Fast-rising Nigerian singer Qing Madi has compared earnings in the music industry to “drug money,” pointing to the wide gap between what artists earn and what many Nigerians make from regular jobs.
Speaking on the Tea with Tay podcast hosted by Temisan Emmanuel Ahwieh, the 18-year-old said the speed and scale at which artists earn money can feel unreal.
“When I look at the average Nigerian, a 9-5 person, they go to work and get N500,000 as salary, and you, as an artist, you go for a show, and you get like N20 million for that one show,” she said.
When the host, Temisan, described music earnings as “drug money,” Qing Madi agreed.
Her remark reflects a growing conversation about how money flows within Nigeria’s music industry, where rising streaming figures and international demand are changing how artists earn.
Platforms like Spotify show that Nigerian music is no longer confined to local audiences, with significant revenue and engagement coming from listeners around the world.
Data released by Spotify in its Loud & Clear report showed that Nigerian artists generated more than ₦60 billion in streaming revenue in 2025.
The platform also reported that earnings increased by over 140% in the past two years, highlighting growing global demand for Nigerian music.
Audience engagement has also surged. In 2025 alone, Nigerian artists recorded about 30.3 billion streams and 1.6 billion listening hours on Spotify, while their songs reached more than 1.3 billion first-time listeners, marking a 26 per cent increase compared with 2024.
Beyond the financial discussion, Qing Madi also spoke about the emotional connection between Nigerians and music. She suggested that the country’s social realities play a role in how deeply people rely on music.
“I believe the reason Nigerians love music so much is because we don’t have therapists,” she said.
Describing Nigerians as resilient, she noted that many people continue to work despite emotional struggles, thereby turning to music as a form of relief.
“Nigerians are the most tough people. Even if we are sad, we still get work done,” she added.
The singer also reflected on how her financial growth has changed her relationship with music. According to her, having more financial freedom has reduced the pressure to create purely for survival and allowed her to focus on authenticity.
“With the level of financial freedom that I have, I am not much of a slave to music like I used to be,” she said.
She added that her long-term goal is to create music she will remain proud of, even if it means resisting trends or consumer pressure.
“In the next 10 to 20 years, I want to look back at what I created and be like I didn’t compromise. This is my art, and this is authentic,” she said.
Born Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma, Qing Madi gained attention in 2022 after her debut single See Finish went viral. She has since emerged as one of the young voices shaping Nigeria’s Afro-R&B sound.
