Why I left acting for music – Ray Emodi

Nollywood actor and singer Ray Emodi has clarified that his decision to step away from acting was not due to traumatic experiences or family pressure, contrary to earlier reports.

Speaking during an interview on Television Continental (TVC), Emodi explained that he only paused acting to concentrate on music, which he described as his true calling.

According to him, the reports claiming he left Nollywood due to negative experiences were inaccurate.

“You said that I cited traumatic experiences and family pressures. But that’s not the reason I quit acting,” he said.

“I never quit acting. I stopped acting to focus on what my calling is, which is music.”

The actor revealed that his passion for music started long before his acting career, noting that he had been writing and recording songs since his primary school days.

“I started writing music in my primary school years. This is a fact. I went to international nursery and primary school in Enugu. I went to LA for school, and every single place I went, I was recording music,” he said.

Emodi also disclosed that his decision to study acting at the New York Film Academy campus in Los Angeles was part of a strategy to obtain a visa to the United States while pursuing a music career.

“I came back to Nigeria in 2015. I went to LA to learn how to act, but that was a trick actually. I probably shouldn’t say this on air. I had to get a visa to get into America to try to get a record deal.

“And you can’t get a visa to enter America for music school, but you can for acting school. So I got a visa to go study acting so I could try and get a record deal.”

He explained that although the record deal did not materialise, he continued to make music after returning to Nigeria.

The actor added that acting helped him financially while he pursued his music career.

“I dropped songs and stuff, but it wasn’t giving me money immediately. So I had to use what I have to get some money to pay studio time, producers, engineers, and videos, and I was acting,” he said.

Emodi emphasised that while acting brought him recognition, his focus remains on using music to make a meaningful impact.

“People know me from acting first. That’s what gave me the fame. But the fame it gave me, music is going to give me more.

“I don’t really care about the fame. I care about the impact. Because with impact comes the fame and the money. The main thing is impacting people’s lives,” he added.