Naomi Osaka Reveals Her Shyness Caused Jay-Z To Shut Down Conversation

Naomi Osaka talked about how shy she gets and shared a story of Jay-Z shutting down a conversation because she was so nervous.

BYErika Marie
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We all have a trait or two that we may want to change about ourselves and for tennis champion Naomi Osaka, it would be her nagging shyness. The 22-year-old was thrust into the spotlight as her career progressed, and when she bested Serena Williams, Naomi became a full-blown celebrity. She's been able to keep her personal life under wraps, but some have attributed Naomi Osaka's ability to stay out of the limelight to her shy personality. Naomi shared her struggles with shyness on Twitter, even sharing a story about how it caused a conversation between her and Jay-Z to be shut down.

John Phillips / Stringer / Getty Images

"I’m done being shy. It’s really a waste of my time. I could’ve shared so many ideas by now, I could’ve had convos with so many different people. All the things I could’ve learned 🤦🏽‍♀️ but no I’m over here actually putting my own limiter on myself," Naomi tweeted. "I was standing next to Jay-Z once and he started talking to me but I got really nervous and started giving one word replies so he suddenly said, 'Are you shy?', and I said, 'yeah', and the convo came to a screeching halt. GOD WHYYYYYYYY 😭😩 WHYYYYYYYY."

Not many people have the opportunity to chop it up with Jay-Z, so the lack of communication is something that Naomi regrets. However, she added that while she's determined to work on her shyness, she isn't going to engage people for the sake of speaking up. "Pls note : Just because I’m attempting to not be shy doesn’t mean I’ll start pointlessly talking. I’m probably still gonna be relatively quiet but I won’t pass on opportunities to speak my mind anymore." Check out her tweets below.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1257483374458843136
https://twitter.com/_/status/1257485489042411521
https://twitter.com/_/status/1257486269203931137


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About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.