The Nigerian superstar recalls male executives making unwanted advances during business meetings and studio sessions, describing the pressure as a major early career challenge.
In a candid and emotional revelation, celebrated Nigerian singer Yemi Alade has opened up about the pervasive sxual harassment she faced as a teenage artist trying to launch her career. The “Johnny” crooner shared that music executives repeatedly demanded sxual favors in exchange for opportunities, creating a hostile environment that nearly made her quit music.
Speaking on the Swift Conversations podcast, Alade described arriving in the industry with little more than raw talent and a dream. “I didn’t have a bank account full of money I could use to sponsor myself. I just had a talent and a zeal,” she recalled. However, she soon discovered that her talent alone was not enough. “There were doors I needed to walk up to and when I walked up to the doors, they didn’t want my talent, they wanted something else.”
She recounted traumatic experiences, detailing how powerful men would make unwanted physical advances during professional settings. “Many times from business meetings to studio sessions… you meet maybe the managing director or any other executive and they are trying to rub your thighs under the table. And I was just a teen,” she shared. The harassment became so “rampant” that she seriously questioned her future in music.
Alade credited her perseverance to an inner conviction. Ultimately, she found success by shifting her strategy. She realized she “needed to stop walking through the doors and start breaking down the walls,” a powerful metaphor for forging her own path and refusing to be gatekept by predatory figures. Her testimony sheds a stark light on the systemic challenges many young women face in the entertainment business.
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