Why I turned down recording deals – Niniola

• Niniola explained that she rejected offers from record labels to sign her because she’s mindful of the business side of music 
• According to her, being an independent artist gives her creative freedom.

Nigerian singer Niniola has shared her reasons for choosing to remain an independent artist, despite receiving offers from record labels.

In a recent interview with TVC, Niniola explained that she prioritizes the business side of music and values creative freedom.

Niniola has been an independent artist for 10 years and has witnessed the pros and cons of signing with a record label.

She emphasized that being independent allows her to maintain control over her creativity and make decisions about her music without external influence.

Niniola recalled an instance where a label wanted to sign her after her debut single, but she was hesitant due to concerns about potentially being pressured to change her style.

She noted that labels often dictate an artist’s direction because they finance their work.

She said:

“I have been an independent artist for 10 years. There are pros and cons of signing with a record label. I have seen the business side of doing music which a lot of people don’t see, they just focused only on making music.

“Being an independent artist gives me the opportunity to also do what I want. I’m in charge of my creativity.

“A label wanted to sign me after my debut single but I was sceptical because I didn’t want anyone to switch my style. Because at that time, nobody was doing Afro-house. They can dictate what you do because they are the ones financing you.

“For me, creative freedom is one of the major pros of being an indie artist”.

In another story, Niniola recounts significant influences on her rise to stardom.

Recalling her West African Idol experience, Niniola acknowledged that the constructive criticism of judges – singer-songwriter Dede Mabiaku and deceased radio personality and former media consultant Dan Foster, motivated her to be better.