Two Nigerian International celebrities, Damibliz and Femi Bello, who grew up from Lagos Island have groomed music artistes on what to expect in the international market.

Damibliz is a London Based Afrobeats artiste who have carved a niche for himself over the years with standard music thereby getting access to multiple shows. Damibliz has a record for performing in all major clubs and shows in London while maintaining maintaining standard list in Nigeria and some other African country.

Femi Bello is a US-based Nigerian show promoter who has organised shows for top Nigerian music stars over the years.

According to Femi Bello and Damibliz, any Nigerian artiste would thrive with any show in the US and UK provided the right route is taken and proper structure in place.

“I grew up in Lagos Island,  Femi Bello said, “but I was raised by my dad’s family because my dad relocated to the US when I was four years old. Growing up without my dad was not easy because I was raised by people, who instilled discipline in me; they taught me values and morals a man must imbibe. I was quite rascally when I was growing up but my family raised me well. And it is the value system that has helped me thrive in America.”

For Bello to have made such a huge achievement in event promotion in an advanced country like the US, one would have thought that he actually studied the act professionally, but his story was more of personal cultivation of in-built talent than classroom grooming.

“I have always been an event person. I have been involved in organising parties and making plans for people when they have events. In fact, I remember that I started throwing parties when I was 19 years-old. In Nigeria back then, just as we have now, there were different genres of music that people wanted to listen and groove to but I have always been a fan of R&B music. Growing up with my uncle, I fell in love with slow music, holding ladies and dancing to soft tunes. That’s how it started for me; it started basically after I left college,” he said.

Shows and Performance

“In the US, I worked with Wande Coal, Wizkid, Psquare, Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi and even Sarkodie. These are top African artistes whose concerts I packaged in the US. They are big concerts in their own right and there is always a different approach to every show, but I can tell you that Nigerian artistes will sell out any show in the US as long as we put proper structure in place ahead of the event,” he said.

From an artist perspective, Damibliz says its not easy making shows in the UK or anywhere, but he recommends that for your songs to move you definitely have to do shows. He also mentioned that that, though show promoters don’t make it any easy but with good music and energy when on their stage, you will definitely find favour.

“Basically have to be popping…you have to work to the extent that the show organizers have to look for you”.

“In the UK, though so many ups and down too but there is respect for Naija artiste, especially when your song is properly banging”.

Again for artiste who are interested in the US, Bello said dealing with Nigerian artistes can be very challenging, because most times they are always after the money they would make at the end of the show and not necessarily the fans base and more popularity the shows will fetch them.

“The truth is that most of these artistes don’t understand how things work here, especially when they bring their shows to the US. They have a wrong impression about the way we make the shows work. So I always tell them that their approach towards show promoters is bad. Some of them don’t open up to the show promoters; they try to be smarter. They don’t understand the business aspect of the job. What they always care about is the money they want to make at the end of the show. They make the job hard for you when they don’t speak up,” he further explained.

Concluding, Damibliz said shows are getting better in Nigeria, so artistes may as well capitalize on it before testing other grounds. Recall the Peckham ambassador was recently in Nigeria for a tour and promotion of his single FORMULA 1, which was sadly disrupted.

“To be honest, I can tell from the first day I got to Nigeria that there are so many changes already. Its way better, and its not even in the UK but Nigeria.”

“So artistes should capitalize on this and also remember that atitude matters alot, to fans and to promoters. Big issue if you miss this.”