Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage has admitted she didn’t understand how much a record label affects an artist’s mental wellbeing until she left Mavin Records.
Even after leaving, she insists Mavin remains part of her family. But things have changed.
Speaking on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast with Joey Akan, Tiwa said the label an artist signs to plays a big role in their mental health.
Missing Don Jazzy’s Room
Tiwa recalled how she used to confide in label boss Don Jazzy and her label mates during hard times. Now, she doesn’t have that privilege at her new label.
She said artists must know if their label cares about them or just sees them as money-making machines.
“Who you signed to is very important and I didn’t appreciate it until after I left Mavin. Whenever there’s a controversy online I’d run to Don Jazzy’s room, sit on the floor or bed with other Mavin acts and we would talk about it. I would cry if I had to cry and we would get through it.”
She added that being with a foreign label feels different. “They don’t really care about your personal stuff. So, I can’t really go to the Empire office and cry. I miss that part.”
Tiwa’s honest words show how vital emotional support is in the music industry.
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