Nigerian singer Spyro has opened up about how his father’s harsh criticism made him develop a lifelong fear of failure and believe he would “die broke.”
The Who Is Your Guy crooner told Frank Edoho about his tough childhood and deep emotional struggles during their interview. He said his father,a pastor, constantly called him a failure, hurting his self-esteem and shaping his outlook on life.
“I thought I was going to die broke. I always had this fear of failure, and my dad contributed to that because he always took every opportunity to tell me I was a failure,” Spyro said.
The singer explained that his father’s strict parenting style as a pastor made things worse.
“You know how pastors are always strict with their children because they don’t want them to become wayward? So I had this fear of failure,” he added.
Spyro said he had completely internalized his father’s words, believing he could never succeed.
“I had already internalised what he used to say and started seeing myself as a failure. Looking at me now compared to how I used to be, I just know this has to be God,” he said.
In August 2024, Spyro revealed his mother raised him alone after his father stopped paying his school fees.
He overcame challenges, found success in music, and got engaged to Janet Atom, whom he met at a club.
