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The need for music education in Nigeria music industry

For fans, music is just a medicine for the soul that kills depression, elevates elation, or ignites actions.

For fans, music is just a medicine for the soul that kills depression, elevates elation, or ignites actions. Most people think the music industry is a Particular building equipped with complex musical instruments and performers. However, the term music industry is synonymous with music business.

Music industry encompasses a network of several music professionals working to create music, or videos, those promoting, and managing the business.

There’s no entertainment without fans, no business without customers. Whichever way, music fans plan one of the major roles in the music industry.

Those who have been in the music industry will understand that the working principle of music and music business require not only one’s talent but a lifestyle of commitment, loyalty, honesty, consistency, and above all a good entrepreneurship skill in handling music marketing.

Over the years, music was used as a form of passing messages across the globe. Artists dedicate their time to compose brain teasing lyrics with sweet melodies. Artists spent their youthful ages acquiring formal education on how to compose or write a song, how to sing or play musical instrument, all these were done in an organised manner- the music school

Nowadays, artists have developed ill-interest in acquiring a music degree. Most artists even drop out of school to focus on their music career; the importance of music education to music professionals now falls under reality check.

What Music Schools Teach?

Music schools are there for those who believe that music is a subject of study and should be pursued up to higher educational levels.

Whether formal or informal music education, music schools are well built with utilising structures with music experts who train music performers, mentor young talents, and judge music performances.

The goal of the school is to educate you and shape your musical path and tame your talent.

Now the impact

Music Knowledge

Just like any other school, music schools develop your talent and help you discover new ones. And it may not be safe to conclude that you are already too talented to spend time in school as music schools discipline performers on how to survive in the music industry. Self-learning requires attention from established stars who are likely not available. Hence, it takes away time because affected artists learn from experiences. Learning from experience takes away your time and money, sometimes it results in upcoming artists giving up their music career because they lack the knowledge of how to invest in their talents.

The more you are educated about music the more you understand its impact in people’s lives.

Diversity in Skill

Although it’s quite true that music schools train people in groups, they train everyone to sound similar hence they learn together, studying music alone gives performers the chance to sound unique from everyone else. However, self-learning makes you invoke a stagnant or repetitive manner of performance, thus resulting in monotonous melodies and music creativity.

A lot of average musicians in Nigeria suffers this, irrespective of their talent, it hinders them from exceling globally.

Career Environment

The campuses in music schools create an avenue for artists to make their first fans before they even graduate from school. The campus is a talent hunt and talent appreciating environment for young people. Artists can perform on ceremonious days in school or even get to meet higher artists who are sometimes invited to school.

Statistical Records

Although you can find many music performers who are successful without passing through a music school. But music schools teaches artists how to survive in the music industry.

Educated artists are seen as specialists, they excel more globally than the uneducated. The following statistics proves likewise:

Check out this list of top ten Nigerian singers/performers who are educated musically (formal or informal)

Fela Anikulapo Kuti

This multi talented giant from Africa studied law in the United Kingdom in 1958, he then enrolled into Trinity Music School to study music. He was pleasant at playing music instruments and Afrobeats, sadly Fela is late, but it is no news how he had excel globally and has impacted the lives of contemporary Nigerian artists like Wizkid and the Modern African giant “Burna Boy”

Davido

David adedeji adeleke, professionally known as Davido developed his interest in music instrument when he was at Oakwood University, Alabama, his desire for music was influenced by an American student of the same school “Jaymo”

Davido later dropped out of Oakwood to graduate with a music degree at Babcock University in 2015.

Darey

He studied music at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Using Lagos as a good career environment, Darey spent most of his time performing in clubs and at Music Society and Nigeria (MUSON)

He was offered a job at Cool FM by one of the attendants of his shows, an executive at Cool FM Radio Station.

Burna Boy

After his secondary school in Nigeria, Burna Boy relocated to London to study Media Technology at the University of Sussex. He also studied Media communication and culture at Oxford Brookes University.

Falz

He graduated with an LLB honours degree at university of Reading, United Kingdom. According to Fals, he started nurturing his music talent right from secondary school.

DJ Cuppy

Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, daughter to the famous Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola, graduated at King’s College London with a degree in Business and Economics in 2014.

In 2016, she got her master’s Degree in Music business and economics

2baba

Mr. innocent Ujah Idibia has a Master of Art degree in music

Tiwa Savage

Our Queen of afrobeat bagged a dgree in Business Administration at the University of Kent.

She also graduated on Scholarship at Berklee College of Music

Wizkid

Although he started at Lagos state university, later transferred to Lead City University, and eventually dropped out to focus on his Music career here is what the afrobeat legend and Starboy boy boss said about impact of education on music “I don’t regret stopping school for a bit because it did give me all the time to push and work on my music. I am definitely going back to school, education is very necessary and I hold it in high esteem”

He supports it even though he’s not part of it

Collins Enebeli, Mavin grandpa

Father to Don Jazzy, Mr. Collins earned his degree from Dundalk institute of Technology, Ireland in film and Television production in 2017.

Now, it’s obvious that the most successful and famous performers in Nigeria are those who were informed formally or informally about music concepts. We can conclude that failure to attend such schools increases the likelihood of being an average artist or performer.

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