“I don’t repeat clothes” — Bella Shmurda brags

Nigerian music star, Bella Shmurda, has opened up on why musicians often demand high performance fees, saying the cost of making music and maintaining their brands is extremely expensive.

Speaking during an interview with Naija FM Lagos, the Vision 2020 crooner explained that behind every show or music release is a long list of expenses, ranging from production to wardrobe, team payments, and promotions, that heavily impact an artist’s earnings.

“Making music is expensive,” he said. “I don’t repeat clothes because I’m a public figure. I spent $100,000 to pay producers, songwriters, and engineers that worked on my album. That’s over ₦100 million. Not to mention music videos and promotion costs.”

Bella noted that when artists charge high fees for performances, it’s not greed but an attempt to recover investments and sustain their craft.

“I go for a show and charge what would equate to my investment. Even if I don’t make profit, I should at least recover production costs. We are not overcharging. If you look at it from our own perspective, you’ll understand,” he added.