Zlatan Ibile Says Influencer Culture Is Affecting The Quality Of Music In Nigeria

According to Ireporter Online, Nigerian Afrobeats star Zlatan Ibile has raised concerns over the growing influence of social media culture on the country’s music industry, saying it is reshaping both celebrity status and the quality of music production.

Speaking on the Afrobeats podcast hosted by Shopsydoo, Zlatan noted that music creation is no longer restricted to professional musicians, as skitmakers, pranksters, TikTok creators, and other influencers are now actively releasing songs that often gain massive attention and viral success.

He explained that while musicians once exclusively dominated celebrity status in the entertainment space, content creators and influencers now share equal prominence, significantly shifting audience attention and industry dynamics.

Zlatan suggested that this evolution is contributing to the viral spread of songs by non-traditional artists, adding that the trend raises concerns about its impact on the overall standard of music being produced in Nigeria.

“It used to be that artists were the celebrities, but now TikTokers, influencers, and content creators are celebrities. That is why you can see an influencer or skit maker drop a song and it blows up,” he said.

Similarly, singer Kcee has previously expressed concern over the same issue, arguing that while influencer culture has some benefits, its disadvantages appear to outweigh them, particularly in relation to the organic growth of music, streaming patterns, and chart performance.