Ayo Jay

Although he was born in London, singer Ayoola Ogundeyi, Jr. — who goes by the stage name Ayo Jay — was raised in Lagos, Nigeria and his musical expressions channel as much from West African pop as from Western R&B and rap. Citing heroes like Usher, Akon, and Nigerian artist 2face Idibia, Jay began singing at a young age, though it wasn’t until after he’d attended college in the U.S. that he began to consider music as a possible career. In 2011 he began reaching out to a handful of producers to help bring his songs to life, and within a couple of years he’d signed a deal with One Nation Entertainment and began releasing singles. Among his early singles was a bright, catchy standout called “Your Number,” which he later re-recorded with rapper Fetty Wap in 2015. Additional singles like “Gbadun” and “Ibadi Yen” arrived in 2016 as Jay prepared his debut album. ~ Timothy Monger