Lagos played host to industry leaders and experts at the Music Marketing Conference, Africa, where artistes were urged to harness the power of branding and social media to propel their careers.

The event, convened by Oyinda Olukanni, featured insights from key stakeholders in the music industry.

Speaking at the conference, Ire Culture, Founder of Culture Plug Music, emphasised the growing number of artistes and the competition for listeners.

“Today, we have more artistes than record labels, more artistes than listeners. The biggest tool you have is your branding and social media,” she said.

She advised artistes not to underestimate their audience, no matter how small, as social media can be a game-changer in expanding their reach.

Efe Omorogbe, Founder and CEO of Now Muzik, harped the importance of having a solid team in place.

“Music is both an art and a business. The minute you move creativity to a commercial space, the dynamics change,” he noted. He urged artistes to invest in legal representation, saying, “Pay a lawyer. You pay for studio sessions, producers, and even fake fans; you must also pay for legal services.”

Legal practitioner Adeyemi Owoade spoke about flexible legal structures available for upcoming artistes.

“We understand that young artistes may not have the financial capacity upfront, so we structure legal fees in ways that allow for percentage-based or success-based payments,” he explained.

However, he cautioned that many artistes struggle with financial commitments, making long-term agreements difficult.

Michael Odiong, Chairman of the Music Publishers Association of Nigeria, underscored the role of digital platforms in music promotion. “If you don’t register your songs properly on social media as user-generated content, nobody will look for them,” he stated.

Drawing from past experiences, he explained how technology has replaced the old model of touring hotels to gain recognition. “One viral moment online can change your career overnight,” he added.

The conference provided a platform for artistes to gain practical insights into branding, marketing, and the evolving music business landscape.

Vanguard News