WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ARTISTE MANAGERS & SOME TOP ARTISTE MANAGERS IN NIGERIA
Introduction
We see a lot of successful celebrities out there making waves and doing well but what we don’t know most times is that, there are many forces behind the faces we see, and these forces are called the managers. While the spotlight may shine solely on the artistes themselves, it’s important not to overlook the vital role that artiste managers play in their careers. The managers are the backbone, the bedrock and the brain behind the magic and over time with the new society advancement, more recognition are now giving to artiste managers.
Who’s an Artiste Manager?
An artiste manager is a person, either professional or non-professional, who is responsible for overseeing various aspects of an artiste’s career. Some perform a fusion of activities for the artiste while others specialise on the aspect of the artiste’s career. They act as the middleman between the artist and several other actors of the music industry; this is to ensure smooth operations, strategic planning, and effective decision-making and ultimate success of the artiste’s career. Thus, their ultimate goal is to propel the artiste’s career forward while protecting their interests on both personal and professional levels.
There are different roles played by managers, but for the professional, one of the primary roles they play is recognizing talent and nurturing it to its full potential. They invest time, effort, and resources in guiding artists towards success which can sometimes be financial. This is coupled with the ability and willingness to identify opportunities, forge connections with industry professionals, and establish meaningful relationships with record labels, producers, and promoters. They play a crucial role in securing lucrative deals and collaborations.
Okay at this point I think am focusing on the professional managers thus it’s proper for us to take a brief look at different types of managers available for an artiste
*NOTE* while some managers perform a lot of functions in fusion especially for an upcoming and (as DAVIDO will say NEW CATS) new artistes in the block, for the well established artistes or after growing up, a musician’s team is made up of different managers with an overhead person supervising their functions and in most cases, the overall supervisors are the professional artiste managers who studied the management of artistes professionally with certificates.
With the speciality of each manager team, their bulk work coming together makes the artiste we all see in the spotlight. There are several types of managers in the music industry, they include:
Artiste Manager: This is the most common type of manager, responsible for overseeing an artiste’s entire career. They handle everything from booking shows, negotiating contracts, managing finances, and coordinating with record labels and other industry professionals.
Tour Manager: As the name suggests, tour managers are responsible for organizing and coordinating all aspects of an artiste’s tours. They handle logistics such as travel arrangements, accommodations, scheduling, and ensuring that shows run smoothly.
Business Manager: Business managers focus on the financial aspects of an artist’s career. They handle accounting, budgeting, tax planning, investment management, and financial negotiations to ensure the artist’s financial success and stability.
Marketing Manager: Marketing managers are responsible for promoting an artiste and their music to the public. They develop marketing strategies, manage social media accounts, coordinate advertising campaigns, and work closely with publicists and media outlets to generate buzz and exposure for the artist.
A&R (Artists and Repertoire) Manager: A&R managers work for record labels and are responsible for scouting and signing new talent. They help artists develop their sound and image, coordinate with producers and songwriters, and oversee the recording and release of music.
PR (Public Relations) Manager: PR managers handle an artist’s public image and reputation. They craft press releases, organize interviews and media appearances, coordinate publicity stunts or events, and manage relationships with journalists and media outlets.
Importance of having a manager
Having an artiste manager can bring several important benefits to an artiste’s career: some of which include:
- Career Guidance and Development:
- Business and Negotiation Expertise
- Industry Connections and Networking
- Time and Project Management
- Branding and Image Development
- Emotional Support and Advocacy
Overall, an artiste manager plays a crucial role in the success and growth of an artist’s career, providing professional guidance, business acumen, industry connections, and overall support to help artists thrive in the music industry.
BONUS
Beyond the creative aspect, professional artiste managers also handle the business and financial side of an artiste’s career. Which includes negotiates contracts, manage budgeting, and ensure the artiste receives fair compensation for their work. From booking tours and organizing promotional activities, to overseeing financial transactions, artiste managers act as savvy business professionals, safeguarding their clients’ financial interests.
In Nigeria currently, let’s take a quick look at some of the top and successful artiste managers in Nigerian Music who have over the years taken the leading race and continue to change the narration of the contemporary managers.
