In the world of music, the right record deal can propel an artiste to international stardom, while the wrong one can stifle creativity and trap them in a cycle of regret.
Ghanaian musician Trigmatic has shared his experience of nearly signing with a major UK-based record label, a decision that could have drastically altered his career trajectory.
“I had an offer. They actually flew me to check their studios in the UK. I will never forget. And at the time, ‘My Life’ was big,” he revealed, referring to his hit song that made waves in the Ghanaian music scene.
At the time, Trigmatic had been chasing the label, eager to work with their A&R executive, who also handled global reggae star Julian Marley. But as fate would have it, the tables turned when his success caught their attention.
“I wanted to get in touch with their A&R who also worked with Julian Marley. Then eventually I released ‘My Life.’ So when they came, another year with a very big artiste to perform in Ghana, I think I was headlining that particular event.
“So the guy was shocked about how I had become so big within a year. Then wanted us to talk about the conversation I brought up earlier about working with them.”
However, the opportunity came with conditions that would have significantly impacted his career and personal life.
Read Also: More Than Music: The Multifaceted Life of Trigmatic
“When I got the contact, I would have signed [if I didn’t have a lawyer] because at the time I was having my issues with my former manager Godfred. And they wanted me to relocate,” he admitted.
The label boasted some of the biggest names in global music, including a female superstar and a male artiste of Ghanaian descent. The offer was tempting, and the allure of international success was undeniable.
“So I knew that me if I joined that label, internationally, I was gone,” he recalled.
But it was his lawyer’s intervention that saved him from a potentially devastating contract.
“That is where he showed me the holes in the contract and how long I would have been there for, some of the things I would have gone through,” he noted.
Years later, looking at how the label handled other artistes, Trigmatic is grateful for his decision.
“But now when I look back and I look at some of those artistes who were signed to the label, I think sometimes we don’t have to rush. Sometimes it is not about the glam.”
He reflected on how some of the artistes who were signed never reached their full potential, leaving him to wonder what might have happened if he had taken the plunge.
“But would I have still been there after 15 years, 10 years after? The same way they shelved other people I am sure they would have done to me. Because how they have moved to other artistes.”
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