Having just two bodies of work out, few artists have gained as much traction as Omah Lay has in such a short period of time. With co-signs from established industry players like Olamide, and international acts like 6lack, Omah Lay is effectively staking his claim in the music industry with the release of his sophomore EP, What Have We Done?
This comes merely 6 months after Omah’s debut EP Get Layd, which kick started his career, with breakout singles You and Bad Influence leading the charge. Running just shy of fifteen minutes, What Have We Done? serves as an assertion of Omah’s talent, and it improves upon his sound in multiple ways.
Still early on in his career, Omah is perfecting his craft, and dealing with his sudden rise to stardom. This is addressed on Can’t Relate, which sees the young singer pondering his newfound fame. A sombre and self-reflective tune, he’s pleading with God to protect him from harm as he sings “Delete every virus from my system, never let your boy fall victim”. We’ve seen many artists suffer unimaginable tragedies before ever reaching their prime, and Omah does not intend to be on that list.
Two tracks on this EP particularly caught my attention, Godly and Confession. They have an irresistible vibe to them, while lacking a clear message. Songs like these have high replayability, without having to do too much. It’s a difficult thing to do, but it’s very common here in Nigeria. Confession, which is the only song produced by Omah himself, has the vibe of an early ‘00s chart topper. Despite its repetitive lyrics, it’s easy to get lost in the vibes of the song, and that’s what makes it a great track. You’re never really trying to follow anything, rather just vibing along till the end of the song. These songs are what I’d refer to as jollof music, because when it’s done right, it’s an instant hit anywhere you go.
The song I’d say stands out the most to me is My Bebe, a song that Omah shines on. It has by far the most stellar production on this EP, with an impressive range of instruments and sounds. My favourite part of this song is a section between the chorus and his second verse, where all other instrumentals pause, and there’s a brief drum arrangement that segues into the next verse. Little details like that, along with his echoed backing melodies just sell the song to you. I’d advise anyone looking for a song for their traditional wedding to look no further than My Bebe.
The project closes with Damn, a remix of the first track on Omah’s debut, featuring 6lack. I’m not entirely sure if this is a conscious choice, but it’s a nice contrast, having the song which properly introduced us to Omah Lay, being the closer on this EP. Especially as it’s a remix, which only strengthens the song’s already solid foundation. And that’s the same thing What Have We Done? does with Get Layd. It confirms Omah’s seat at the table, showing that he’s here to stay. It’s been six month since we got Layd, and what I can say is, we don’t regret our decision.
