Afrobeats’ Omah Lay: I try to put a smile on people’s faces

One of Afrobeats rising stars, Omah Lay, has told BBC News why he steers away from politics, in his music and focuses on his own experiences.

"There's so much to cry about, there's so much to be angry about, especially as black person, especially as a boy from Africa, from Nigeria," he told the Hardtalk programme's Sarah Montague.

"I just want to make people feel better. I don't want to remind them about their problems."

Afrobeats emerged from Afrobeat political music - pioneered by the legendary Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti as a way to address social change.

Watch the full interview on Tuesday, 19 July, on BBC World News, or watch again on BBC iPlayer (UK only).

19 July 2022