Global superstar Burna Boy (born Damini Ogulu) has revealed a deeply personal and surprising twist in his life’s story. The hitmaker revealed he converted from Christianity to Islam and is still searching for spiritual clarity.
During an interview with streamer Plaqueboymax, the Grammy-winning artist said, “I grew up as a Christian, but then I converted to Islam and all types. It is like I have studied it all. I am still out here trying to find what is really going on.”
Raised in Nigeria in a Christian household, Burna Boy explained that his early faith was less a personal choice and more like an inheritance.
“I was born a Christian but i converted to Islam”
– Burna Boy pic.twitter.com/sLnlrYIC9M
— OLAMIDE 🌸💖 (@Olamide0fficial) November 3, 2025
“That is what your parents believe in. That is what you are born into,” he said. Then he embraced Islam soon after as an entry to a broader quest. He admitted that more research only brought more questions: “The more I researched, the more confused I got.”
In a world where stars often pretend they’ve got it all figured out, Burna Boy shows us something much more human: doubt.
Burna says “Religion is a controlled mechanism”
Burna Boy’s journey is not a tidy story of conversion. He’s not just changing religions, he’s challenging them.
The ‘Last Last’ singer told Plaqueboymax during the stream: “Religion is a controlled mechanism. In all my research, there is always one scientific fact that goes against every book. Everything comes from the workshop of the sun.
“I believe we are creations. If we are creations, there must be a creator. Everyone is coming up with versions that are confusing me.”
Burna Boy’s struggles with Religion
Burna Boy has never been the kind to toe the line. His music thrives on identity, resilience, and the search for meaning. Now his words mirror that. Burna is of the opinion that religion is just a way for people to control you.
That’s the same reason he got mad at Coachella six years ago. He did not like the organizers telling him what size his name should be. In fact, the hitmaker generally just does not like anyone being the “boss” of him.
When the Festival organizers listed his name in small font, he took to social media and declared: “I am an AFRICAN GIANT and will not be reduced to whatever that tiny writing means.”
Burna Boy rejected the festival’s hierarchy and demanded respect on his own terms, as it also echoes his 2025 album title No Sign Of Weakness.
It is the same impulse that drives his feelings about Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, the only one who he admits is greater than him. While Burna openly draws influence from Fela, he has consistently pushed back against the comparison.
“I don’t think anyone in their right mind would compare me to Fela”, he told GQ Style.
“Fela is my inspiration and my childhood hero, so if you think comparing me to Fela is honourable, it’s actually not. It actually makes me feel weird. Fela was Fela, and if it wasn’t for Fela, there probably wouldn’t be any me, so I don’t understand the comparison.”
But behind the sold-out tours and Grammy wins lies a man wrestling with spiritual identity. Burna Boy’s struggle with religion mirrors that of many young Nigerians navigating the clash between inherited faith and independent belief. He has tried to understand both Christianity and Islam, yet neither has given him the certainty he seeks.
His admission captures the exhaustion of someone constantly searching for truth in a world full of contradictions. Burna’s words suggest that his confusion isn’t about disbelief but about the overwhelming noise of religious doctrines all claiming to be the one truth.
This uncertainty has shaped his art. From the spiritually charged lyrics of “Level Up (Twice As Tall)” to “Destiny” and “Common Person,” Burna often uses music as therapy.
It’s his own way of processing the chaos of faith, fame, and existence. When many public figures cling to digital certainty or packaged spiritual messaging, Burna Boy publicly admits he doesn’t have all the answers. And in those words lies the power of his honesty.
