Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has pointed to the lack of proper artist development as one of the major shortcomings in the contemporary music industry.
The singer made the observation while discussing the career paths of emerging musicians and the tendency for some artists to fade away after releasing a successful hit song.
Adekunle Gold stressed that having a hit record alone cannot guarantee a lasting career, noting that artists also need the skills and knowledge required to operate effectively as professionals.
“What is lacking now is artist development. A lot of new artists now have one major hit, and they are gone. Maybe a label has given them some money, and they start to feel on top of the world.”
He explained that some upcoming artists do not possess the skills needed to perform effectively, handle media interviews or conduct themselves professionally once the excitement surrounding their hit song fades.
“You don’t know how to perform, you don’t know how to answer interview questions and even how to be an artist, aside from just having one major hit.”
The ‘High’ singer further urged artists to take greater responsibility for their personal and professional growth, stressing the need to develop themselves beyond simply creating music.
“I think that’s one thing that is very important now. Artists have to develop themselves.”
