Modola: My parents didn’t support my music career, I left Italy to pursue my dreams

By Etan Smallman

Italian-based genre-blending artist Modola is opening up about the personal influences behind her musical journey, crediting her Management for shaping her music career and instilling discipline.

Nigerian musician Modola Awosika, or Modola, gave a firsthand account of the compromises she made in chasing her musical dream, to the conflict between family obligations and artistic desire. On a recent podcast with TV personality Tacha, Modola spoke about the emotional and practical problems she faced, giving young musicians hope as they make the same choices.

Raised in Milan, Italy, to parents who had immigrated to that country when Modola was two years old, she spent her childhood immersed in a rich cultural environment that nurtured her passion for performing. Yet, although her parents saw early on that she had talent, they had in mind more secure futures for her, far removed from the vagaries of the music business. “My parents disagreed on my career as a musician. I had to emigrate from Italy for it to happen, to migrate here and achieve my dreams,” she revealed, her voice weighed down by the recollection of having made such a definitive choice.

The return was put on the agenda in April 2023 when Modola made the bold move to return to Nigeria. This was followed by a time of deeper rediscovery. “It was not easy to let go of everything, but I know that I could not lose. I was born to do music,” she told Tacha, getting the choice to make a leap of faith as frightening yet liberating. When she finally settled in Lagos, she was faced with the harsh realities of beginning from scratch, existing alone without covering, useless auditions, and the isolation of being a stranger in a world where survival was battled tooth and nail.

Her own success came through sheer determination and a dash of destiny. Modola was indebted to her first managers, Baseworld and PG Records, who spotted her talent in Nigeria first. “When I came back from Italy, all I had was a dream. Thankfully, I found Baseworld and PG Records—I thank them until eternity,\” she said, explaining how their faith was the origin of her growth. As her guides, she honed her sound—a blend of Afrobeats with soulful music and socially conscious lyrics that focused on survival and identity issues.

Apart from logistics, Modola also drew on the broader issues of being a woman artist in Nigeria’s patrilineal music culture. She spoke about the micro-bias, the extra scrutiny of her photo and work, and the mental energy it took to keep going. “You have to do twice the work to be considered half as good,” when you’re a woman, she said, talking about late-night studio sessions and delayed collaborations. Tacha, who has made her own success story in the entertainment industry despite the opprobrium of the general public, was full of praise for Modola’s resilience, terming her life story “a blueprint for any young artist doubting themselves right now.”

Modola’s resolve became a reality when her track “Talk” was released towards the latter part of 2023, which turned into a social media viral sensation, racking up millions of streams and streams and making her a household name. The brutally honest words on empowerment resonated with the masses and landed her on major playlists, and opened doors to collaborations. Today at 20, she’s making waves all over again with new projects, vouching that her Milan-to-Lagos experience was not a risk but an awakening.