Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold has described the absence of effective artist development as a significant challenge facing the modern music industry.
The singer made the observation while discussing the career paths of emerging artists and how some fade from the spotlight after releasing a hit song.
Gold stated that a hit song alone cannot guarantee an artist’s long-term success, emphasising the need to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive as a professional musician.
“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 said.
He stressed that some emerging artists lack the skills needed to perform, engage with the media, and behave professionally after achieving success with a hit song.
Gold said “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 urged artists to take responsibility for their personal and professional development, noting that success requires growth beyond creating music.
The Nation
