Simi Advocates for Professionalism in Record Label Management
Nigerian singer Simi has weighed in on the growing trend of established artists launching their own record labels, urging that the business of signing and nurturing talent be left to professionals with genuine commitment to the music industry.
In a recent interview with media personality VJ Adams, Simisola Kosoko—widely known as Simi—shared her thoughts on the responsibilities that come with managing emerging artists. While she acknowledged that she could mentor or even sign new talent in the future, she stressed that doing so should never be treated as a vanity project or a career milestone.
“I can sign an artist, but I think it’s not fair when an artist signs another artist just as a milestone,” Simi said. “For that artist, it’s just a passion project and not necessarily to accomplish a long-term goal. But that’s somebody else’s life. That’s their dream.”
Simi, who rose to fame after years of independent work before signing with a major label, emphasized that only individuals with a true passion for the business side of music should take on the task of managing other artists.
“The only people that should sign artists are people who really have a passion for the music business. So whether or not the artist is thriving at the moment, they will still believe in them. Whether or not the song that you thought would blow didn’t, are you willing to keep going?” she asked. “Are you willing to last on it?”
Reflecting on her own experience in the industry, Simi said she once questioned how seriously her potential as an artist was taken. “When I was getting signed, I was thinking: ‘How do you see me? Am I just a box you are ticking or is it as important to you as it is to me?’”
She concluded by admitting that, while the idea of signing talent is appealing, she’s uncertain whether she has the drive and consistent energy to fully commit to the demands of developing another artist’s career. “It takes a lot,” she said.