Afrobeats star Omah Lay has disclosed that he experienced a painful breakup during the 2025 Grammy Awards, saying the incident left him emotionally distracted throughout the event.
The singer shared the personal story while speaking at a listening party for his forthcoming album, Clarity Of Mind, where he reflected on how the experience shaped some of the themes in his new music.
According to Omah Lay, the relationship—though only two months old—felt serious to him at the time, and he believed it had long-term potential.
He revealed that tensions had already started building before he travelled for the event, and the situation escalated into a breakup while he was attending the awards ceremony.
“Every time I fall in love, I lose myself,” the singer said.
He recalled that while global pop star Justin Bieber was performing at the ceremony, he was dealing with a difficult moment in his relationship.
“While I was at the Grammy and Justin Bieber was performing, I was having a breakup and an embarrassing moment,” he said.
The artist admitted the situation affected his ability to enjoy the prestigious event.
According to him, the emotional strain meant he was not fully present during the ceremony despite the significance of the occasion.
“Even before the show I had already started having issues in my relationship… I wasn’t even present at the Grammys. I didn’t enjoy anything,” he explained.
Omah Lay also said the experience reflects a personal challenge he faces when trying to balance relationships with his music career.
The singer explained that he often becomes deeply immersed in whatever he is focusing on at the moment, a trait that can make it difficult to divide attention between different aspects of his life.
He added that the experience partly inspired his song Don’t Love Me, which explores the complicated emotions surrounding love, pleasure and personal focus.
“So my song ‘Don’t Love Me’ is me saying: let’s enjoy the moment, but as soon as I find something else that gives me pleasure, I’m going to leave,” he said.
The upcoming Clarity Of Mind album is expected to explore themes of love, vulnerability and personal reflection as the singer continues to evolve his sound.
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