Nigerian singer Spyro has opened up about his struggles with criticism in the entertainment industry, revealing that he has faced more judgment from fellow Christians than from any other group.
In a recent interview on Frank Edoho’s podcast, the Who Is Your Guy singer expressed disappointment at how some members of the Christian community have treated him since he began openly identifying as a “Jesus boy.”
The biggest problem I’ve ever had in this industry so far is the Christians, not even the Muslims. I was shocked when I came into the industry, because in my own head, I’m like, ‘okay, we are family.’ So when they started calling me out for wearing earrings and all, I was shocked.
“My own thing is, how do we reach them if we’re not in the world? The Bible says, ‘Go ye into the world,’ not ‘stay in the church.’ Go into the world and preach the gospel. The gospel is not religion or judging people for looking a certain way,” he explained.
Spyro identifies himself as an entertainer who is vocal about his Christian faith rather than a gospel artist who makes faith-based music.
In the past, he has clarified that while his music is often free of obscenities, it’s not necessarily meant to edify but to entertain all listeners. According to the singer, some of his words were twisted during interviews to make him seem controversial, or he wasn’t a real Christian.
He explained, “My words were twisted to make me look like the devil, and I went for an interview where my words were twisted and my sentences were chopped to create new words.”
I’ve noticed that people don’t have issues with any other thing, but once you mention Jesus, there is a problem. That makes me believe that there is something to this Jesus. I’m here to stay, irrespective of all the threats to cancel me; God brought me here.
This is not the first time Spyro has opened up about his treatment in the industry due to his faith. Earlier this year, in an interview on the Echoo Room podcast, he revealed how his faith resulted in criticism, rejection, and discrimination within the entertainment industry.
He explained, “My biggest challenge is the discrimination in the industry. You know, I came out with the Jesus boy brand, and I’ve received the biggest criticism. I’ve been dragged, and it’s hard, bro. How many media guys would support me when I drop songs, aside from the blogs I pay?”