For many rising Nigerian artists, a big break is about finally making music that pays the bills. Think: millions of streams, international tours, brand endorsements, maybe even label backing. It鈥檚 the moment that can turn passion into a full-time career.
But until that happens, the hustle is real. From 9- 5s, odd jobs to steady side gigs, these artists are finding ways to fund their dreams while ensuring they can survive daily.
We spoke to a few of such artists about what the grind looks like; how they鈥檙e making money, and what that big break would mean financially, creatively, and personally.
鈥淪ome months I earn 鈧150k, other times it鈥檚 10x that. It鈥檚 inconsistent but keeps me afloat.鈥 鈥 , Afroswing artist.
I鈥檝e known I could sing since I was 10, but I started taking music seriously during the lockdown. I dropped my first single in October 2024, but it got taken off streaming platforms due to some irregular streaming pattern, which killed my momentum. I was close to giving up until I started finding my spark recently.
So far, I鈥檝e only made about 鈧50k from a live show. I juggle side hustles like sports blogging, crypto, gadget sales and copywriting, earning about 鈧100鈥150k monthly; some months it鈥檚 lower or even 10x that. It鈥檚 inconsistent, but it keeps me afloat. I do the work primarily for survival; if my music took off today, I鈥檇 drop everything else to fully focus on it.
Buying beats used to be the most expensive part of my music grind, but most of my music costs are now covered through the cordial relationships I鈥檝e built with producers. Even when I have to pay for beats, it鈥檚 usually at a discounted rate.
But survival comes first: I need to be in a good headspace to be creative.
A big break for me isn鈥檛 just streams or a record label deal; it鈥檚 stepping on stage, confident that the crowd is there for me, singing my lyrics word for word, and excited to see me perform. That鈥檚 the milestone that genuinely matters to me.
I believe deeply in my craft, and I know that with just a little spotlight, I鈥檇 be everywhere. I鈥檓 not sure exactly how much money it would take to rely solely on music, but one thing鈥檚 for sure: it would have to be a lot.
鈥淚鈥檒l feel like I鈥檝e made it when I earn about $200k from music. I鈥檝e got a long way to go, but I鈥檓 getting there.鈥 鈥 , Rapper & Music Producer.
I started writing songs in 2015 but didn鈥檛 record my first track until 2019. In 2023, I dropped my first body of work, OJASTERIOUS.
The feedback has been great. People love the music, and my fan base has been incredibly supportive. I still remember how happy I was walking home from the studio after recording my first song. Since then, I鈥檝e stayed consistent.
I haven鈥檛 started counting music wins in monetary terms yet. Most of the time, the process is give-and-take. I enjoy it enough that I don鈥檛 mind being paid with exposure for now. Performing is always exhilarating; it鈥檚 something I genuinely look forward to.
Music has always been 鈥渢he dream,鈥 but I鈥檓 also a designer.
I currently earn about $300 a month designing clothes. I wouldn鈥檛 call it a side hustle. It鈥檚 another branch of my creative life, which is just as important as making music.
For me, survival means creating music. When money comes in, I design, make clothes, sell them, reinvest the profits into my music, save a portion, then repeat. That鈥檚 the cycle.
Promotion is the most expensive part of the music grind. I have my recording gear, and I鈥檓 pretty handy with it, so I don鈥檛 spend much on studio time. Production costs vary greatly depending on location, but with the right producer, you can still get a good track done for around 鈧100k.
I鈥檓 not in a hurry for a big break. Every time I make music feels like a big break. But if we鈥檙e being real, a big break is when your music gets millions of streams and people start respecting your work globally. That recognition adds value, and value brings rewards.
Getting signed to a record label is cool, but it doesn鈥檛 always mean you鈥檝e broken into the scene.
But if we are talking numbers, I鈥檒l know I鈥檝e made it when I earn about $200k from music. I鈥檝e got a long way to go, but I鈥檓 getting there.
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“My biggest payout from music is around 鈧1 million, but it hasn鈥檛 hit my account yet.” 鈥 , Artiste & Songwriter.
I describe my sound as a fusion of many genres, but the sweet spot is the 鈥淣igerianness鈥 it carries. We call it Afrofusion, but we need a more accurate name.
I鈥檝e been making music for about seven years, but started taking it seriously this April.
Since I decided to drop everything and go all in, my music has been doing surprisingly well. I鈥檝e gotten more traction online, especially on . Streaming hasn鈥檛 taken off yet; I haven鈥檛 been consistent with releases. But I鈥檝e always known music was my path since I watched Hannah Montana at 8 or 9.
The most I鈥檝e made so far is 鈧100,000, but it was more of a logistics fee for attending a , not music money. My biggest payout is around 鈧1 million, but it hasn鈥檛 landed in my account yet. Outside of that, earnings have been modest. I once got 鈧21,000 from my catalogue on a distribution platform. Music money isn鈥檛 consistent, especially at the start, but I鈥檓 not stressing. I know it鈥檒l come with time and effort, I just have to keep going.
