What emerging artistes need to succeed in Afrobeats — Puffy Tee, Krizbeatz, Andre Vibez

The acclaimed producers and MTN Next Afrobeats Stars judges share insights from years of creating some of Afrobeats’ biggest hits.

In the last decade, Afrobeats has evolved from a predominantly African sound into a global musical movement, attracting international audiences, collaborations and commercial opportunities.

But its growing popularity has also brought renewed conversations about the genre’s identity, the diversity of sounds it accommodates and the challenges facing emerging artistes seeking to establish themselves in an increasingly competitive industry.

As the genre expands, questions about originality, financial investment, artistic expression, and the future of African music have become increasingly important.

Against this backdrop, MTN’s Next Afrobeats Star, a music reality competition designed to discover and develop emerging Nigerian talents, is providing a platform for aspiring musicians to showcase their abilities and receive guidance from established industry professionals.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES during the trials of the competition’s second season, three of the show’s judges, music producers Puffy Tee, Krizbeatz and Andre Vibez, shared their perspectives on the state of Afrobeats.

Music producer Puffy Tee said emerging artistes need financial resources, not just talent, to succeed in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive music industry, arguing that ability alone may not sustain a career.
According to him, artistes must understand the financial demands of building a successful music career, including production, promotion, distribution and other investments required to reach a wider audience.

“What I would say to any artiste who wants to stand out with all this competition is: have money and have talent. Talent without money is toluntu. Have talent and have a lot of money, a lot of it. That will help you propel your goals forward,” the ‘Yahooze’ producer said.

Asked what distinguishes an artiste with potential from one prepared for the demands of the industry, Tee again emphasised financial capacity, arguing that emerging musicians must recognise music as a business.

He clarified, however, that he was not suggesting money should take precedence over talent, but that both were necessary.

Using the example of a pastor seeking to establish a church, he explained that having a message alone would not be sufficient without the resources to secure a place of worship, equipment and personnel.

The ‘Eleko’ producer also defended using Afrobeats as an umbrella term for contemporary African music, dismissing concerns that the genre’s growing international popularity could overshadow the continent’s diverse musical traditions.

He argued that Afrobeats accommodates different sounds and influences, including reggae, dancehall and R&B, while allowing artistes to incorporate their cultural identities and indigenous musical styles.

“Afro means Africa. So when you say African music, it’s also Afrobeats. Now, what we define as Afrobeats can be reggae, can be dancehall, can be R&B, can be all of it. Afrobeats, this genre, is actually a magnet that puts all kinds of genres together,” he said.

Mr Puffy Tee maintained that traditional Nigerian sounds such as Fuji and Juju should retain their distinct identities rather than be renamed Afrobeats. However, artistes could incorporate them into contemporary Afrobeats productions.

The next Afrobeats judge also argued that the genre had created room for musicians across Africa to express themselves through their languages, traditions and cultural experiences.

His comments come amid wider conversations about how African music is categorised and represented internationally, particularly as the genre continues to attract global attention.

The producer expressed concern, however, about what he described as declining lyrical quality in some contemporary Afrobeats releases, saying the trend risked weakening the genre’s artistic value.

Another judge, music producer Krizbeatz, discussed the relationship between music, culture and Christianity, arguing that Christian music should not be restricted to particular sounds or musical arrangements.

He said people’s understanding and appreciation of music were often shaped by their cultural environments, adding that African Christians should not automatically associate indigenous or contemporary African sounds with secular or ungodly influences.

According to him, “music is influenced by geographical and cultural experiences, just as clothing and other forms of expression differ across societies.”

The ‘Pana’ producer explained that the perception that slow, classical-sounding songs are more appropriate for worship than contemporary African rhythms was largely shaped by religious and cultural conditioning.

Krizbeatz also argued “that musical arrangements could create spiritual experiences,” noting that melodies, instruments and lyrics could work together to communicate a particular message.

The producer said the right combination of instrumentation, melody and lyrics could produce music that inspires listeners, regardless of the performer’s background.

Although he acknowledged producing songs with lyrics he would no longer accept, he said his approach had changed over time.

“If you want to produce a song and the lyrics are not good, that song will never come out. It will just be in my studio alone,” he said.

The producer explained that rather than dismissing an artiste’s creative direction outright, he would suggest alternative lyrics that could communicate the intended message without compromising his convictions.

Meanwhile, music producer Andre Vibez urged emerging artistes to prioritise originality over imitating established musicians or rushing to adopt sounds simply because they were trending.

The ‘Rush’ producer said one common mistake among upcoming artistes was reproducing successful formulas without developing a distinct musical identity.

“Emerging artistes like to copy a formula that has worked for maybe another artiste. When they see something trending, something popping, they jump on it, and they tend not to have their own identity.