In advance countries like the US and UK it is mandatory for an
artiste to have a songwriter or multiple songwriters. It’s even part of the contract you need to acknowledge before signing a record deal. Most record labels in the United State have their paid professional songwriters that write songs for their artistes. It makes the job very easy for the artiste so that the artiste can focus on other productive things like recording, rehearsing, performing, touring, attending events and other important things. Rihanna, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Drake and many other top super stars all have songs written by different songwriters.
In Nigeria reverse is the case. It’s looked upon with spite and the artiste are seen to be either lazy or lack talent. But it shouldn’t be so, Nigerian musicians are the most hardworking musicians on the planet. Ask me why? It’s only in Nigeria that an artiste would write his song, arrange it, co-produce the song, market it and even manage himself. Nigerians are hardworking people yes I know but there are things that needs to be delegated. You can’t manage a career alone that naturally needs like 5 to 10 people to handle.
I wonder why it becomes news whenever a Nigerian artiste is found to have bought a song from someone. I absolutely see nothing wrong with it. You can’t be busy running around promoting your music and your brand and still have enough leisure time to sit down and compose a hit song. I’m sorry but it won’t work. Music is not just about going to the studio and you tell your producer to play you a beat and before you know it you are already free-styling to the beat and next thing we know is that you have produced a song. I can assure that, that song can never be a hit. In other to write and produce good quality music, you need quiet time and plenty of it. Music is spiritual and it comes as an inspiration. If you want to produce songs like 2face’s “African Queen” or Asa’s “Jailer” then you either take your time to write it or look for a professional songwriter to do the job.
I’ve heard stories about some Nigerian artistes buying songs and their fans rebuking them that they are not talented enough to write their own songs. If someone like Michael Jackson who is referred to as the King of Pop can buy songs why can’t our Nigerian artistes also do the same. Where is it written in our constitution that buying songs as an artiste in Nigeria is a crime. We need to rid our mind of such mentality. Buying songs does not in any way make you less of an artiste instead it shows that you a professional who knows how to manage his career to give his fans good music. If Davido buys songs then it’s evident that it has been working for him. If you know that you can find time to write your own music then good but if you can’t then why don’t you hire a professional songwriter.
Lastly I want our Nigerian musicians and their fans to learn from the western world and let’s emulate what it is that they are doing that is making their music to have international appeal to people all over the world, which is proper structure and management. I don’t think we have that yet in Nigeria. Every artiste wants to have his own record label and be the boss. It doesn’t work that way. An artistes job is mainly to record, sing and perform and it shouldn’t be bothered with other trivial things that doesn’t concern him. Once we have a structured record label and music industry then I think our artistes would begin to understand the importance and benefit of having a song writer.
I hope you have learn’t one or two things from this article. If you have any musician friend, I think you will be doing the person a great favour by sharing this article with him or her. Feel free to leave your comments behinds let’s interacts.
Article written by JimmyKing (@iam_JimmyKing)
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