him in New York during a break in filming,” she revealed. “He asked me to bring him something specific… I never got the chance. It tore me apart.”
The grief was so overwhelming that Seyi Shay considered stepping away from music entirely.
“I didn’t have the will to continue without Sound Sultan,” she admitted. “He was my peace of mind. My mental health took a hit, and I had to take a break.”
Though the pain lingers, Seyi Shay’s story is one of resilience. Her tribute to Sound Sultan is not just in words, but in her continued presence in the industry he helped her enter.
And while the loss may have dimmed her light for a moment, it’s clear she’s still shining—perhaps now, even brighter.
