From skit maker to Afrobeats breakout, Shoday’s story starts with survival. He opens up about leaving home at 17, building an online fanbase, and the hit run that powered Hybrid.

If there was one record that seized Afrobeats dancefloors last year, it was Hey Jago, the magnum opus from the Lagos-bred musician Shoday. Born Shodade Segun, the young superstar flipped a comic moment between himself and popular socialites Poco Lee and Rahman Jago into a countrywide viral moment that cemented his stellar run since 2022. 

After an early life crisis forced him to leave home at age 17, Shoday pursued his musical ambitions, first developing as a comic skit maker, which helped him build his first core fanbase. Shortly after the release of Caution in 2022, he began to populate his TikTok feed with at least 60 promotional videos daily, earning multiple viral moments that eventually became his formula for success. 

With multiple charting records, including Nakupenda (with Davido, TXC, Zlatan, and Scotts Maphuma), Welele (with Mavo and TXC), and A1 (with Kizz Daniel),  Shoday has enjoyed one of the most stellar breakout runs in Afrobeats’ recent history.  His just-released debut album, Hybrid, consolidates his streak of hits, with a 14-track soundscape that sprawls with themes of love, survival, friendship, and celebration. From slow ballads to club bangers, he unveils his most versatile artistry yet, cementing his position as one to watch in the industry. 

In this chat with Guardian Music, he peels back layers on his come-up journey, tracing his muses from Agege to the global stage. He also shares his creative process, muses and lore behind his breakout moments, among others. 

How did you get the name Shoday? 

The name was given to me by my secondary school teacher. My surname is Shodade, and he just removed the “de”. I was just chilling, and he called me Shoday. That name has transcended all my different careers, from skits to where we are now. 

What led you to start making music?

I guess in 2022 when I had my first viral song. I had the heads up that this could be a career for me. I have been musically inclined since I was young. I used to take my sister to choir practice, and I saw how they composed and sang. Ever since then, I knew I was going to do music. I started from content creation and making comedic songs to making proper music.  I was in secondary school then. I grew up in Agege. 

How was your family’s initial reception to you making music? 

I didn’t live with my family for too long. I left them when I was 17. I started playing music for myself. So they didn’t know what I was doing. They used to see me online. And when I started making music, they started seeing it.

What made you leave home at 17? 

I needed to, because at that time, there were a lot of problems in the family, and I didn’t want to be part of the problem.

What kind of problem was that?

Fending for myself. My family at that moment was in a financial crisis, and I needed to just go outside and fend for myself. That was how I didn’t want to be part of their problem.

How were you funding your music career then? 

When I started, I didn’t have the funds. I started as a content creator because I felt like you can easily create content and people would like my content without me spending money. So I started creating content, and I started gaining traction. As my fanbase grew wider, I converted them to my music. 

What kind of content were they? 

Regular content, relatable content, skits and stuff like that.

You kept going viral on social media. Was that a stroke of luck or strategy?

So it was not luck because I actually worked for it, from the days of making several content videos just to push my song. And there was a time I was having an identity crisis, which I feel is normal for every new artiste. There’s no way you want to be big that your song would not be bigger than you. Your song can travel to places that you have never been before, so it’s normal. Sometimes people say, I’ve heard this song before, but I never knew you. It’s fine, but now I feel like I’m conquering that.

How did you arrive at your distinct style of Afro-pop?

So for me, if you listen to a couple of my songs, they don’t really sound alike. Most times, I try to experiment with different genres. When you listen to Caution, it’s a typical love song. And when you listen to Hey Jago, it’s a proper street pop song. And sometimes you might not really believe that somebody who made that song can make this song. The same goes for Nakupenda. If you listen to that song, you would think it’s one random artiste from South Africa. I don’t want people to box me. That’s one of the beauties of being an artiste. 

That brings me to your album, Hybrid. What was the idea behind the album?

I wanted to make an album that everybody would like. An album that comprises love, hustle and everything. Most times, when people create an album, they make it in a particular direction. The whole album could be talking about love or heartbreak. But, for me, I just wanted to make an album that people could relate to. If you’re a happy person, you go there and pick a song. If you’re in love, you go there. If you want motivation, you go there and pick a song. So, Hybrid is a combination of different sounds to make. 

So, looking at Afrobeats now, do you think there’s more hope for street pop artistes, to be recognised on an international scale? 

