AY Makun Says Artistes Now Charge Up to ₦200m to Perform at AY Live, Unlike Before When They Performed for Free

 

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Getting some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars to perform at a comedy show was not always as expensive as it is today.

For AY Makun, who has been behind AY Live for many years, the entertainment business has changed considerably. He remembers a period when relationships within the industry played a major role in getting popular artistes to show up for the annual comedy and music event.

According to him, some of the biggest names in Nigerian music have performed at AY Live over the years, including Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Olamide.

Back then, the arrangement was often less complicated. An artiste could agree to perform based largely on the relationship they had with the organisers, while a reasonable amount was provided to take care of transportation, accommodation and other logistics.

AY said that period has changed, with the cost of securing major artistes for live performances now running into hundreds of millions of naira.

“for many years, since the beginning of AY live, Wizkid, Davido, Burna boy, Tiwa Savage, Olamide have all performed at AY live. Those days many appearances were made possible through friendship. An artiste would accept any reasonable amount to cover their logistics, but today, the Nigerian musicians charge ₦200 million, ₦120 million, ₦80 million to appear on my show.”

The figures he mentioned show just how different booking a major music act can be today compared with the early days of AY Live.

AY Live has grown into one of Nigeria’s prominent entertainment shows, combining comedy with musical performances and bringing together established entertainers and music stars. Over the years, the event has provided a platform where comedians and musicians share the same stage for a large audience.

For AY, the change in artiste fees is part of the wider transformation of Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Music stars have become major commercial brands, with performances now forming an important part of their business.

What was once handled through friendship and basic logistics has, in many cases, become a major financial commitment for event organisers. For a show like AY Live, which brings together several entertainers, booking even a few high-profile musicians can therefore take up a significant portion of the event’s budget.

This simply reflection how much the business side of live entertainment has changed over the years, especially as Nigerian artistes have gained bigger audiences and greater commercial value both locally and internationally.

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