I was depressed; my manager stopped me from committing suicide, says Iyanya
Nigerian singer, Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, professionally known as Iyanya, has opened up about his struggle with suicidal thoughts due to financial difficulties in 2020.
During a recent interview on the Tea With Tay podcast, he revealed a dark period in his life.
“I almost committed suicide. My manager, his name is Promise, he stopped me one time. All of that stuff. Madness, man,” he candidly shared.
Iyanya shared his experiences in response to a series of questions posed by the podcast host.
He recounted his journey from starting his musical journey in Calabar to participating in Project Fame, the platform that launched his career.
He discussed his rise to fame and the subsequent challenges that led to a downturn in his career.
The singer admitted that his career took a significant hit after his fallout with his former manager, Ubi Franklin.
Financially strained and unable to support himself, Iyanya took refuge in a hotel after depleting his savings. Additionally, he was dealing with court cases that further compounded his struggles.
“I was in court for a long time, I didn’t do shows. I couldn’t do anything. The last two days of my court case I was stuck in a hotel, my house was gone. I was in the hotel for a very long time,” he recounted. He expressed gratitude to the hotel owner, Alaba, for providing him a place to stay during such a challenging period, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The tumultuous phase in Iyanya’s life was accentuated by his legal separation from Ubi Franklin in 2016, which caused a strain on their co-founded record label, Made Men Music Group. Despite the difficulties, both parties managed to reconcile five years later.
Iyanya gained prominence after winning Project Fame West Africa in 2008.
His debut album, “My Story,” was released in 2009.
The breakthrough single “Kukere,” from his sophomore album “Desire,” catapulted him to further success in 2013.
