Brand promotion, capital intensive
By Bamidele Kolawole
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Akinleye Samuel best known as Xsmile hails from Ifetedo of Ife south local government Osun State. He was Born in the early 90s into a Christian family of Mr and Mrs Akinleye.
In an interview with Friday Extravaganza he speaks about his music career saying with the help of his mother he was able to achieve a lot and how he was motivated by one of his street brothers.
He noted that he chose music because he loves doing music and knows it best. He added that he takes music to be a good means of communication a universal language.
According to him, he was not only a musician but also a producer who has produced a couple of songs for people and recently produced the popular song titled GBESE by Q-Dot which went viral and is still one of the best dance hall songs out there.
“I create music based on happenings in the society around me and sometimes on my mood either happy or sad.
All that being said, It as well requires giving people what they want to hear if one really mean business and sell his brand so I try to make the kind of songs both radio and the masses would accept.
“Like my mother would say, I love to sing a lot and I have been practically singing since I was a child. As I was growing I kept showing interest even though I never thought of composing.
“One fateful day in the year 2004, one of our neighbours Bayo, saw the potential in me and promised he will take me to his friend Kelvin who is an artiste and champion in our small town (ipetu ijesa, Osun State) So we went together and he handed me over to Kelvin who helped me discover my composition skills and usually take me with him whenever he is going to studio session to back him up and that was how It all started.
“Having set up a studio, I became a full time and established artiste and a producer in the year 2010.
I went further by letting 4 other like-minded artistes join me. Their names are Phansy, YV general, Courageouz and Emmix and together we formed our own registered entrainment outfit SENIOR SQUAD RHYTHM otherwise known as SSR.
“I sing hip-hop and rnb sometimes but majorly Afro hiphop which is Africa’s pop music.
“Every artiste would make album release their priority if they are making good money from it and Nowadays it seems artistes are making their money from shows and endorsement which is why nobody is paying attention to album release.
“My aim is to sell out my brand, become of one the greatest musician and immortalize myself by touching people’s life with my music, inspire and motivate them every time they listen to my songs,” he explained.
According to him the major challenge every artiste encounters is PROMOTION. Saying that promotion is so hard nowadays because it was capital intensive.
He noted that in advanced countries, all artistes need to do is to have good songs and they are already making their money but reverse is the case in our country where the artiste pays for everything including radios and televisions.
According to him, there is cool money in the game for every talented and hardworking artiste expressing that the music industry is a small circle yet one could get lost if care is not taken.
He advised upcoming artistes to be focused be careful with the trend and be original, saying that the talent of a man pave way for him.
He noted that not all that glitter is gold, there are lots of lies and people fake lives a lot so they should keep their eyes wide open.
He urged marketers to improve on the amount of albums they buy from artiste in order to encourage and appreciate a job well done.
The artiste said that piracy, is one of the reasons artistes makes less money from album released.
He pleaded with the Nigeria government to help see to it that to make music industry sweet for artistes.
He mentioned some of his mentors in the industry to include T-Pain and he can allow any of his children with music potentials saying someone is a Davido’s father.
