Daniel Anidugbe, popularly known as Kizz Daniel, has shared his thoughts on the obsession with chasing number-one hits on streaming platforms. In a recent social media post, Kizz Daniel encouraged his fellow musicians to focus on perfecting their craft rather than fixating on streaming numbers. His remarks come amidst the growing pressure for artists to achieve viral success on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and others.
Kizz Daniel stressed that the numbers on some platforms often don’t reflect the true impact of a song. “Leave social media algorithms, focus on your craft. Have you ever heard of a guy called Killer Mike? Guess not… 4 times Grammy winner,” he said, pointing to the success of the American rapper despite not always topping streaming charts. He continued, urging his colleagues to stop prioritizing chart positions. “Stop chasing number 1 song, it’s meh now – everything can be controlled… Most of those songs’ numbers no dey correlate on other platforms… check,” Kizz Daniel added.
In a follow-up post, the “Buga” hitmaker clarified that he wasn’t opposed to the use of bots or artificial methods to boost streaming numbers, acknowledging it as a marketing tool. However, he made it clear that he believes such strategies should only be used by those who are financially able to afford them. “Farming isn’t a crime, it’s marketing… for placement and all… But na for who get the money,” he wrote. His comments on the practice of “farming” — which refers to artificially inflating stream counts — came with a caveat that it isn’t suited for well-established artists like himself.
While explaining his position, Kizz Daniel emphasized that his message was not meant to criticize or “shade” other artists. Rather, he aimed to encourage rising talents to release their music without fear of not immediately achieving viral success. “We ain’t shading anybody here before una start, just tryna push the new generation to drop those hidden gems… I won learn,” he explained, urging young artists to trust their artistry and not be discouraged by the pressure to chart immediately.
The artist’s comments come at a time when the Nigerian music industry is increasingly dominated by streaming platform metrics, with many artists chasing viral hits and algorithm-driven success. However, Kizz Daniel’s perspective encourages a shift towards a deeper appreciation for the artistry and longevity of music, as opposed to fleeting online trends.