- Bose Ogulu (Burna Boy)
Burna Boy’s mom, Bose Ogulu is also his manager. A businesswoman and a retired French lecturer, Bose Ogulu could be said to be following the footsteps of her father, Benson Idonije who managed the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti. She currently manages her last-child, Nissi, an artiste and musician and her first and only son, Burna Boy.
In fact, her managerial role for Burna Boy comes in two parts, first from the onset of his career till 2014 and later on from 2017 to present day. With Bose Ogulu’s managerial chops, Burna boy has been twice nominated for a Grammy and bagged the award on the second go. He also bagged several endorsement deals with his Calvin Klein one being the most recent.
- Sunday Are and Jada Pollock (wizkid)
Our Starboy has two managers who have proved instrumental in getting him to the heights. Wizkid’s two managers are Sunday Are and Jada Pollock who also doubles as the mother to his third child, Zion.
For Wizkid and Sunday Are, their artist and manager story had begun sometime in 2014 while the former was a constant at the Mo’Hits villa and the latter, manager to the Mo’Hits crew. Sometime in 2015, after Wizkid vocally expressed his wish for Sunday Are to serve in the capacity of his manager, the musician had then announced their pairing up on Twitter. With a managerial portfolio on Nigerian stars like Lagbaja and D’Banj, Sunday Are has since then lent his expertise and influences to help expand Wizkid’s music all over the African continent. Sunday Are is largely responsible for Wizkid’s domination of Africa, connecting dots and links that saw the superstar move across the continent with consistency and cohesion, sold-out show after show
Jada Pollock’s story on the other hand, started In December 2012, when Chris Brown had come to Lagos while on a world tour. He’d come with a 15 man team with Jada Pollock inclusive as his manager. It was on that tour she met Wizkid and according to her, the rest after that was ‘history.’ Jada Pollock has since come to serve in the capacity of an international manager and image consultant for the starboy, putting her wealth of knowledge and experience dealing with A-list celebrities from Didier Drogba to Pia Mia and Chris Brown to work. Armed with an extensive international network, Jada Pollock has been impactful in getting Wizkid’s music across to the United States which is a more difficult market to penetrate and has generally helped him cement his status as the Starboy.
- Alexander Okeke (Olamide)
While there’s no documentation regarding the start of Olamide’s relationship with his longtime manager, Alexander Okeke, an obvious fact is that the artist and manager partnership is one that has served Olamide greatly to push his artistry to the revered status he enjoys. A jack of all trades, Alexander Okeke describes himself as a strategist, A & R and Music exec, all while being the talent manager extraordinaire behind Olamide’s success. Okeke is also manager to Olamide’s YBNL label top act, Fireboy DML.
- Asa Asika (Davido)
At the genesis of Davido’s career, when he’d hit the scene with Dami Duro, he had been propped up by Asa Asika’s managerial skills. But soon after, there had been a change of guard and Asa and Davido had parted ways, making room for Kamal Ajiboye to take over in the era of Aye, Gobe and more.
Davido had then been managed by Kamal Ajiboye for four years till 2017 when according to Kamal, they’d parted ways for a difference in interest. It was following this separation that Asa Asika had taken over once again as Davido’s manager, jetting his artiste to global heights. While for any who isn’t a keen follower of the Nigerian entertainment world, Asa’s entertainment background as nephew to Obi Asika, the owner of Storm Records may be new, Asa’s name has become a household one due to his managerial work with Davido.
- Mekka Millions (Tiwa Savage)
Once upon a time, Tiwa Savage’s manager had been almost as popular as her. That was when her manager had been Tee Billz, full name Tunji Balogun, her manager turned husband. His position as her manager was soon lost following Tiwa Savage’s termination of his contract in 2014 where she’d cited cases of fraudulence and incompetence. Following this, Mekka Millions had been the man who had stepped in to fill the large managerial shoes of being Tiwa Savage’s talent manager.
A former staff of Savage’s ex-husband, Mekka Millions and Tiwa Savage have since 2014 remained in business as manager and artiste, even though her transition from Mavin Records to Motown Records.
- Janet Nwose (Asa)
Asa may have been quietly making waves on the mainstream for close to two decades but has remained as enigmatic as ever, with very little known about her. So it comes as no surprise that her manager, Janet Nwose is also a key player who has stayed closely in the shadows for as long as Asa has dominated the scene.
