West Ham United captain Kurt Zouma recently welcomed rising Afrobeats star Omah Lay to Rush Green.
The famous singer, who has made some serious strides in a short space of time, has 4.9 million followers on Instagram, and appeared in the limelight after his hits “You” and “Bad Influence” went viral four years ago.
Born and raised in Nigeria’s Port Harcourt, the 26-year-old singer, songwriter and producer has taken the music scene by storm in recent years, collaborating with the likes of Justin Bieber, and after meeting fans in London, he spent the afternoon with one of his biggest in the form of West Ham defender Zouma.
“It is awesome [Rush Green], and it’s amazing to be here”, Lay told whufc.com. “I’m really impressed with the set-up. I see things like this mostly in video games, and it’s exactly what I have on FIFA. London is just that place, a vibe, and a city full of great people. We have a bunch of Nigerians in London who follow my music as well.
“Football is so important to me and is something I watch when I can. Life on the road doesn’t give me enough time to be on the vibe as much as I would love to, but football is a game and sport for everyone, and if it’s not football, then what else?
“He [Zouma] is such a vibe. It’s my first time meeting him, but you can tell how much we sync and the similarities we’ve got. I think he’s an amazing person and is doing an amazing job in defence for West Ham.”
The duo spent time together discussing memories at Rush Green and, with Zouma’s family, wife and children all being massive fans of Omah’s music, the former relished the opportunity to meet and work with the singer.
“It’s the first time I’ve met Omah, but he’s a very nice guy”, said Zouma. “You don’t get to see artists often as they’re busy with their schedules around the world singing, so to have him here is a great pleasure and I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I’ve told him how much my family, kids and wife love his music. I love his music as well, and now I’m lucky enough to meet him as there’s so many people who would wish to see him.
“Our backgrounds are connected, growing up with brothers, sisters and families in difficult areas. You have to go and provide for the family, and that’s what he has done and what I’m still trying to do. That’s what has brought us to the same vibe and why we’ve got a strong connection.
“Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to music, but I love the soul and vibes he puts into his music. You can feel the person, the love and the story he is trying to share, and I think that’s very important when it comes to music.
“He’s done great, to be fair. He’s come a long way to get where he is now, and I really wish him all the best.”
