How COVID-19 Made Me Delve Into Music Production, Management – DJ Mewsic Speaks

Oluwafemi Ojedokun, the Nigerian deejay, also known as DJ Mewsic, has said the hardship he experienced during the lockdown and ban on public gatherings induced by COVID-19 prompted him to delve into music production and talent management in the entertainment industry.

In an exclusive chat with our correspondent, DJ Mewsic said his business as a deejay was part of the many businesses that were affected when the ban induced by COVID-19 was in full swing.

Noting that things had been taking shape gradually since the ban was lifted, he said deejay business had yet to experience the boom it once experienced before the inception of COVID-19.

DJ Mewsic said, “In Nigeria, a lot changed about the DJ profession because of the pandemic. During the pandemic, deejays were separated from the crowd and the deejaying market was seriously affected. It wasn’t booming but gradually we are coming back but we still need to do more to put ourselves back on track.

“Before the pandemic, deejays usually release mixtapes; produce songs with music artistes and shoot music videos, and through adequate music promotions, people will get to hear more of us and we get more gigs. But during the COVID-19, the gigs were not coming and everyone had to cut their expenses short

“I exhausted all my savings; I used to work at night clubs and go on shows and tours with music artistes like Reminisce, Olamide, among others. But during the pandemic there was no work, and it also affected the artistes I worked with. So, the quest for survival made me improvise to start learning music production and proper music management.

“Now, my production ability is about 70 per cent and I have a working template to manage talents. So, the pandemic gave me time to learn some other things as there was no work and it was tough and not easy. But immediately the ban was called off, we went back to the street to continue the work and we are getting gigs but it is not yet like what we used to get before the pandemic.”

DJ Mewsic urged Nigerian deejays to operate in harmony to improve their stake in the entertainment industry.