Singer Korede Bello has opened up about his decision for leaving Mavins Records, where he was signed from 2014 to 2021.
In a recent interview with Hip TV, Korede Bello explained that his desire to focus on personal growth and artistic goals influenced his choice to leave the label. He shared that leaving Mavins Records was driven by a realization that he felt more like a commercial product than an artist discovering his true value and passion. Korede Bello expressed that during his time at Mavins Records, he began to feel like he was merely a product for sale rather than an artist pursuing his deeper artistic ambitions.
He reflected on how leaving Mavins Records was essential for him to reconnect with his purpose and rediscover what truly matters in his career.
He said: “I was at a season in my life where I needed to metamorphose, to explore my inner worth, to do introspection, understand myself, understand meaning more, and reconnect to my why. Because I was at a stage where I started to feel like a product that is just there [at Mavins Records] to make money. You lose sight of what matters when you chase after the next hit, after the next whatever it is that can get you into conversations. So a lot of artists are addicted to that circle.”
Korede Bello also recently shared his thoughts on working with Don Jazzy while at Mavins Records. In a heartfelt post on his X account, he expressed his gratitude and respect for his former boss. The “Godwin” singer took to social media to praise Don Jazzy’s character and the positive impact of their time together at Mavins Records, showing deep appreciation for the renowned music producer.
Meanwhile, Korede Bello has stated that while winning a Grammy is an honor, making people happy through music is even more important. The former Mavin Records signee emphasized that artists often seek such accolades for validation, which helps them grow professionally. However, he questioned whether Nigerian artists should depend on international awards, like the Grammys, for legitimacy. Korede Bello believes that rewards, such as commercial success or returns on investment, are preferable to awards.
He said, “There is a common pidgin saying that can loosely be translated to mean, it is where one works that one will eat. Part of the things we eat as artistes is validation for our art. Validation for making great art is good. And, that can be very inspirational for others to make better art. When an artiste makes it to the nomination list of a prestigious award, they are already winners in my opinion. Every other thing is subjective. However, I believe in rewards over awards. Rewards can come in the form of commercial success or returns on investment. That way, one knows that the quality of what one puts in is what will determine what one will get. Awards are good, but knowing that one’s art makes many people happy is a better feeling.”
On the topic of inspiration, Korede Bello added, “As far as I am concerned, there is no place that is too weird to get inspiration from. Everything is art, and everything can be inspirational. Pain is a beautiful place to create art from. As a matter of fact, this question is already giving me inspiration for a new song. Is that weird?”
