Nigerian singer Oludipe David, popularly known as Spyro, has opened up about his long battle with the fear of failure and how his father’s harsh words left a lasting mark on his childhood and self-esteem.

In a heartfelt interview with veteran media personality Frank Edoho, the “Who Is Your Guy” crooner revealed that his father’s constant criticism and negative utterances made him internalize fear from an early age.

“I thought I was going to die broke. I always had this fear of failure. And my dad contributed to that. He took every opportunity he got to always tell me that I am a failure,” Spyro recounted.

According to the artiste, the emotional weight of his father’s words affected his academic performance and confidence.

He struggled with poor grades in secondary school and even doubted his ability to complete his university education due to atychiphobia, the fear of failure.

Spyro admitted that there were moments when he completely lost hope in his dreams.

Before his big break, he had almost quit music entirely and had begun exploring a career in interior design.

“I was already on the verge of giving up on music. I had gone into interior design because I thought maybe that was my calling,” he said.

However, Spyro said he eventually overcame his fear after developing a strong personal relationship with God, which gave him renewed confidence and direction.

His perseverance paid off in 2022 when Who Is Your Guy” became a viral sensation, earning him widespread acclaim.

The remix featuring Tiwa Savage in 2023 further cemented his place in the music industry, and later that year, the song won Best Collaboration at the 16th Headies Awards.

Watch video below

"I thought I was going to die broke..."

- Spyro pic.twitter.com/1ZScBCDFhg

— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) October 7, 2025