Singer and songwriter Seyi Shay has sparked widespread debate on social media following a candid revelation about why she stopped attending her former church.
In a series of posts shared to her Instagram story, the Afrobeats artist explained that her departure was prompted by a disagreement with a church leader over the type of music used during worship.
According to her, the church official discouraged the use of modern gospel songs and insisted that only traditional hymns or scripture-based songs should be sung during praise sessions.
“One leader like that at my former church said something like, ‘we need to stop singing all these new age gospel songs in praise and worship and go back to singing hymns and only songs that are direct scripture,’” she wrote. “Guess what, I stopped going to that church. PERIODT.”
Seyi Shay, who has consistently used her platform to challenge societal norms and share personal convictions, didn’t stop at just explaining her reasons for leaving.
She went on to critically assess the roots of some of the traditional hymns still in use today. In another slide, she questioned the idea of finding spiritual upliftment in songs that, according to her, carry a dark history of oppression.
“I don’t know how or why you would feel blessed and happy by singing some of the songs that slave owners wrote and forced them to sing and pass down through generations while beating and torturing your ancestors… makes no sense,” she declared. “Do your research! Ignorance is NOT Godly!!!”
Her comments quickly ignited mixed reactions online, with some praising her for speaking up against outdated church traditions, while others felt her take was too controversial.
Seyi Shay, however, was not deterred. She clarified that her stance was not an outright rejection of all hymns, but a call for discernment and historical awareness.
She urged worshippers and church leaders alike to examine the origins of the songs they sing and to be open to newer, spiritually uplifting compositions that reflect current realities and musical diversity.
“Not ALL hymns were written by slave owners ooo!” she emphasized in a follow-up post. “But a lot of them were.”
Seyi went further to encourage believers to embrace creativity and authenticity in their worship experiences.
According to her, it’s perfectly fine—and even powerful—for individuals or congregations to create their own praise songs, especially when inspired by personal faith journeys or scripture.
“In some cases you’re better off making up your own praise and worship songs/hymns (based on scripture if you prefer),” she advised.
This call for innovation in spiritual music echoes a growing trend among younger Christians who favour contemporary gospel expressions over more rigid traditional formats.
While this is not the first time that worship practices have come under scrutiny, Seyi Shay’s comments have reignited an important conversation about how churches should balance tradition with relevance.
For many, music is a deeply personal and emotional part of worship, and the idea of re-examining long-held practices is both daunting and necessary.
The singer’s bold perspective has challenged churches to reflect not only on what they sing, but also on why they sing it—and whether it truly serves the spiritual needs of the modern believer.
Ultimately, Seyi Shay’s statement reflects a larger cultural and generational shift within the faith community—one that seeks to align spiritual practice with historical truth, cultural identity, and personal conviction.
Her insistence that “ignorance is NOT Godly” may be provocative to some, but for others, it’s a wake-up call to examine religious traditions more critically and intentionally.
Whether or not one agrees with her conclusions, her message remains clear: faith must evolve alongside understanding, and worship must be a reflection of both spirit and truth.
