Seyi Shay

Seyi Shay, a singer and songwriter originating from Nigeria, initially gained recognition through membership in the girl group From Above before pursuing an individual path that combined Afropop and R&B. Her first album, Seyi or Shay, surfaced in 2015, after which she established a central presence in the Nigerian music landscape ahead of the arrival of Big Girl in 2021.

Raised in Tottenham, North London, by Nigerian parents, the performer born Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua encountered music early through her neighborhood choir and later cultivated her individual style during secondary school. While still a pupil, time spent working with Grammy-nominated producer Harmony Samuels—whose credits include Chip, Mary J. Blige, and Kelly Rowland—solidified her commitment to the field and eventually led to a BA in Music Business.

She assembled the short-lived outfit Boadicea in 2006; once the members parted ways, Shay auditioned for From Above, the girl group assembled by Destiny's Child manager Matthew Knowles. The ensemble received its introduction via the 2011 MTV series Breaking from Above, supported Beyoncé on the U.K. dates of the I Am… World Tour, and issued the album Breaking from Above before disbanding, at which point Shay relocated to Nigeria to launch her solo work.

Her debut solo single, "Loving Your Way," emerged in 2011 and signaled a shift toward a blend of Afropop, R&B, and hip-hop; further releases followed, among them the Wizkid collaboration "Crazy," before the full-length Seyi or Shay appeared in 2015. Additional singles arrived over the next several years as she became a fixture in the globally expanding Afropop scene. In 2021 she secured a contract with Aristokrat Records, joined the judging panel for the sixth edition of Nigerian Idol, and took an acting role in Lara and the Beat. She returned to recording late that year, delivering her second album, Big Girl, in December with input from producers across Lagos, London, and L.A.