Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua (born Oluwaseyi Joshua; 21 December 1985), known professionally as Seyi Shay (pronounced Shay-yee Shay), is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress. In 2008, she became the lead singer for the now defunct pop girl group From Above. The group signed a recording deal with Sony's Columbia Records and was managed by Mathew Knowles' Music World Entertainment company. In November 2013, Shay signed an endorsement deal with telecommunications service provider Etisalat. In July 2015, she signed a record deal with Island Records. In 2015, she signed a two-year endorsement deal with Pepsi. Shay released her debut studio album Seyi or Shay in November 2015. It was supported by the promotional singles "Irawo", "Ragga Ragga", "Right Now" and "Murda", featuring Patoranking and Shaydee. In January 2021, she signed a publishing deal with the French division of Universal Music Publishing Group Life and career 1985–2010: Early life, career beginnings, songwriting, and record deal with Flytime Oluwaseyi Joshua was born and raised in Tottenham, London, England, to Nigerian parents. Her mother was from Northern Nigeria and her father is a native of Ife. She has two elder brothers and an elder sister. She and her siblings were raised by their single mother. Shay grew up in a Christian home. She often felt like a single child during her adolescence as she is the single child between her mother and father. She started visiting Nigeria when she was two years old, and eventually attended the Command High School in Maryland, Lagos. She went back to London to complete her undergraduate studies, where she also attended and graduated from the University of East London, with a BA Hons in Music business management. Her interest in music was influenced by members of her household. Her late mother was a chorister and her sister used to compose songs for the BBC and her brother was a prominent club and radio DJ in London. Shay joined her secondary school choir and started performing at the age of 6. She performed for the London Community Gospel Choir during their world tour, which included 13 cities in Japan. In an interview with Lanre Odukoya of Thisday, Shay said that her mother wasn't a staunch supporter of her musical ambitions. Moreover, her mother wanted her to become a doctor or lawyer. Prior to departing the Earth, her mother told her to focus on her music career and put God