Focus, Funding, keys to having to a great musical career ― Toby

Oluwatobiloba Omowole with stage name Toby Top-notch has said focus and adequate funding are keys to having a great musical career.

Toby, a Lawyer,  disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during his album listening party at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The 26-year-old Afrofusion artiste said independent artistes were usually faced with lots of challenges especially lack of fund and other necessary support from the government, friends, family and public.

He said that an enabling environment for entertainment needed a lot of funding by the government so that an artist could focus on his career to entertain and communicate.

“The challenges that every young independent artiste face at the early stage of their career is funding. It is difficult being in this part of the world.

“We keep trying to get support from friends, family and the government. It is even more difficult trying to make people believe in what you do.

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“I believe that with funding and adequate support from those who believe in you, all you need do is focus as an up-and-coming artist and the sky would be your limit,” he said.

Toby corroborated popular Nigerian artiste, Olamide Adedeji, who recently lamented how hard it was to rise in the music industry without support.

Olamide had paused his show to promote his signee, Fireboy DML and urged other A-list artistes to follow suit and provide enabling environment for up-and-coming artistes.

Toby also made reference to award-winning Nigerian artiste, David Adeleke, saying that only an artist like him could have fewer challenges as an independent artist if he is focused.

“In fact, if there is an enabling environment for entertainment, you really do not need a record label to do your music.

“All you need is have a plan and be focused because there are people with money and no plan, just like there are people with the plan and no money.

“You can only be unbothered if you are someone like Davido who has both.

“Music is a big project and a lot of effort has to be put in with adequate funding to back it up,” he said.

NAN reports that in Toby’s five-track album, he emphasised the need for parents’ blessings on a child’s chosen career with the first track, which featured his mother praying for him.

(NAN)