Ladies
and gentlemen, you are welcome to the new game in town. For better or
for worse, our music “industry” is embracing a new form of art. The
focus has shifted almost entirely from making music to something else.
Now the transition is finally complete and the sync word here is LIE. In
Nigeria today, every artist needs a “lying” platform – or three, to
reach their target audience.
Years back, radio used to be the dominant
“platform” for breaking new artists, you may say it is still important,
but the radio is certainly no longer the only game in town. It is
becoming simply too limited, too expensive and too difficult to control
to be the sole platform. A better and surer way to expose the artist to
the public has been discovered. Now the artist with the biggest LIE has
the bigger and better head start.
The Nigerian music “industry” has now brought a vast array of gifted liars. We have seen managers lying blatantly about the activities of their artistes just to be noticed. So far, it is working for them here in Nigeria. Our gullibility has made it too easy to become an artist here in Nigeria. What was your reactions when Burna Boy tweeted about his new songwriting deal with Universal Music Group? Did you notice how the blogs went gaga congratulating him? If truly Burna Boy got a deal, why didn’t Universal Music Group issue a statement to that effect? Well, strange stuff has happened.
Isn’t
the Nigerian music “industry” at risk with this lying game taken to
this new level? Is it no longer worth noting that the actual quality of
the artist’s songs should be a predominating factor in a decision to
recruit him as a songwriter? Why are we acting as if we don’t know that
Burna’s songs won’t find many readily available patronisers outside the
shores of Nigeria? If they do, they can only be appreciated by only a
few Nigerians. Even in cases where there is a proven audience for a
particular artiste’s work, it is not enough to make it a big deal to
corner a deal. As a musician reading this article, would you approach
Burna Boy to write you a song? Judging by what you’ve heard from him so
far! If you can’t, why would a foreign company with a long list of
songwriters employ him as a songwriter?
One reason why there are no record labels in Nigeria is that a lot of our music stakeholders are sentimental in their approach to the business. The guys at Universal are not jokers. They are strictly in it for the money. They don’t attach sentiments to their dealings. They know that songwriting is not actually a business. There’s no financial element attached to songwriting in itself. It is the job of the music publisher to turn the song into something that can generate income. Can Burna’s song guarantee the kind of financial returns we are talking about here? How many CDs has he sold in Nigeria as an artist?
I am not talking of the free downloads of singles on
blogs, but the copies of actual albums he has sold. How many people have
his album in their homes? The pink and brown contract sneaked up on us
on instagram could have been printed at Oluwole. Until Universal Music
Group authenticates these claims, everything Burna has said could not be
true. It is a shame that Nigerian journalists will never see it
necessary to investigate any issue before plastering it all over their
platforms. I was on set on Nigezie, shooting the Etcetera Live TV show
when the producer asked if I heard about Burna Boy’s new deal with
Universal Records. Right there and then, I went online and checked the
authenticity of the story.
The first thing I checked was if Universal Music Group issued any statement to that effect. I wasn’t surprised that the story could only be found only in the world. You employ a songwriter who is like a talent magnet; a record maker. Someone who brings forth the talent in the singer. Someone whose role is to write songs that define the artistes and give them a reason for existence and you keep that under the carpet? It doesn’t make any sense. The truth is, there’s no song of Burna that suggests he is anywhere close to being the kind of songwriter we are talking about here. This guy sounds like he doesn’t want anyone to pick out his lines.
Finally, it is very important for all
those with music interest to note that in this new LIE eco-system of
ours, there are three things a musician needs, and his success or
failure can be predicted almost entirely on the basis of how many of
these three things are in place. If you can provide a clean sweep of
three out of three, like Burna Boy, you’ll likely be signing a record
deal with Universal Music Group even without being able to hold your
notes vocally.
If you’ve got two out of three, you will probably get an offer, like some other artistes have claimed at different times. Though it might not be exactly the deal you were hoping for. Bring only one out of three and the best you can hope for is a polite invitation to come back sometime in the distant future. So here are the three things every Nigerian will pay for – the essential components to a successful “Music Career” – 1.LIE, 2.LIE and 3.LIE!
