Nigerian singer Bella Shmurda has highlighted the financial challenges many Nigerian artists face due to excessive spending on luxury items such as jewelry and expensive cars.
Speaking on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, he explained how these costly habits often prevent artists from independently funding their projects without relying on record label advances.
Reflecting on his own early career mistakes, Bella Shmurda stressed the importance of simplicity and responsible spending. He believes that an artist’s branding does not need to be defined by material wealth.
“I don’t think packaging has to be materialistic. Having good clothes on you, looking nice, nice skin, brushing your teeth, smelling well is okay, if you know how to dress without chains. I mean some of us don’t have these things before, and we looked good. This guy doesn’t have a chain on, and he looks good. He’s not dirty. I mean, that’s packaged enough for your purpose,” he said.
He warned that the heavy focus on luxury drives young artists to seek advances, often leading to debt and loss of creative control. “It’s because of the too much emphasis on expensive packaging that our young artists now run towards advances and they end up being indebted to those companies. And the companies have to hold their catalogue for years.”
Sharing from personal experience, Bella Shmurda added, “It’s because of these materials things that they go into debts. They can’t even fund their next project because they do use their money buy big motor. I made that mistake too but I learnt. And I feel like we just have to educate ourselves about these things.”
He advocates for greater financial education and more prudent spending habits within the Nigerian music industry to ensure long-term sustainability for artists.
