How much money does an upcoming Nigerian artiste make?

There’s money in music. So they said. There’s so much money in music and it is up for grabs. That’s what the media sells, the music video portray, and the top players in the game tell you.

Wizkid is touring the world on private jets, Davido is visiting one country a day, photos of Yemi Alade show her having a swell time in luxury spots. Tiwa Savage too, she’s the epitome of grace and financial security accrued from her viral music. You view countless videos from little known acts, and they are ‘flossing’, with the champagne always cold, and the women always hot, the outfits are fresh and all that your mind begins to tell you what the industry wants you to believe: “There’s Money In Music!!!”

And then you begin to believe it, and your mind works wonders on how much you can profit from the industry. The thought of you, having all that cash, all that wealth, all that financial freedom. You could see the expensive rides, the trips to far away exotic spots, and the bevy of women angling to your every touch.

But as an upcoming artiste, unsigned and talented, how much can you make?

The first thing you have to consider as an upcoming act with no hit song is to ignore the US model. There, people can build genre-specific followings, and make money from streams and record sales championed by their fans. In Nigeria, free music is system, and so you, as an upcoming act in Jos, Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and more is alone in this game. If you are signed by an investor with deep pockets, then there will be advances from the record label. That’s why Skales got a 2013 Ford SUV from Baseline, and also a house. These were operational branding cost, deemed as investment that will be recouped.

But as an unsigned act, with a few singles, all you see online from the US music industry will not help you. They simply have a well-structured industry with laws and systems to get the most profit from talent. In Nigeria, we have a jungle, where smash-and-grab is the order of the day. If you want money, then you design a system to help you get by.

Upcoming artistes in Nigeria don’t make money in the true sense of it. They are a black hole, gulping any funding they can find. Everything and everyone in the industry is trying to get money off you. Creating music the right way in Nigeria is expensive. Studio time requires money, a good producer needs to be paid (even if he is ‘your guy’ or a close friend). Then there is the promotion budget, which is the most expensive. This includes online and radio and performance costs. All of these decrease what you have.

Let’s see how the money comes in.

Performances. As an upcoming act, show promoters take money from you. The thought behind this is that they are offering you a service and the chance to get in front of people and display your craft. They charge an unofficial fee from you, determined by them, and negotiated by you and your manager.

But occasionally, you get a show or a gig where people are willing to give you a contract to entertain guests. Perhaps a local wedding, a neighbourhood party, or a University campus celebration or event. These shows are scarce, and don’t bring in the money to satisfy your craving. Instead, you try to balance your books, and survive for another day. If you are a vocalist, you can use your voice as an instrument for various functions. But you won’t be performing your songs. You will be making covers of classic hit songs.

Then there’s sales of your songs on digital stores and streams. These won’t help either. As long as you don’t possess fame and a vibrant fanbase, the money gotten from these will be negligible. I know an upcoming artiste who only got 3 streams on MTN Music Plus. Publishing and licensing in Nigeria is unstructured and almost nonexistent, hence an upcoming artiste has very little hope of getting that revenue.

As an upcoming artiste, you will need to have another stream of income to fund and invest in your career. Upcoming artistes in the country are unable to balance the books. The key is to get a viral hit song, and only then can the steady income from performance fees (show money) come through.