Should Nigerian Music Performers Be In Nigerian Movies?
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Christina Ngene
I am a movie enthusiast with a passion for writing and a desire to see the African movie industries grow. I try to use my skills as an artist to cheer for Nollywood by writing for NollyMania. • Syndicate Correspondent
Nollywood is primarily about movies, but the vast majority of movies made in Nollywood have musical scores accompanying them. Music gives colour to movies and has been an age long practise. So Nigerian music performers are essential in making Nigerian movies. It is also another way for artists to make money.
However, one thing we are beginning to see more recently is the appearance of musical artists in Nigerian movies. The two industries are not incorporated, but many musicians have featured in Nigerian movies. Some of the Nigerian artists that have appeared in movies include TuFace, Falz, Peter Okoye, Banky W, Phyno and many more. Others like Tiwa Savage just made a cameo in an episode of Funke Akindele’s ‘Jenifa’.
Naturally, many music artists do badly as actors, since acting is not their primary skill. Although there are some honorable exceptions, it is still difficult to see an artist winning an award for his or her performance in a Nigerian movie anytime soon.
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Nigerian Movies Can Be Better With Music
There are currently no strong connections between the Nigerian music and movie industries. Music in Nigeria is an enterprise for individuals an companies who own studios – just like Nigerian movies are often made by independent filmmakers. In the Nigerian music sector, there are also organizations such as those that represent and manage musicians. From time to time, an artist is also hired to make a soundtrack for a movie.
There are elements of music that Nigerian movies have failed to offer. Musicals and biopics about artists have always done well in other parts of the world. We have hardly seen this in Nollywood. The lives of famous Nigerian musicians made into a movie could be a great way for artists to appear in movies. Nigerian movies can have a touch of music in more ways than just soundtracks and scores.
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