“There is a common saying in pidgin” — Korede Bello on his disregard for Grammy Award

In a recent interview, renowned Nigerian artist Korede Bello shared his views on the significance of intrinsic validation for musicians, sparking a conversation about the reliance on foreign accolades such as the Grammy Awards within the Nigerian music industry.

The “Godwin” hitmaker emphasized the importance of creating music that resonates with audiences and brings joy to people’s lives, stating that while winning prestigious awards like the Grammy is an honor, the primary goal for artists should be to make a positive impact through their craft.

Expressing his skepticism about the necessity of seeking validation from foreign institutions, Korede Bello questioned whether Nigerian artists should place such heavy emphasis on awards like the Grammys for affirmation of their talent and artistry.

According to Korede Bello, the true measure of success lies in the ability of music to evoke emotions and connect with listeners on a profound level.

He advocated for a shift towards recognizing and rewarding artists based on the quality and impact of their work, rather than solely relying on external awards.

The artist highlighted the importance of commercial success and returns on investment as tangible indicators of the value of one’s art, emphasizing that these rewards are more reflective of the effort and dedication put into creating meaningful music.

“There is a common pidgin saying that can loosely be translated to mean, ‘it is where one works that one will eat’. Part of the things we ‘eat’ as artistes is validation for our art. Validation for making great art is good. And, that can be very inspirational for others to make better art.”

“Rewards can come in the form of commercial success or returns on investment. That way, one knows that the quality of what one puts in is what will determine what one will get. Awards are good, but knowing that one’s art makes many people happy is a better feeling.”

When asked about the sources of his inspiration, Korede dismissed the notion of any place being too unconventional to draw creative inspiration from.

“As far as I am concerned, there is no place that is too weird to get inspiration from. Everything is art, and everything can be inspirational. Pain is a beautiful ‘place’ to create art from. As a matter of fact, this question is already giving me inspiration for a new song. Is that weird?”

He emphasized that art can stem from various experiences, including pain, and even from unexpected sources. Korede’s openness to drawing inspiration from diverse sources reflects his belief in the boundless nature of artistic creativity.