Nigerian singer Qing Madi has described the financial rewards in the music industry as extremely high, comparing it to “drug money.”
Speaking on the Tea With Tay podcast, the 19-year-old artiste said musicians can earn in one show what many Nigerians make in months or even years.
She explained that music has given her financial freedom, but she deliberately avoids showing off her wealth on social media because she does not want money to define her image.
“Music money is not normal, it is like drug money. I don’t think people know how… And I’m not the person who would buy stuff and put on the media because I do think that that would change the narrative of what I am to the media. And I don’t like people looking at me and seeing money. But I am rich,” she said.
Qing Madi compared the earnings of musicians to regular jobs, highlighting the wide gap.
“The average Nigerian works 9-5 and earns maybe N500,000 at the end of the month, while as an artist, you do one show and get N20 million. Music money is huge,” she added.
She also shared her thoughts on why music is so popular in Nigeria, suggesting that many people use it as a form of emotional escape.
According to her, limited access to therapy in the country may be one reason people rely heavily on music for comfort and relief.
