All our Nigerian artistes should never retire from music

I came upon this article by Pamilerin Adegoke, writing for NET, who crafted a list of 10 Nigerian artistes who need to retire from music, or more accurately, should retire from music already’.

The article went further to name some of the biggest names in the industry who aren’t at their highest at the moment or are struggling with reception. The article urged them to go through with retirement, just for the sole reason that they would ‘spoil’ the good memories that we had of them at the height of their game.

This is wrong on many levels. No artiste should retire from music, neither should they be urged to drop the mic, and leave the art. The art can never be left. It isn’t a job that you get fired from, or quit. It isn’t finite, something that runs out. It’s not contractual neither can the fountain of music be exhausted.

The art is the art. It comes to you, stays with you, elevates you, pushes you through different cycles of life, and as you go through the industry, pass through the culture affect lives, hit the heights, and inevitably climb down, the art remains with you. It stays forever.

What this article simply shared is the mentality Nigerians have towards the music; we think music is only to be created when the cameras and lights are on, and the focus of the culture is upon you. Once that leaves, the music should leave too.

Music is art, and it never dies. It is not some tool created to serve the culture for a specific period, and then discarded. It is a form of expression, one of the most beautiful tools that connect through cultures and universally edifies humanity. You don’t leave it. You live it.

Check out your greatest artistes. They never retire. David Bowie, Prince, Michael Jackson, made music until their deaths. Luther Vandross, James Brown, and the rest of them are legends who made music until their passing. Jay Z is still recording. Nas is working on a new album, and the list goes on. Aretha Franklin has 41 studio albums. Her latest “Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics” was released in 2014 under RCA Records, under which Davido is signed.

An alternative advice will be to pivot their brand and grow it into other endeavors and fields. When the Cheques from music stops coming regularly, then perhaps it’s time to broaden your streams of income by dabbling into other fields. But the music never leaves, and you should never retire your mode of expression nor lose your essence.

As a journalist and writer, you never truly quit journalism, neither does your hunger for the news leave you. You only pivot your work and find new applications for it via new and evolving channel. Same as music.

Our artistes, should never retire. Pamilerin Adegoke, should never write this.