Olamide did nothing for Adekunle Gold in the studio. That nothing, turned out to be everything.
While a lot of attention is given to the large heart of Olamide
which has fueled his foray into label management and putting artistes
on, very little has been shown to the amount of control he affords these
artistes in the music creation process.
YBNL as a
recording house has birthed two stars, a feat that many record label
owners will look on with envy and pray to emulate. Lil Kesh
and Olamide are the two successful acts from the label, and they have
gone on to produce spectacular music, while enriching themselves in the
process.
What happens in the studio? How does
Olamide operate with his acts? How much artistic control does his signed
acts have under him?
Adekunle Gold has
revealed just about thing work as regards music. The Urban Highlife
singer was signed to YBNL in 2014, and has taken to music with unique
content, which has seen him grow to become one of the leading lights in a
genre that had, prior to his arrival, received minimal spotlight.
His
debut album – “Gold” – which was released in 2016 has received massive
acceptance. According to the singer, a huge reason why this works out is
because of the free hand he got from Olamide, to take his music in any
direction he wants.
“Thank God I am in a label like YBNL, and I have an oga (boss) like Olamide that understands that you need to do you.” he told Guardian.
“Olamide
has given each and every one of us the opportunity and liberty to just
do what we want to do. Where he comes in is to give approval. He can say
what he thinks works, and what doesn’t, and points us in the right
direction.”
Without Olamide’s direct
supervision and micro-management, how was “Gold” recorded? By his trust
of course. Olamide let him flow, and the results were tremendously
successful.
Adekunle continued: “I
pretty much wrote the music myself. During production, I was the one
telling the producer which direction I wanted everything to go. Olmide
really entrusted everything to me, and he was always there to remind me
that he knows I can do it.
“He would say,
“Just see it as your business, I’m only here to guide you.’ So based on
all this, it really just made sense to put me as the executive
producer. And of course, I got approval from my oga”
Olamide’s
decision to only offer emotion support and external positive
reinforcement to Adekunle Gold was a masterstroke. The singer has one of
the best albums of 2016, a huge benefit to the record label by way of
raking cash via sales and distribution.
In this age of
mushroom record labels and numerous investors stifling creativity by
dictating the direction of the music, Olamide stands out as an artiste
who understands that good music can only come from within. He also knows
that an artiste would need to enjoy freedom in the creation process,
while marrying it to the commercial aspect on his terms to flourish. He
provided Adekunle Gold with the freedom, and it has proven to be the one
of the best moves of 2016 at YBNL.
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