How Eminent Music and Nasboi are redefining the narrative in Nigerian music
Switching from being a successful celebrity to becoming a musician is no mean feat.
Whether it be Nollywood screen sensations, reality TV stars, or comedians, different public figures have attempted to cash in their fame in return for a successful music career. However, a bulk of those who tried this switch struggled to replicate the same level of success they recorded in their first endeavor.
Nasboi who is signed to Eminent Music is one of the few who have successfully transitioned from comedy to music, and he's one of the 2023 success stories in Nigerian music. The fast-rising sensation made a name for himself as one of Nigeria's most gifted comedians and now, he's showcasing his talent as a musician.
Not many were prepared for the success of Nasboi's hit single 'Umbrella' and what it would mean for his career as a musician. The hit single, featuring Afrobeats icon Wande Coal, has surpassed 51 million streams across all platforms, making a bold statement for Eminent Music and Nasboi.
To better appreciate Nasboi's impressive success and the exciting journey ahead, the CEO of Eminent Music Dr. Wisdom Okoye shared valuable insights into how the label has succeded in uncharted territory.
Eminent Music and Nasboi’s journey started in November 2022 when Dr. Wisdom Okoye invited him to the United Kingdom for an AY Live event his company organised. It was during a drive from Newcastle to London that Nasboi played one of his songs which instantly grabbed Dr. Okoye's interest.
"When did Davido drop this song?" Dr Okoye asked Nasboi who revealed that it was his song.
"It was after the show that we discussed and he told me about his plans for his music and how he wanted me on board. I sent his proposal to my lawyer and that's how we started."
Dr. Wisdom Okoye had to set up a label from scratch to execute their vision for Nasboi. He shares that building and running a label is a daunting task that comes with many challenges and lessons.
"It's challenging and I'm on the phone all the time. It's about value optimisation. We had people come in and we identified the area they best work for us. We have had some expensive lessons but we learned. Now, I can say we are better off from where we started."
Signing an artist is one thing, but signing a popular skit maker like Nasboi is a different story, one that has not been attempted even by the major Nigerian record labels.
"There were few stakeholders and friends who knew what we were doing and they were duly worried because there's a precedence of people who have tried to transition into music and met resistance from consumers," Dr Okoye says about his bold decision to set up a record label and sign Nasboi.
While Dr. Okoye had the entrepreneurial desire to take on such a risky project, his decision was further motivated by his strong belief in Nasboi's talent and creativity.
"I genuinely felt that Nasboi has a message and has done well in keeping up with Nigeria’s constantly evolving musical terrain.”
The biggest challenge in signing Nasboi, a famous skit maker, was creating a new brand identity for him as a musician. From Nasboi’s recorded success, it’s easy to see that Eminent Music has effectively leveraged Nasboi's social currency and aligned it with his brand as a musician.
"We were intentional in crafting a strategy to build an effective brand that will showcase him as a musician. This is part of what we have done with his marketing and promotions. We are always strategising on the best ways to execute our vision of the Nasboi brand and this includes using every aspect of his creativity to his advantage."
Everything changed for Nasboi with his hit single 'Umbrella' featuring Wande Coal. The single was everything he and Eminent Music could have wished for after the criticism and heavy scrutiny that followed the release of his debut single 'Lover Boy'.
"There was a serious commitment on Nasboi's part to own the journey and it became easier for people to join him," Dr. Okoye shares on the success of 'Umbrella'. "It's this ownership that translated into the dance moves, social media wave, and goodwill. Wande Coal's presence on the track also had its impact," he adds.
Nasboi followed up 'Umbrella' with 'Small Money' which garnered over 15 million streams. Nasboi's rapid rplans to build on this success with his upcoming debut EP.
"Nasboi has pushed himself creatively and we are happy about this. Nasboi is a great artist and he's going to show this in the EP. The project has great features that will further show Nasboi’s industry acceptance and status as a fast-rising star," Dr Okoye says on the upcoming EP.
"As a brand, we will do the necessary things to show our preparedness and provide the best platform for the project to prove itself," he adds.
After achieving impressive success with Nasboi, Eminent Music aims to take it to the next level by helping him reach his full potential.
"After this EP, the focus will be on planning his touring so he can perform around the world and enjoy doing what he loves," Dr Okoye says about his vision for Nasboi.
Nasboi's fairly unprecedented success has seen Eminent Music excel in uncharted territory. Dr. Okoye aims to replicate this success by launching another artist to success in the near future.
"It will be a shame not to try," Dr Okoye says on signing an artist in the future.
"It's by no means easy but the brand has a direction to sign other artists in the course of this journey to consolidate on our success. We will be using all the lessons we have learned to make better decisions and better music," he says.
So far, the journey has been a challenging yet rewarding one for Eminent Music and Nasboi, and the future looks promising for the label whose innovative approach and commitment to nurturing talent is redefining the narrative in Nigerian music.