So, I feel like. So far, you’re working; you will get there. There was a time there was this stereotype around language barrier and stuff; it was believed that if you sang in Yoruba,  you can’t go international. Now, Asake is doing it, and some other people are doing it. Look at the Super Bowl Halftime show, nobody actually understood what Bad Bunny was singing about, but it’s there. So, for me, I feel like there’s nothing that can hinder your greatness in life as an artiste. If God says we’ll get there, we’ll get there. No matter what the big three might have done, no matter the pace they’ve set for the whole thing, if God says another new artiste will get to that next level, it’s very possible. Just keep grinding.

How long was it in the works?

I had been putting the album together for like two years. Somebody was dragging me on Twitter, saying I put a song from 2025 on the album. And that’s because that song has always been part of the album, even before. It is the storyline I’ve been building since then. The album was supposed to drop mid-last year, but I’m a perfectionist to some extent. I make sure that whatever I’m putting out comes out right. So, I took my time because this was way more personal than just dropping an album. 

Speaking of being a perfectionist, what does your creative process look like? 

It varies sometimes. I don’t have a particular habit or specific ambience. I can record like this right now. It depends on how I feel. Sometimes I don’t record for 3 months, 4 months, sometimes 6 months, if I’m not really in the mood. Most times, I tend to experience things before I record a new song. I feel like music is just like being an actor. So, you need to experience it before you can tell a story about it. I’m not a fan of someone who just goes to the studio to sing anything. Sometimes you just need to be in some kind of environment or travel out and see how you behave in another place. 

 I know some people whose daily routine is to go to the studio and record. If I’m doing that, I’ll get to a point where I’ll be repeating the same storyline and melody. So, sometimes, I just give myself a break. Since I finished recording the album, I hardly record anymore. I should begin recording actively again for my next album very soon. 

What was the most personal song you wrote for the album? 

I think it’s the intro, Glam and Fame. The song actually talks about me. I was so vulnerable in the song. I just want people to feel me on a personal level. I feel like music is spiritual. If you listen to the song, you get a clue of how I feel about people, fame and the music industry in general. 

What was the most challenging part of making the album?

Writing-wise, I didn’t really have problems with making the album. The only problem was clearance. This is one of the reasons why the album took so long to drop. 

Was there any point where you felt pressured to go viral? 

It’s normal for you as a creator, as a human, to feel that pressure to do more. There was a time in my life when all I was praying for was to have one viral song. I used to tell God, if it’s just one, one that the whole country would know. But when I got one, I realised that you need to have two, four, six, eight, ten… Uncountable hit songs. You need to have a lot of songs for people to book you and pay a certain amount. Human desire is insatiable. Even the richest man in the world is still hustling and still wants more. For me as an artiste, the only way to earn more money is to have more viral songs or hit songs. So it’s normal for me to feel pressure to have a viral song.

Who are some of the artistes that inspire you in the scene? 

I listen to everybody who makes good music. I can’t really say this is the particular type of genre I listen to. I listened to classics from King Sunny Ade. Yesterday, I was listening to Alhaja Aminat Obirere.  I listen to a lot of people,  from Burna Boy to Davido, to Wizkid, and even Olamide. Everybody. 

When you are not making music, what are your pastimes? 

I love to cook a lot. 

Do you prefer being indoors or outdoors?

Actually, I’m really an introverted artiste. Most times, the only thing that makes me go out is probably if I have gigs. I don’t really like seeing a lot of people. It’s just that the work we are doing, we live with it.

Okay, in terms of storytelling, what are we looking at in your future releases? 

In my first body of work, the storyline was different from this album. My next album will reflect the new experiences I’ve gained and the new people I’ve met. As an artiste, you just need to make music of what is happening in your environment. 

What’s one creative session in your career that you can never forget? 

I think the day I made Hey Jago, I went to Yhemoo Lee’s party. So, there was a power outage, and Poco Lee was shouting, “Hey Jago!” It got stuck in my head. When I got back home, I took the inspiration and remade it into the song.  

So, what else are we expecting from you for the end of the year? 

More songs. I’m going on tour. My UK tour is starting next month. After that, I’m working on more songs. And if possible, I’ll drop my sophomore album this year. 

What’s the vision for Shoday? 

Greatness from now until Jesus comes. Greatness forever. 

Finally, if you could define yourself in one word, what would that be? 

Consistent.