On episode 112 of the Submarine And A Roach podcast, Muyiwa Awoniyi aka Donawon, joins the podcast host TMT as he shares his knowledge on a range of topics.
Donawon, who is famous for his role in managing superstar artist Tems, is no newcomer to the music industry. Prior to joining Tems’ team, he had managed a number of artists including singer Nonso Amadi and was very instrumental to his come up. Donawon prides himself in being a versatile creative, well-versed in matters of the entertainment industry.
In his conversation on the podcast, Donawon shared some tips on navigating the music scene in Nigeria from his point of view. Currently, Nigerian music is experiencing significant attention which is constantly magnified by social media and this makes it easy for artists to feel like they are missing on the current transcontinental wave if they are not releasing music right now. Donawon dispels this, explaining that artists should “focus on creating moments” because music has become the soundtrack to peoples moments and what mood your music can put people in should be more important. According to him, the key is creating music that is potent enough that it cuts across an even larger spectrum.
As a seasoned manager, Donawon has a substantial amount of knowledge on what goes on behind the scenes and maintains that in music, the executives double as decision makers. It is easy to neglect the effort of managers and an artist’s team, but in reality, the art attracts the fans while the story the artist tells and their persona is decided by the executives. This circles back to the relevance of artists having a community because at the end of the day, branding is what makes an artist believable, as he puts it – “the wave is always better when it’s a movement not an individual.”
i really loved this conversation between @TMTisClutch & @IAmDonawon on Muyiwa’s journey through the music industry. Lots of great information here, i highly recommend for any upcoming managers and artists who are wondering what to look for in a manager.https://t.co/pGXgjgDUSK
— SET (@insetwetrust) September 9, 2022
As Nigerian music continues to make waves, it is important for artists to develop a personality around their journey as musicians to help boost public appeal. Even though it can be easy to get swept up in the opinions fans have of artists and their music – no thanks to the accessibility now provided by social media, it is important as an artist to evaluate your work from a creative point of view. Donawon explained how there are different viewpoints for the fans (who see what the artist wants them to see), and for the artists (who are able to appreciate the work that goes on behind the scene).
In an industry where more people appear to be concerned with being the next big thing, Donawon recognises the importance of an identity, a story and proper branding. There’s no doubt that aspiring music managers or anyone that wants to play in the entertainment space at large will find this episode very insightful.
Listen to Donawon on the Submarine And A Roach podcast here.