What are the best 7 songs of Omah Lay? But let’s begin with the artist without whom there’ll be no art. Omah Stanley Didia is one of our favourite persons from Port Harcourt. The 28-year-old is a singer, songwriter, and record producer. Somehow, I attribute the color purple to him because he seems to be around the colour a lot, and it’s apt because purple represents royalty and creativity.
He came into the limelight in 2020 with his “Get Layd” album and became an instant addiction to those who first discovered him. I first saw him on a WhatsApp status, and the post said, “You guys are sleeping on this guy.” It meant he was being overlooked or not given the respect or recognition he deserved.
If you’ve been listening to Afrobeat for a while, then you’ve most likely been introduced to him. Not only does he have awake fans, he has away fans, that is, he’s internationally known and has had collabs with the likes of Justin Bieber.
He has been playfully tagged by Nigerians as the founder of Afro-Depression. This is because he has a way of bringing heart-wrenching feelings into melody. But, more than “Afro-Depression,” he has taken us to places that we’ve never been on many themes with his melody. He has a calm way of drawing you into his world.
Whether he’s being vulnerable or romantic, you’ll vibe to Omah Lay. Let’s now take a tour of the land of his discography.
Top Songs of Oma Lay
1. Soso
2. Understand
3. Godly
4. Bad Influence
5. Lo Lo
6. Damn
7. Woman
Top 7 Songs of Omah Lay
In these 7 songs, we’ll explore different moods and shades of Omah Lay that we have loved so much.
1. Soso
This was that comfort song for us. It was so melodious that it didn’t reflect on us that it was a song of pain. A whole conversation came up after we realised that we’d been dancing to someone’s melody of hurt and pain. This must’ve been his crowning “Afro-Depression” moment.
The pain in his heart was so palpable. This was the anthem for people who were also at the end of the road. He cried, prayed, cut his dreads, but the pain remained. This was a cry to “Soso” to take the pain away because he’d tried everything.
Not only was the pain relatable, but also the plea. Soso is many things for many people. The relatability to the lyrics and the melody contributed to it becoming his most-played track yet. It has more than 300 million streams on Spotify and over 222 million YouTube views.
2. Understand
Who doesn’t like heartbreak songs that you can sway to? A little tears, a little vibe gives a perfect balance. He’s baffled at his lover leaving him for his best friend after all the sacrifices he made for the relationship.
This deeply resonated with many people who had thought they were together in it with somebody, only to be left hanging and keep wondering “why?” One thing about Omah Lay is that he won’t abandon you in sadness. At least, you’ll have a good rhythm to uplift you, even if the lyrics are sad. “Understand” has over 180 million Spotify streams and 160 million YouTube views.
3. Godly
“Godly” was a Sunday morning staple for weeks. It must have been the mention of God that made it sound like Sunday morning. It was one of his earliest breakout tracks, but it remains fresh to date.
At the end of the day, people who reserve it for their sacred day aren’t wrong. He sings about the faithfulness of God who comforted him when people were bodying (trying to defeat him. He goes on to say God is his kainji dam – the source of his power. It is another one of his most-streamed songs with over 130 million YouTube views and over 70 million streams on Spotify.
4. Bad Influence
Remember how parents used to say, “bad company corrupts good manners?” On this track, we got a sample of what life will look like if you choose to stray.
Omah Lay mixes excellent storytelling with mellow tunes to drive home the message. And the message is clear, he went from being the child who used to sing and play his guitar to the child who drank and smoked.
In the long run, he ended up in an emergency ward where the doctors said he had damaged his liver. This was a track that gave me memories of those moral lesson-filled storybooks that we read in primary school.
5. Lo Lo
The 57 million views this song’s video has garnered on YouTube and its more than 30 million Spotify streams show how much we love the playful and lovey-dovey side of Omah Lay.
When he just wants to love, we love with him too. After all, we were down together on the “Soso” days. Funny how his rendition of the likes of “Soso” is smooth and with no stutters, but when it comes to love, it’s “I just want to lo lo (I just want to love you).”
6. Damn
If I wasn’t sure Omah Lay wasn’t Yoruba, I’d have said the intro gave Yoruba demon (a Nigerian slang for charming but mischievous men who are usually Yoruba) vibes. The title, “Damn,” was well thought out, as it is the accurate depiction of the story. More than 40 million people listened to say “damn” too.
This is an ode to an understanding girlfriend. I’ve repeatedly said that Shakespeare is learning from where Nigerian musicians are. His lady is there with him through it all – his drunkenness, joblessness, and misbehaviours.
He even calls himself a red flag. But thankfully, there’s a volta (used in poetry to show the poet’s change of tone, thought, or action). Light came at the end of the tunnel. He chooses to stick to her side like she’s stuck to his like dandruff. He affirms that she’s everything to him: clothes, water, blood. The patient dog, they say, eats the fattest bone.
7. Woman
In “Woman,” Omah Lay tells us he knows how to balance pain and pleasure. He lets loose on this track and gives us access to his fun and flirtatious side.
A wise man once said Problems never finish, so this was his shot at enjoyment. The 41 million YouTube streams on this track show how much we enjoyed this part of him.
Like his woman in “Lo Lo,” he doesn’t care about public opinion when it comes to his woman. They understand each other and are perfect for each other.
Conclusion
Omah Lay’s discography is proof that purple not only fits him – his music carries artistic royalty and the creativity of storytelling. There’s only one question: are you still sleeping on him?
