Afrobeats singer Fave has spoken about the challenges female artistes face while trying to establish themselves in the Nigerian and African music industry.
Fave discussed the issue in an interview on the Afropolitan podcast, explaining why she believes female artistes face greater challenges in achieving success than their male counterparts.
According to the singer, female musicians are often judged not only on their talent and stage performances but also on their physical appearance, dressing and how they are perceived by the public.
She said conversations about female artistes on social media frequently focus on their bodies and sexual appeal rather than their music.
Fave said: “It is a topic I hate to touch on. First off, I think we are held to a very different standards in the industry, I feel like we are not measured by our talents or our stage presence, we are measured by what we wear and our physical appearance.
“Every time I take a look at the internet on what people are talking about female artistes for especially Nigeria and Africa generally, it is not really about the music, it is about people sexual desires or fantasies about you and I think it is a major problem because then it is more about how decent are you dressed before they get to listen to you.
“But when it comes to the men, I don’t think they are held by these same standards. I think when it comes to performances, I think the female artistes do way more, but because of the world we live in, we don’t hold male and female artistes in the same standards, which is why female artistes do ten times more just to be in topic or in conversations.”
The singer also alleged that some female artistes face sexual advances as they seek opportunities and recognition within the industry.
“There are sexual advances being made at you for you to be in the studio or for them to put you out there or make a case for you in front of the big players in the industry.
“I have noticed a trend in record labels not wanting to sign female artistes. When I was coming up early on, I met a couple of industry heads that were very adamant about not wanting to sign a female artiste.
“They will tell you it is harder to manage a female artiste and it is harder to get a female artiste to where she is supposed to be and I understand that because truly it is hard.
“You are trying to break into a market that is misogynistic, so what you are going to do that would make a guy to be talked about, you have to do it ten times more for a female artiste and I think it is a little sad.”
Fave further called on major players in the music industry to play their part in breaking barriers that make it difficult for female musicians to thrive.
“If the big players makers do not break the barriers, how would it be easy for female artistes to get to where we are supposed to be?” she added.