Obi Asika has urged emerging artists to be themselves 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.”
The Director General/CEO of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) said this at the recently held “The Next Billion Dollar Sound: Music, Data & Digital Investment” webinar hosted by Regalstone Capital, where industry leaders gathered to discuss the future of African music.
The webinar on Thursday, November 13, 2025, was held shortly after the release of the Basslines to Billions: Nigeria’s Music Industry Intelligence Report. It featured music executives, Obi Asika and Bizzle Osikoya, while Fiyin Ogunlesi, Managing Director of Regalstone, was the host.
His keynote wasn’t just a motivational speech; it was a reality check wrapped in decades of industry experience. Speaking directly to up-and-coming 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,” he noted, because failure teaches hunger, discipline, and focus.
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.
Asika also dismantled the myth of full ownership. Yes, ownership is vital. But ownership without movement is useless.
“If you retain 100% and you do nothing, you’re sitting on 100% of nothing,” he 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.
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 dealmaking 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. When an artist taps into something real, the world responds.
One of Asika’s most striking points was about the emotional side of the business. He noted that integrity often becomes a challenge, sometimes within an artist’s own family.
You can invest in your child as an artist, only for them to “fire” you later because you’re no longer the right person to move their career forward. These are real industry stories.
Building a team that understands the business, offers honest advice, and guides strategic decisions is crucial. No artist goes global alone. It needs new voices, new stories, and new sounds.
So to every emerging artist: Be brave enough to be original. Be bold enough to fail. Be patient enough to grow. And most importantly, Be the first version of you
Stay ahead with the latest updates!
Join The Podium Media on WhatsApp for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
Chat with Us on WhatsApp
