Director General/CEO of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, has urged emerging artists to remain original and avoid being a version of an already existing artist.
“Stop trying to be somebody that’s already out. We don’t need another Wizkid. Be the first version of you,” he said at the recently held ‘The Next Billion Dollar Sound: Music, Data & Digital Investment’ webinar.
At the event, Asika’s keynote proved to be a reality check wrapped in decades of industry experience. Speaking directly to young and striving talents, Asika broke down the business, the emotional grind, and the spiritual unpredictability of building a music career in today’s digital world.
According to Asika, the industry is not looking for duplicates of established stars. It is looking for originality. Many young artists think the key to success is recreating a sound that’s already winning. But Asika insists that uniqueness is what cuts through the noise.
He explained that most overnight successes actually spend four to five years grinding before the public ever hears of them. They experiment, grow, fail, and restart.
“Sometimes you need to fail to really win because failure teaches hunger, discipline, and focus,” he noted.
“Music is a lonely road. Artists often spend years chasing the feeling of their first hit, wrestling with self-doubt and searching for the next sound that connects. But the magic comes when artists lean into who they truly are,” he further said.
He urged artists to learn the business side of music, everything from publishing to label partnerships, distribution deals, and even how to structure endorsement opportunities. Success, he emphasised, requires collaboration and informed decision-making saying, “If you retain 100% and you do nothing, you’re sitting on 100% of nothing,” he said.
“Success requires collaboration. Whether you’re doing a deal in New York, Enugu, or Sudan, Asika stressed that nothing in this industry is free, smart deal making is the backbone of a sustainable career.
Asika pointed to Asake as a modern case study in authenticity. Performing Yoruba, Fuji, and trance music, a combination nobody could have predicted, Asake is now a global force.
His recent musical moment with Red Bull showcased his versatility and opened up massive touring possibilities. People may not understand the language, but they understand authenticity,” Asika explained.
