Nigerian artist Odumodublvck recently stirred up a debate by asserting that rising stars Tems and Ayra Starr have outperformed industry giants like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and even the legendary Fela Kuti in terms of achievements, both domestically and internationally.
Odumodublvck featured in a recent episode of the ‘Cocktails & Takeaways’ podcast hosted by Madame Joyce.
He said, “When I was coming to London, I was on the same flight with Tems’ manager, Don Awon. I told Tems, ‘Big up, you did it. What you and Ayra Starr have done is bigger than anything Wizkid, Burna Boy and even Fela have done. Quote me anywhere.”
“Because as a female artiste, out of every 10 show promoters, 5 want to have sex with you, out of every 10 producers, 5 want to have sex with you, out of every 10 artists that you look up to and need help from them, 5 want to have sex with you.”
“I can’t imagine being in that situation. And after dodging all those things, you still make good music. Remember, the number one hardest job in this world is being a woman.”
“The second hardest job is being an artiste because there are over 100 million artistes. How are you going to make it out of the thousands of songs that drop every day? Why should they listen to your own?
“It’s not like you’re doing a job that your payment is guaranteed. As an artiste, there’s no guaranteed payment, you’ve to make it for people to pay you. It took me about six years to get my first good cheque. So imagine being a babe and an artiste and you still make it. That’s impressive.”
Despite the challenges faced by female artists in the music industry, Odumodublvck praised Tems and Ayra Starr for their rapid success and international recognition.
Their accomplishments, he believes, surpass those of their male peers. It’s fascinating to see emerging talents making waves in the music world.
