Sound Sultan’s Passing Profoundly Impacted Seyi Shay’s Music Journey
Singer and songwriter Seyi Shay has opened up about how the loss of her mentor, late musician Sound Sultan, in 2021 deeply affected her music career and personal life.
In an interview with TVC, Seyi Shay described Sound Sultan, who died after a battle with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, as more than just a mentor. She saw him as a father figure who had supported her from the early days, introducing her to industry contacts and helping guide her growth.
When Sound Sultan passed, Seyi Shay was in the midst of filming Nigerian Idol. She said finishing the show while grieving was hard, and the sense of loss left her feeling directionless.
What hurt her the most, she added, was that she could not see him before his death, even though she had planned to fly to New York that weekend to give him a gift he had requested.
During that period, she also discovered she was pregnant with her daughter. Coupling this with the pressures of the music industry, the intense public scrutiny, and her grief, Seyi Shay says she decided to take a break, prioritizing her mental health and well-being.
She recalled living with Sound Sultan and his wife when she first moved to Nigeria, an arrangement that helped launch her in the industry. His passing, she said, left a gap not just in mentorship but in her inner peace and ability to continue without feeling weighed down.