Midway through Shoday’s hit-packed run in 2025, many fans started to joke about his zest for churning out releases with a startling regularity. However, what many didn’t know was that his radicalisation came from watching his first experience with fame slip through his fingers due to a lack of understanding of how to handle it. 

Growing up in Lagos, Shoday (born Shodade Solomon Segun) always knew from the moment he started accompanying his sister to choir rehearsals that he wanted to make music professionally. Eventually, he scored his first viral single in 2022 with “Caution,” but the song’s momentum quickly dissipated. “When it dropped, I wasn’t familiar with the game,” he admits. “It was my first time having a viral song. All I knew was that I’d go to clubs and they’ll play my songs. Before that, I used to pray to God for a viral hit because I believed it was enough to change my life. Then it came, and I realised I needed a catalogue to be successful.”

That realisation led to a rethinking of his strategy. “It wasn’t luck, and that’s why I’ve been able to make a comeback,” he says. “I returned to my template and drawing board that I used to make “Caution.” It clicked again in 2024, and I never stopped since then.”  At the moment, Shoday is part of a new generation of African artists who have harnessed TikTok’s algorithmic reach to build a community of fans through content creation. It’s a framework that propelled his career beyond his wildest dreams, leading to collaborations with stars like Davido, Zlatan, and Adekunle Gold.

For Shoday, ‘Hybrid’  sees him at his most experimental. Beyond a hit-studded, up-tempo catalogue, he wants to express his vulnerability and interrogate the parameters of his interaction with fame through songs that prove he can be versatile, hoping that listeners can connect with him to a degree where his emotions become transcendental.

Our conversation with the singer has been edited for clarity. 

You had an amazing run in 2025 that is now culminating in your debut album. What made you feel it was finally time to release it?  

I’ve been planning this album for about two years. It was supposed to drop last year, but we had to move it. I wanted my debut album to sound good, so I took my time and waited for the right moment rather than rushing because of pressure or people’s expectations. This is the right time for me to drop the album.  

Why did you choose ‘Hybrid’ as the title? What does it signify? 

The title is ‘Hybrid’ because I want people to see me in different forms. It’s about versatility. If you look at the cover and the rollout, it’s all about me combining different elements. When you listen, you’ll experience how versatile I am. There are Pop songs, street records, love songs, different sounds and ideas. I’m bringing them together so people can feel different sides of me as an artist.  

Can you walk us through the creative process behind each track?  

“Glam and Fame” is me telling my truth. It’s one of my real songs. I was very vulnerable. There are things I said that made me question releasing it, but it’s my truth. If people don’t like it, they don’t. I’m honest about how I feel about life, fame, people, the industry and certain things in life.  “Joy” is  a continuation of “Glam and Fame.” I talked about the kind of life I want for myself.  It doesn’t sound like a typical “me” record. While the third track, “Somebody,” is about my journey from the trenches to where I am now. It’s a deep Street‑Pop record about my background.  

Let’s talk about your collaboration with Fola on “Paparazzi.”

We recorded a lot of songs together, and “Paparazzi” is my least favourite among them, but my team chose it as a single. It’s not that it’s a bad song, I just didn’t expect it to take off and be accepted the way it has. I always believed that a collaboration with Fola would go crazy, because people have wanted that for a long time, and this felt like the right time. Both of us are buzzing, and we don’t want to follow the usual industry pattern where two artists come up and start beefing. It was produced by SB, who’s an amazing producer.

You’ve worked with SB, Fola, and with people you’ve known before fame. How does it feel seeing everyone rise at the same time?  

It’s amazing. We’ve known each other from way back, before fame and before this momentum. We’ve been friends. What amazes me is that we all kind of started gaining momentum at the same time. It’s a good feeling.  

What’s the story behind “Shoday Kilode.”  

“Shoday Kilode” came after we did “Hey Jago,”  where we were just hyping and praising Rahman Jago, and the whole world accepted it. So I thought, “If we can praise someone else and it works, I can do a song where I praise myself, and people will still love it. That idea gave birth to “Shoday Kilode.” I added very relatable lines in the first verse about life as a Nigerian or just as a human being, the cost of living, everybody having problems, and how tough things are. Everyone can relate to that. I merged that with my aim of stamping my own name, so it becomes familiar and sticks in people’s heads.  

What’s your absolute favourite song on the album?  

Honestly, all the songs. And I don’t mean that as a safe answer. It depends on my mood. One thing I really like about the album is that it has a song for everybody and every mood. If you’re sad, there’s a song for you. If you’re happy, in a romantic mood, or just chilled, there’s a song for that. Mine depends on how I feel and how I’m connecting with the songs in that moment.  

You mentioned “Figure It” was recorded in London. What’s special about that track?  

It was recorded while I was on tour. I had a few recording sessions there, and this one was with Pozer, a rap artist. He’s an amazing guy.  “Figure It” is an up‑tempo love song; you can dance, have fun, and enjoy it. The beat and the general sound are unusual for me, so I had to approach it differently. It stands out from the rest of the project, and I feel people will really love it.  

Would you say “Figure It” is your most experimental track on the album?  

No, I think “Joy” is the most experimental. I’ve done something in that lane before, but with “Joy,” I was very intentional about the lyrics, the sound, and the storyline. Everything about that track, from how it’s written and arranged, felt like a big experiment that I’m proud of.  

You and Fola have several songs together. Are we ever going to get more of those collaborations, maybe a joint project?  

Possibly. In the future, we could do a joint project and drop like four to five tracks. People really like “Paparazzi,” and I feel like they want to hear more from both of us, so a joint project is definitely something we might work on.  

“Halle” was originally supposed to be the intro. Why did you switch to “Glam and Fame,” and what does “Halle” represent on the project now?  

“Halle” was produced by Pheelz. We recorded a couple of songs together, and I told him this one had to be on the album. At first, it felt like the perfect intro because of its tone, but as the project came together, I decided to use “Glam and Fame” instead.  I wanted to open the album with something extremely real and vulnerable, something that immediately tells people we’re here for serious talk and serious music. “Halle” still plays an important role near the end of the album, but “Glam and Fame” sets the tone I wanted from the very beginning.  

You’ve reiterated that with ‘Hybrid,’ you want to showcase your versatility from a creator’s perspective, but what do you want your listeners to feel while experiencing the album? 

I hope they feel how I felt when I was making the album because there’s a song for everybody, whether it’s a sad song, a happy one or even a love song. 

What is success to you, and would you consider yourself successful at the moment?

I would consider myself successful, but I still want more. Even the richest man in the world is still striving for more. 

Listen to ‘Hybrid’ here.