So, you’ve got the talent. Your freestyles make your friends shout, your hooks are catchy enough to haunt people’s dreams, and your voice is smoother than Agege bread, but now comes the hard part—getting people to actually hear your music.

In Nigeria, being an independent artiste isn’t just about having a nice voice or deep lyrics; it’s about grinding smart. No label? No problem. All you need is strategy, stubbornness, small money, and a big mouth (both online and offline). 

From charming DJs to sliding into Bolt drivers’ playlists, here are 10 practical, very real ways to start building your music career.

Let’s get into it.

1. Upload Your Songs to Free Audio Platforms.

Don’t sleep on free music libraries. Sites like Pixabay, Free Music Archive, Jamendo, and SoundCloud (with Creative Commons settings) let you upload your songs for use in videos, podcasts, and all kinds of content. Content creators are constantly searching for copyright-free music to avoid the YouTube thunderbolt of demonetization. 

When your track is labeled as free to use (with credit or not), you open the door to unexpected promo—your song could end up in a cooking vlog in Germany or a gym reel in Nairobi. That’s exposure without lifting a finger. Just make sure your song is shazamable. If you don’t know about shazam app, should you really be making music?

2. Make DJs Your Best Friends.

Not just the club DJs. I'm talking about wedding DJs, campus party DJs, even the ones that play music at end-of-year office parties. These guys are the gatekeepers of the aux cord. Slide your song to them politely—free or paid—and hope they bless you with that precious pre-party slot (you know, when no one’s really dancing yet, but people are listening with full brain capacity). This is your first unofficial radio.

3. Befriend Bolt Drivers, BRT Drivers, and That One Guy with a Speaker in His Danfo.

Yes, seriously. If you’ve ever sat in traffic and heard a full playlist in someone’s car, you know this is real. Have something organized with BRT and ride booking drivers . Ask them to play your song. Let your banger be the soundtrack to someone's go-slow frustration. That’s organic marketing, Lagos-style.

4. Put Your Friends with Public Jobs to Work (Lovingly).

Got friends who work in barbing salons, lounges, restaurants, or clubs? Perfect. Call them up. Beg them, beg them with suya if needed, and get your song on their playlist. People often Shazam songs in public spaces when they hear something catchy. So give them something to Shazam. Don’t let their playlist be only Burna and Rema all day—squeeze yourself inside.

5. Run Ads Like You’re a Tech Bro.
Boomplay, Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer let you promote your song with ads. It doesn’t have to cost your entire life savings. A small budget and a good campaign can help your song pop up on people's playlists.

6. Dress Like You are Happy—But Not Like Davido (Yet).

This is not the time to wear diamond chains when your streaming numbers are still in the hundreds. Stay clean, look fresh, but keep it real. Humble fashion makes you more relatable. Nigerians are observant; they’ll drag you if you dress like you’ve arrived when you’re still at the bus stop.

Also, invest in crisp photography, write a bio that makes you sound like the next big thing (even if you’re still recording in your cousin’s living room). Fans love a good “I started from the bottom of the bottom” narrative.

7. Build Your Sound Like It’s Your Superpower.

Have a signature. Maybe it’s an intro tag like "E be things!" or the sound of a plate falling down. Create a vibe people can recognize before Shazam even kicks in. Are you the sound of summer, spring, energy or heartbreak?

8. Radio Is Not Dead.

If you’ve got friends at radio stations, you’ve basically won half the battle. Slide into their DMs or WhatsApp. Even without connections, small local stations often offer cheap ad slots. A little 1 minute jingle here and there can go a long way. Have you ever been curious why Chella’s My Darling is so brisk and catchy?

9. Be Loud Online—Shout If You Have To.

Meanwhile, don’t be a ghost online. Post your performances, skits, or even your grandma dancing to your track. 

Join trending topics on Twitter/X. Comment under celebrity posts (not spam o). Do IG Lives even if only five people join. One of them might be your future manager. Nigerians are naturally curious—give them something to watch, laugh at, or vibe to. Post consistently and let people see your journey, flaws and all.

10. Offer Your Music to YouTubers, YouTube Films and Use Instagram Soundtracks.

Here’s one pro move most artists ignore: talk to small YouTubers and IG content creators. Tell them, “Use my song for free, no copyright wahala.” They'll jump on it faster than free Wi-Fi. The fear of copyright strikes is the beginning of wisdom for many YouTubers. 

Giving them safe music makes you their hero. Also, upload your song to platforms like Instagram Soundtrack so people can use it in reels and stories—free promo while they flex their outfit of the day.

Conclusion

All the best! Try these and come back to discuss what happened.

Image Credits: Unsplash.