Artistes Offer Cash/Free Performance For Awards – Brymo Slams Award Bodies In New Interview
Singer Brymo, is known for his soul searching sound, a sound, many Nigerians have come to love.
The singer, who sat down for an interview with Cablenews, touched on several topics to include his the music industry,his music, getting recognition, amongst many other topics.
Speaking on the music industry and the way it affects the music business generally, Brymo said:
“The music industry is very flawed……The industry itself is set up in such a way that the music can barely make that much money for the musicians so fame is being used as the medium to generate income for artists.
The ‘Alajo Somolu’ crooner, went further stating for a fact that music alone, is not enough to generate a handsome income for artistes.
“So because you’re really really famous, you can then align with some corporate bodies, firms, government agencies and do something for them and then they pay you.”
On his music:
”I am an artist first before I’m a businessman. So the passion and drive to create music like great people I used to listen to when I was younger, that is what’s pushing me”
“And every single time I grab a pen to write a song, I’m trying to write a song that’s better than the song I wrote before. So that ideology sort of creates a behavioral pattern for me that I must constantly adhere to.”
There are issues with how much the albums are sold for. There are issues with how royalties are being collated and paid.
“And then there are like a thousand and one artists. So there is so much availability of the goods that the good then loses value. So if I cannot buy from you, I’ll buy from him.
“So there is really very little value attached to the musicians now. But people still really love music but there are so many options now. So I feel like it’s a complication of a lot of things.”
On getting recognition [accolades] fro his music. Brymo had this to say:
“I do not think that Brymo is not getting as much accolade as he should get”.
“Brymo is getting exactly what Brymo should be getting now because if Brymo were to get more, then the award guys will not make money anymore.”
“If somebody (the artist) is offering you (the award body) cash and will give you free performance at your event, would you rather not give them the award?” he asked.
“Than give it to me who sits in my house and just write songs and just smoke weed. So you’d rather give somebody who came to you and said ‘I need this award, it’s important to my career’.
“So it’s a complication. And then the awards, they make artists look bigger. So for some artists, the award will make them become a-list.
“So if they have to do something for free for the award body, if they have to go there and even invest money in it, they will have to so they can get what they want from it. It has become their own business strategy.”
“As far as I’m concerned I’m getting exactly what is due to me and people must understand that what is due to me has actually improved over the years.
“So I feel like over time things will only get better. So if anybody is feeling like Brymo is not getting as much as he should, I beg them to please calm down. There’s no problem.
“Let’s keep moving forward. I think progress is more important. Success is actually not a destination, it’s a journey.”