The 4 Biggest Lies Artists Believe About Getting Signed

Did Wizkid’s “Essence” Actually Help Tems Win a Grammy and Become a Global Superstar? In 2020, Tems dropped her EP For Broken Ears, featuring the now-iconic “Higher.” She already had a growing fan base and buzz across Africa. But then Wizkid featured her on “Essence” in 2021 and everything changed. The song exploded in the U.S., went global, and introduced Tems to a Tier 1 audience. Labels like RCA and Since ’93 didn’t just “discover” her talent by chance. Dem see leverage: a Nigerian artist with real numbers, international potential, and a growing cultural footprint. That’s why she got the deal. And guess what happened after she signed? She landed on Drake’s “Fountains.”Future sampled “Higher” to create the Grammy-winning “Wait For U” with Drake. The record deal didn’t create her career. It accelerated a brand her team had already built. Same thing happened with Summer Walker. She dropped “Session 32” independently in 2018. No big promo—just talent and consistent content. Her song gained traction, and she built a growing online fanbase. LVRN/Interscope offered her a deal only after the buzz built—and even then, she waited a year to drop her debut album Over It. This brings us to today’s topic: The 4 Biggest Lies Artists Believe About Getting Signed. LIE #1: “Once I get signed, I’ve made it.” No, fam. You just get job. And you go dey under pressure to deliver or dem go drop you. Tems didn’t “make it” when she signed. She made it because her team had already done the work. The label simply gave her access to more resources, networks, and better positioning. A record deal is just a tool. Without leverage, you’ll be treated like an intern. LIE #2: “The label will automatically promote me.” Most labels these days don’t build buzz from scratch. They put their budget on artists who are already hot, not on those they need to spark. Summer Walker had strong engagement and streams before Interscope showed interest. If you expect the label to do your marketing, you fit wait forever. For Nigeria, is a bit different because our music business is still at the baby stage. Many local labels pick lesser-known artists and build them up. But most of the promotion work still falls on the artist and their team. LIE #3: “Signing a deal means instant connections to big artists.” No be so. Nobody go put you on a Drake feature just because you sign paper. Tems landed “Fountains” and “Wait For U” because of her growing clout, not because the label begged somebody to help her. Labels invest in potential—but collaborations come when your brand strong. LIE #4: “The advance is free money.” Make I clear am: An advance isn’t a gift. It’s a loan. That 5- or 6-figure advance? The label recoups every naira or dollar they spend on you before you see royalties. If you get a $100K advance, plus $50K for video and $30K for promo, that’s $180K the label will recover before you see real money. Some contracts let labels keep recouping from your future earnings—even after you move—until they pay back. What the advance is really for: It’s meant to help you organize your brand, improve production, plan rollout, and invest in things the label doesn’t cover—like visuals, styling, or extra content. It’s not money for flexing on Instagram, renting a Benz, or spending on women and alcohol. That’s how careers crash fast. You were paid as a business—spend like one. Final words: Don’t chase a deal hoping it will fix your problems. Build leverage. Let your numbers, story, and audience speak so loud that the label knows you’re an asset—not a gamble. When the contract shows up, understand every clause. Your ignorance is their strategy. If you need help breaking down a deal, understanding advance terms, or preparing your rollout before signing—I offer one-on-one sessions (service fee applies). Hit me up. Let’s make music make money.

Other insights from Shepherd Umele Obella