Asa had come in contact with Janet Nwose during a photoshoot, with Asa as the muse. The paths had however become closely intertwined when Nwose found out that much like her, Asa had aspirations to become a singer. Nwose was however able to recognise Asa’s profound talent and had connected her to the gifted producer, Cobhams Asuquo and her career had thereafter, taken flight. And much like stuff from fairy-tale love stories, the two have worked together in the capacity of artist and talent manager ever since.
- Taye Aliyu (Yemi Alade)
For Yemi Alade, she and her manager, Taye Aliyu who also doubles as CEO of her label, Effyzie music group, have been together as artiste and manager so long. They have outlived two eras of dating rumours and continue to dominate the music scene with Yemi Alade’s exploits. In fact, the duo have worked together from the start of Yemi Alade’s career in 2013 with Effyzzie Music even shedding some weight by dropping some artistes so as to be able to cater to Yemi Alade better in times which was described as ‘trying’ for the company.
Today, Taye Aliyu is arguably one of the most successful brand and artiste managers as Yemi Alade has with her artistry taken Afrobeats to remarkable heights.
- Catalyst (Patoranking)
Patoranking’s long-time manager is the Catalyst known as Sunday Olise who has been working endlessly behind the scenes to push the star to the level he is at the moment. In fact, Catalyst was instrumental in bringing in Patoranking’s second manager, Didi Maduforo. Together the team have pulled off sold-out shows and hits after hits from Patoranking.
Patoranking and Chimdinma Maduforo
Self-described with the simple words ‘music enthusiast,’ Patoranking’s manager is Chimdinma Didi Maduforo who has an impressive portfolio as an entertainment industry guru. Chimdinma Maduforo who has worked as a radio presenter also had a brief stint in Ycee’s former label, Tinny Entertainment as their brand manager. The managerial powerhouse also served in the capacity of a personal manager to Seyi Shay from 2012 to 2017 and in January 2017, picked up the very same mantle for Patoranking. They’ve since worked together as a team with Patoranking’s December headline show tagged ‘Big Name,’ as well as his continued reign over the airwaves with his inimitable take on Afrodancehall, being notable proof of a well-formed alliance.
- Muyiwa Awoniyi (Tems)
Tems and Muyiwa Awoniyi have in a short time become the new age music industry partnership goals, with Tems bagging major endorsement deals with Reebok and Tommy Hilfiger while also selling out venues as one of the biggest music sensations from Nigeria in recent times. Through this, Tems’ entire manager, Muyiwa Awoniyi is seen applauding loudly and in some cases, happens to be the well-placed first point of announcement where anything Tems is concerned. Her manager’s staunch support and pride in her makes perfect sense when considering the fact that even when Tems was ridiculed and ruled out for her singing style and vocal texture, Muyiwa Awoniyi had seen something in her that others hadn’t. Now with an outstanding verse on one of the biggest African records ever and several other accolades, it’s clear that the manager and artiste is a match made in music industry heaven.
- Ojahbee (Oxlade’s)
The name Ojahbee may have become popular following his arrest and harassment by members of the Nigerian police force in the heat of the End SARS protests but the multitalented talent manager had already been making a name for himself with the works of his artiste, Oxlade.
The story of Ojahbee and Oxlade is very much like bond-forged brothers who found themselves and beyond fondness, rendered value one to the other. This is because the two have been close friends since childhood, with Oxlade sharing in a conversation with Notjutsok that Ojahbee’s house had been a place of refuge for him after he ran away from his grandma’s house. While Ojahbee has brought his music-making talents to the fore, putting his production skills to the test with three singles, he continues to go hard at his managerial responsibilities, as evidenced with Oxlade’s fresh record deal with Epic Records France.
The Nigerian music space is immensely blessed
with talented acts that have attained different levels of success. As a result, this list is by no means exhaustive and we’ll like to hear from you on your favourite artiste manager whom you think is also worthy of being referred to as a successful manager in the Nigerian music scene
Credit on the list of managers @notjustok
Conclusion
The entertainment industry is a public business and every bit of an artiste or celebrity life is in the eye of the public even the ones they try so hard to hide still end up coming to light, while the artiste are the one in limelight the major work is fixed up and done at the back end by their management team. Even though the success story focuses on the artiste bulk of the work which brings the success can be created to the manager
