August 19, (THEWILL) – For many up and coming Nigerian artistes, collaborating with international stars is enticing and, of course, the goal. Such collaborations often offer a swift route to fame and recognition by leveraging the established audience and industry influence of their more renowned counterparts. These collaborations have undeniably opened doors, placing Afrobeats firmly on the global stage. But music superstar, David Adeleke aka Davido has emphasised that emerging artistes should approach these opportunities cautiously and focus on building their craft. He argued that the pressure to achieve international recognition can lead artistes to prioritise commercial appeal over their unique artistic expression. Davido highlights these issues, saying that the desperation for international collaborations sometimes overshadows the importance of building a robust and independent identity within the music industry.
“Initially, working with international artists was exciting because it brought together two worlds. However, I don’t think it’s essential for new artists to prioritise collaborations from the start because of what we represent as Africans in this age,’’ Davido said.
This rush to collaborate internationally can often result in music that caters more to mainstream tastes, losing the distinctive elements that make Afrobeats unique.
The crooner contrasts this trend with the success of Rema’s ‘Calm Down,’ which he cites as an example of a song that gained significant success on its own merits.
“Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ earned him significant success. He was paid 100 million dollars to perform; that’s just him in the song.” Davido stated.
This highlights the potential for artists to achieve greatness through their authentic sound without necessarily resorting to formulaic production techniques aimed at quick commercial success.
He said: “One song can change an artist’s life, giving them opportunities to tour in America and Europe. Rema had a hit that made him good money. I don’t think your first motive should be, ‘I want to feature other artists.’ Eventually, it will come, but don’t rush it,” he says.
The singer notes that by prioritising their craft and cultural roots, musicians can build a strong foundation that attracts attention organically, paving the way for sustainable success. This perspective points to the value of creating impactful, high-quality music that resonates with audiences.
