I Am Not Writing This Article To Discourage Anyone About Taking Music As A Career, But Instead I Am Writing This Article To Enlighten Those Who Have Already Taken The Bold Step Of Faith To Be The Next Wizkid Or 2face. The Road To Stardom Is Not A Smooth Ride. I’m Sure Every Established Music Star Can Attest To This. Every Child Nowadays No Longer Wants To Be A Doctor, A Lawyer Or Even An Astronaut. Music Has Become Every Child’s Dream And Due To This Recent Trend There Have Been An Increase Of School Drop Outs. The Education System Is Dwindling And It’s Having A Negative Effect On The Economy Because Children Of Nowadays Don’t Value Education Anymore.
Lets’ transport our minds back to the good old days of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, when we had great musicians like Ebenezer Obey, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Orlando Owoh, King Sunny Ade, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Majek Fashek, Bobby Benson and a host of other great talented musicians. Music back then wasn’t congested; there were only a few spirited and talented ones who were able to pursue their dreams. Education was key then and those who wanted to become a musician started as an apprentice under a well-known artiste or band. These musicians were well tutored because they performed and played with live band making them a complete musician.
The little few who ventured into music in those days made it big and where recognised across the shores of the country. These artiste where courageous in spite of the demoralisation of anything art and most of them are recognised as legends today. How many of our artiste today in the next 20 years’ can be called a legend that impacted in the lives of people. If you ask me I would say very few artistes can fit into the shoe of been called a legend.
This goes out to every artiste out there who because were choristers in their churches feel music is the right path to take. It’s become a cliché to hear artiste these days say in interviews that they have always been a musician right from the age of 12 singing in their church or school. Being a good chorister does not make you a professional musician. Also having a very good voice does not make you a musician. Being a musician as a profession involves more than just knowing how to sing or a having a good voice. There is what we call the total package and only a very few Nigerian artiste have it. There are some musicians who need to leave music alone and go back to wearing robes and singing on the alter. Music as a profession is not meant for all.
It’s not far-fetched why we have a lot of upcoming artiste who would never make it pass going to free shows and submitting their records to deejays and still won’t be known maybe just their streets and neighbourhood. The answer is right in front of them. Every up and coming artiste wants to be Wizkid or sound like Wizkid. There can only be one Wizkid, another is just a counterfeit. Upcoming artiste should learn to be creative in their lyrics, dressing, performance and should have an identity of their own. From my observation I have come to realise that everywhere year that passes by we only get to see no more than 3 upcoming artistes who manage to cross from obscurity to stardom.
Music is not a do or die affair, neither is it a game of chess. Many go into music as their only way out to poverty or joblessness. But whether you want to venture into music as a carrier I employ you to first complete your education so that you’ll have a backup plan should in case you later realise that music is not your calling and you have already exhausted all your resources and time. Your certificate can still bail you out and if you are lucky you might still get a good job to finance your music career if you still haven’t given up on becoming a musician.
I rest my case with this closing remark; one man’s meet is another man’s poison. Because your friend or brother has made it big in music doesn’t mean you can also make it big. Find your calling and leave music alone to the professionals and gifted one’s. Music is not meant for all.
From Naijaloaded.com.ng
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