Rich Background Doesn’t Mean You Have Good Talent – Sheyman

Producer and Singer, Sheyman of
‘Kokan Aye’ fame has suggested
that his colleagues in the Nigerian
Entertainment industry are
predominantly snubs who will only
lend support if one is rich.
The artiste who has featured and
produced a lot of top Nigerian acts
made the revelation to Encomium
in a recent interview.
The entertainer while talking about
challenges in the industry
disclosed that asides funding,
getting other acts to support talent
is almost a Herculean task.
See excerpts of the interview
below:
Why have you stayed off music?
I have never abandoned music. At
each point in time, I release one
song. Actually, most of my time is
always occupied with other
people’s works in the studio that I
barely have time to concentrate on
my own music.
That is why I had to look for
another management that would
create time for me out of my busy
schedule in the studio even when
I’m busy with other people’s
works.
I believe in “The more you push,
the better result you get.” How
would you rate your career over
the years? So far it has been good
even if we face challenges.
A lot of people have come and
gone and a lot of people are still
here and we are still here as well.
I would say it takes the grace of
God to be relevant in whatever you
do.
I would rate my career good
because I am happy with what I’m
doing.
What has been the challenge?
Life itself is a challenge.
The basic challenge right now is
funding because you need proper
funds to push a project if not, the
project will not fly.
As a brand, you have to keep
doing public relations for your
image and all these things come at
a cost.
What would you count as the pains
and the gains?
You start feeling pains when all
you have laboured for seem to be
wasted especially when you
promote a particular song and it
failed to work out the way you
planned it.
Also when you spend money on a
particular song and your fans are
not feeling it, it takes you back to
your drawing board to start
thinking of a new strategy or
concept.
Part of the pains you experience in
the Industry is when some of your
colleagues tend to discriminate or
segregate because you are not in
the same class or caucus.
It is unfortunate that some artistes
do not encourage good and quality
artistes.
They don’t even care about their
music, all they care about is your
personality because they feel you
have to be successful before they
support you.
For me, good talent does not come
from rich background but I thank
God that I have passed that stage
and no one can look down on me.
As for the gains, one of them is
when you perform on stage and
your fans go crazy about it.
Also when you are being paid
heavily to perform at a show.
How did you become a mixing and
mastering guru in Nigeria?
It all started when I was producing
songs for myself and other artistes
started asking who mixed it and
they liked it.
Before I knew it, people started
bringing songs which I mixed for
free. They kept choking me with
loads of songs to mix, so I
attached a fee to it and they
continued paying, when I increased
the fee, they did not care.
All they cared about is me mixing
their songs.
So, I told myself to go for mixing
since it is lucrative and it takes
less stress and short time.
In anything you are doing, keep
doing good because in one way or
the other people will recognize that
talent.
But, God has been there for me.
Who would you say is the best
music artiste you have ever worked
with and why?
They are all the best in their areas.
I have worked with Flavour on
Sampowa, worked with Davido on
Paper and I’m currently working
with Wizkid on Terminator and
they are all unique talents.
I choose the kind of song I feature
artistes, I don’t just tell them to
jump on one song or the other
because I know the kind of songs
they fit into.