Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy has offered words of wisdom to upcoming Nigerian artistes, cautioning them not be deceived by social media hype and validation from only Nigerians.
In a post on his Instagram story on April 8 which has since gone viral, the Grammy-winning musician drew parallel between streaming income in Nigeria, US and Europe, highlighting that earning income from music streaming in Nigeria is significantly less as compared to Europe and US.
He stressed that Nigerian artists should focus on broader ambitions rather than celebrating local chart positions that contributes less financially for them.
According to him, one million streams in Nigeria would only fetch about $300 to $400, whereas the same number of streams in countries like the UK, US, or across Europe could earn artists between $3,000 and $4,000 or more.
He stressed that a song topping Nigerian charts shouldn’t be celebrated because it does not offer substantial income or global recognition.
“Your song being number 1 on any streaming platform in Nigeria is not something to celebrate. Aim higher or do other businesses on the side.
“Dear artistes, don’t let twitter polls and Naija social media fans deceive you. They won’t fill up any stadium for you in any part of the world,” he wrote on Instagram.
Burna Boy advised artists to either improve their standards and pursue international markets or consider running other businesses alongside their music careers to make ends meet.
