Fave has opened up about the pressures female artists face in Nigeria’s music industry, saying women often face judgment over their bodies, clothing and sexuality before people hear their music.
Speaking on the Afropolitan Podcast, Fave said female artists in Nigeria face different standards from men, with their appearance often attracting more attention than their talent.
I think we’re held to very different standards in the industry. I feel like we’re not measured by our talent or, you know, our stage presence or, you know, just the normal metric that you’re supposed to measure an artist by. We’re measured by what we wear.
The “Baby Riddim” hitmaker said female artists can also face scrutiny over their bodies, with conversations about their appearance sometimes taking priority over their music.
It’s never really about the music. It’s more about, you know, people’s sexual desires or their fantasies about you.
She also spoke about unwanted sexual advances, saying some female artists encounter them while trying to access studios, influential people and career opportunities.
While Fave was speaking about Nigeria, the issues she raised have also surfaced in Uganda, where several female artists have spoken publicly about pressures they encountered in the industry.
Cindy Sanyu said in an April interview with Spark TV that rejecting sexual advances from powerful people had affected her career.
My music was not played for almost a year because I refused to sleep with some people in power.
Gloria Bugie also alleged in 2024 that a producer withheld a song she had paid for after she rejected his advances.
Kataleya & Kandle have also spoken about unwanted advances, saying they rely on boundaries, professionalism and staying together to protect themselves.
The Ugandan experiences differ from Fave’s account, but they add another perspective to the pressures women can encounter while building careers in African music.
Fave also argued that female artists often have to work much harder to earn attention.
I see female artists always trying to do 10 times more, you know, just to even be in topic or in conversation.