If you’ve got two out of three, you will probably get an offer, like some other artistes have claimed at different times. Though it might not be exactly the deal you were hoping for. Bring only one out of three and the best you can hope for is a polite invitation to come back sometime in the distant future. So here are the three things every Nigerian will pay for – the essential components to a successful “Music Career” – 1.LIE, 2.LIE and 3.LIE!
Hmmmm escetera n his observations again, clearly ur not a fan of his kind of music. And dat lie ur referring to is called packaging or in more sophisticated word "branding"
ReplyDeleteThis Etc of a guy,nah wah ohhhhhhhhhhh
DeleteNot a Fan.
DeleteMchwwwww. Im getting bored
DeleteHehe,escetera is always on point...let him continue doing wt he kno's best,afterall he is a failed musician,nd he wil nt mind othr's to be lik him.
ReplyDeleteds yung man shld jst shut up abeg... Always decrying celebs on †ђξ internet#
ReplyDeleteOl of a SUNDAY u don bcom a jobless fool like me abi..who sacked u 4 yo beloved job? Rubbish
DeleteMadam chop ma shit is bak n bera!..#its wkend n hv time 4 anyfin, so u had bera dnt let me start wit yu 2day
DeleteStart abeg! !! Jobless fool Krkrkrkkrk so nice saying tht 2 u.chop ma shit u like am.
DeleteLie liar liest!!!! Uv bn frogging through out the week naa, no work, abi u don join ashewo operating company?
DeleteHehe...#ilovesdis. A jobless fool will always be a jobless fool. Seekn who 'll join yo cadre of joblessness? Lie. Mpn BV's alredy knw u as a jobless fool n am sorry 2 say ds,if u dnt mind,#Get a life!!!
DeleteWaiting 4 u 2 get a life, cnt liv u alone in this lonely world. Like I said b4, takes 1 2 kno 1..n I bet u're waiting 4 ma response so u cn do yo new job!
DeleteOur Honourable jobless fool,lest i 4get 2 add dis,alot of jobs awaits u so u can com ova n get one...#GOAT!
DeleteIt is still here, displaying its joblessness! Which kin job u wana o4a me ke? Jobless HeGoat!!!
DeleteLol@ "our" u wan fans? Stand on yo own n liv othaz out of this. Na me n u Krkrkrkkrk, I get plenty time 4 u.
DeleteWow! She gat plenty plenty time 4 me,really? 'll advice †ђξ GOAT 2 use doz time 2 seek job,huh! Buh if u rebuff ma advice, u can stl continue 2 show yo joblessness. #Buffoon
DeleteJobless he goat in denial n forming busy.
DeleteTime plenty....keep yo cheap replies comin!
Lol! How time no go plenty wen †ђξ GOAT no get work. Abeg find †ђξ nearest ashewo company mak u start work sharp sharp! ODE
DeleteI dey already in ashewo company, d 1 u jst joined..u don 4get so fast? #ODE sounds gud...HEGOAT! N pls stop takin too much 2 reply, I kno u aint soing anything, u're jst forming busy, which u're not.
DeleteI'm sorry FOOL dat was 2 dryy...Pls say somtn else...I'm all ears
DeleteU think um here 2 wet yo comments? Sorry 2 disappoint you big FOOL, y dnt u try harder yoself since u're as dry as bonga fish?
DeleteWaiting. ..
Their business..
ReplyDeleteAnother expo.
ReplyDeleteAlways writing small trash...Write for development not rubbish -PST.Chekeleke
ReplyDeleteHmmm....no comment.
ReplyDeleteHmmm....no comment.
ReplyDeleteGuy take high 5! You sabi wetin you dey talk! All of them are bunch of liars! Who be burna boy sef and what does he sing!
ReplyDeleteMost times you'll just be hearing his bass voice and no lyrics, make em go rest abeg! Songwriter indeed msheww
I choptuze not... IT IS WELL
ReplyDeleteFull stop
ReplyDeleteNna ehh....that universal deal ish, i didnt believe it from day one even
ReplyDeleteMR EDDY said this heat wan kill person o.
ReplyDeleteEtcetera keeps finding himself new enemies.. Good for him sha.
^
^
^™THAT EDO BOY.COM~