Nigerian singer Chidozie Godsfavour Ugochinyere, popularly known as Fave, has said female artistes face greater challenges achieving success in the country’s music industry because they are often judged on more than their talent.
Speaking during a recent episode of the Afropolitan podcast, Fave said female artistes are frequently assessed based on their physical appearance, fashion choices and sex appeal rather than the quality of their music.
The singer described the situation as problematic, noting that women are often judged by their looks and how they dress before their musical abilities are considered.
Fave also pointed out that male artistes do not face the same level of scrutiny, arguing that they are generally allowed to be judged primarily by their music.
She said, “It is harder for female artists to blow. Female artists aren’t measured by talent but by what they wear. If your tummy isn’t flat… It is never really about the music; it is more about people’s sexual desires or their fantasies about you.”
Fave added that the focus on how female artistes dress before their music is heard creates an unfair standard, which she said is not similarly applied to men.
Despite what she described as the challenges facing female artistes in the Nigerian music industry, Fave claimed that women often outperform their male counterparts.
