Former Big Brother Naija housemate and fashion entrepreneur Tolani Shobajo, alias Tolani Baj, has urged veteran Nigerian artistes to either evolve with the times or gracefully transition into the business side of the music industry.
In a post on her official TikTok page on Saturday, the reality TV star-cum-DJ questioned why some established artistes struggle to recognise when their musical relevance is waning.
“Why is it that Nigerian artistes don’t know when to evolve or completely transition into business?” she asked.
“This has been on my mind for like a year now. I feel like if your sound no longer resonates with your fans or your audience, or your sound is outdated, go into business.”
The 31-year-old emphasised that artistes who have built strong legacies should protect their reputation rather than invite unfavourable comparisons with younger, emerging talents.
“If you have built an amazing legacy, why do you constantly allow disrespect by being compared to the new generation artistes? What’s wrong with becoming a music exec and shining light on the new generation artistes that have become bosses?” she said.
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The BBN season five ‘Lockdown’ housemate went on to cite veteran singers, Baddo Olamide and Don Jazzy, as role models for ageing artistes to emulate.
“Olamide and Don Jazzy are perfect examples of who OG artistes need to embody,” she noted.
@tolanibaj Let’s talk about it! Why aren’t the OG Nigerian artists becoming business owners? They would rather still play in the pond with the new generation artists which ultimately leads to disrespect.. why? #fyp #foryou #explore #tbaj #afrobeats #foryoupage #tolanibaj ♬ original sound – Tolani Baj
The actress also advised against clinging to the spotlight by continuously releasing music that risks diluting an artiste’s past achievements.
“Stop dropping non-stop music to water down your brand, especially if your catalogue in the past is A1,” she urged. “There’s no shame in retiring.”
She added, “Like, there are a lot of artistes that I just want to whisper in their ear, ‘Please come back. This is what you need to do. Please do better.'”
Tolani Baj concluded by suggesting alternative paths for artistes looking to remain relevant, stating, “I would rather you not even drop music at all and become a lifestyle influencer. But yeah, food for thought.”
Her comment comes at a time when Nigeria’s music industry is experiencing a significant surge, with new-generation stars dominating the scene, creating greater competition for artistes from earlier eras to maintain their relevance.
