24th March, 2024
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Nigerian street pop singer, rapper and songwriter, Akiode Blessing Mariam, popularly known as Candy Bleakz has opened up about being passed over for a record deal with Olamide ‘s YBNL.
Temmie Ovwasa signed a record deal with YBNL in 2015 but left the label in 2020 after a disagreement.
In an interview with HipTV, Bleakz who is currently signed to Chocolate City Music said she felt disappointed when she discovered she was not chosen to be a “YBNL Princess”.
“The day Baddo (Olamide) unveiled Temmie Ovwasa, she is my friend but I was sad,” Bleakz said.
“I was supposed to be the YBNL Princess. I was like, ‘Why did they sign someone else?”
Bleakz also spoke of the challenges of being a woman in the Nigerian music industry.
She lamented that talent is too often overlooked for physical appearance.
“For a female artiste, when you are pretty it is a problem, when you are ugly it is a problem,” the singer said.
“When you are too sexy it is an issue and when you are not it is an issue.
“Because I am bringing something to the table but you will see comments like, ‘She is not fine. She is not dressing sexy.’
“And at the same time, when she is fine, they want her to bring something to the table.”