Right now, I鈥檓 not doing any side hustles or jobs outside of music, so I don鈥檛 have a steady income. I gave that up when I left my 9鈥5 in April. I chose music, and haven鈥檛 looked back. To stay afloat, I鈥檓 living at my mum鈥檚 place and keeping things low-key until I get paid music gigs: usually songwriting work at music camps.
I鈥檓 gearing up for my next release, and it鈥檚 the most expensive project I鈥檝e taken on so far. It鈥檚 wild because I left the workforce with less than 鈧100,000 in my account, and now I鈥檓 doing something that costs millions. How? I don鈥檛 know, but the song will drop.
Fortunately, I don鈥檛 pay for studio time because I have a basic recording setup: a laptop, a mic, a sound card, and headphones. For visuals and promotion, the funds come from gigs, my management, favours, or pitching to platforms.
Still, as an independent artist, producing a track can be daunting. You have to pay for studio time, producers, and engineers.
Here are some average figures:
- Studio time: 鈧15,000 per hour
- Producers: 鈧100,000 per song
- Engineers: 鈧100,000 per song (extra revisions may incur added costs)
I’m winging the music life, but if something needs to be paid for, I find a way to pay. Otherwise, I鈥檓 just surviving. I try not to take on more than I can handle financially.
I don鈥檛 have a specific figure for what 鈥渕aking it鈥 looks like, but I have a rough idea. I鈥檇 need steady songwriting gigs because relying on streaming income is tricky. Ideally, I鈥檇 attend multiple music camps monthly, getting paid hourly and per selected song, enough that I can afford to turn some gigs down. If I charge per hour, 鈧100k is a reasonable starting rate. Per song, I鈥檇 charge a minimum of 鈧500k. That鈥檚 when I鈥檒l start to feel comfortable.
When I catch my first big break, I鈥檓 sure it鈥檒l exceed my wildest dreams. For now, I鈥檓 staying grounded in the present.
A big break, for me, is not about popularity or signing a record deal. Being a breakout act and actually having your big break are two different things. It鈥檚 about the music and how bankable it is.
I鈥檒l know I鈥檝e had mine when I earn at least 鈧20 million monthly from streaming alone.
鈥淚鈥檝e made over 鈧2 million from streams and partnerships, but these days, I get by on about 鈧300k a month from my media job.鈥 鈥, Fusion Artist.
I started taking music seriously in 2022. When life fell apart, music was there, so I taught myself to write again. I : Afrobeats, R&B, dancehall, and even drill, but my voice is the secret sauce that makes every song unmistakably mine.
When I dropped my single, 鈥鈥 and high-profile celebrities across the country started posting and showing love, I knew something had shifted. Since then, I鈥檝e performed everywhere I can, and every stage feels like home.
I鈥檓 still an emerging independent artist, but I鈥檝e made over 鈧2m from streams and partnerships so far. I once got over 鈧400k in one go. The performance fees I charge mainly cover logistics, but fans sometimes gift me money or drinks. It鈥檚 surreal.
Most side gigs are for survival, but I enjoy them. I currently work at a media house, writing music and doing backing vocals, and earn 鈧300k on average monthly, but I still feel broke most of the time.
Studio sessions, visuals, and promos cost a lot, so I pour everything I earn from music back into it. I鈥檓 part of a music collective called , and we keep each other going.
Even if I consistently made 鈧500k from music monthly, most of it will go right back in.
A 鈥榖ig break鈥 for me is being seen. Whether that鈥檚 global recognition or a million-dollar cheque, I just want everyone to know Dela. And once that happens, I鈥檒l finally have enough to cover 99% of my bills and still have something left over.
“Once the music kicks off, I鈥檓 dropping the 9鈥5 and never looking back.” 鈥 , Afrobeats Artist.
I started taking music seriously in 2021, but things didn鈥檛 start moving until I switched from rapping to singing a year later. I鈥檇 play my songs at gatherings without saying it was me, just to gauge honest reactions, and the reception blew me away every time. That鈥檚 when I knew I was onto something.
Still, I鈥檓 not where I want to be with streams. I haven鈥檛 hit the numbers that translate to real income. I鈥檝e performed at shows but haven鈥檛 been paid for any yet. So far, I鈥檝e only earned some money from a one-off songwriting gig: 鈧50,000. The income is inconsistent, but I enjoy writing songs for others so much that I鈥檇 do it for free.
I鈥檓 in my NYSC year, receiving a basic 鈧77,000 monthly stipend from the government. My PPA hasn鈥檛 started paying yet. I currently serve in the Business Administration department of a cybersecurity firm, hoping to pick up some real-world business knowledge from the corporate world. But I鈥檓 leaving the 9鈥5 grind behind once the music takes off.
In the meantime, I鈥檓 figuring out other ways to earn consistently on the side. I鈥檓 never putting all my eggs in one basket.
For me, the first real break starts when I go viral, and people can finally put a face to the music. From there, I know the real breakthrough will be just around the corner.
