Renowned Nigerian singer and songwriter, Tiwa Savage, has recently opened up about her reasons for not signing upcoming artistes under her label. She cited the immense stress, responsibility, and challenges that come with managing musicians as the primary reasons behind her decision.
During an exclusive interview with Forbes Africa, the "Water and Garri" crooner expressed her perspective on the pressures of mentoring artistes. She stated that while many people frequently ask when she plans to sign new talents, she personally believes she does not possess the “gift” required to successfully oversee and develop other artistes in the industry. Instead, she prefers to support aspiring musicians in a different capacity.
According to Tiwa Savage, being responsible for an artiste’s career can be highly demanding, as their actions—both positive and negative—can have serious repercussions. She humorously explained how artistes sometimes end up trending for controversial reasons, which adds unnecessary pressure to their mentors and label executives.
“Everyone always says to me, ‘When are you going to sign an artiste?’ But I don’t think I have the gift for that. Artistes are stressful. Imagine being asleep and waking up to find out that my artiste is trending for the wrong reasons,” she said.
Despite her reluctance to sign artistes directly, the 45-year-old music star revealed her alternative approach to nurturing upcoming talents. Instead of running a traditional record label, she plans to establish a music school where young and aspiring musicians can receive training, hone their skills, and later sign with established labels that can provide the right resources and support for their careers.
“However, I do believe I have the gift to help in another way. That’s why I am working on setting up a music school where aspiring musicians can develop their craft before signing to a label that can truly help them grow,” she added.
Watch the full interview below …