Viral songs may fade, but good songwriters will thrive — Puffy Tee

Veteran music producer Temidayo Joseph, popularly known as Puffy Tee, has expressed concern about the growing emphasis on viral songs and social media popularity.

Speaking in an interview with Saturday Beats, the producer, known for his contribution to Olu Maintain’s hit song, Yahoozee, said some emerging artistes were neglecting songwriting and originality in pursuit of commercial success.

The producer advised emerging musicians to prioritise originality, warning that the popularity of viral songs may not guarantee lasting success in the music industry.

 He said, “Viral songs may not remain popular for long, but artists who are talented and know how to write good songs can still find their place in the industry.”

He revealed that some of the qualities that would guide his assessment of contestants in the second season of the music reality show, Next Afrobeats Star, includes, ‘vocal ability, confidence, determination and a clear understanding of what contestants hoped to achieve with their talents’.

Puffy Tee, who also served as a judge in the first season, said he had learnt not to dismiss contestants too quickly, noting that some raw talents needed guidance and development to realise their potential.

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He said, “One lesson I learnt is that judges should not be too quick to dismiss contestants. Some of them are raw talents who need to be developed. You may not see their full potential until you work with them and help them improve.”

He added that aspiring musicians to develop their craft and understand the business side of the industry, stressing that talent, money and promotion alone could not guarantee a sustainable career.

“There is a difference between knowing how to sing and knowing what you want to achieve with your talent.”.

Reflecting on the impact of Yahoozee, Puffy Tee recounted how a man once gave him N500,000, claiming the song helped save his parents’ marriage.

He said the experience reinforced his belief that music could influence people’s lives beyond entertainment.

The producer also identified inadequate funding, limited industry knowledge and poor access to opportunities as some of the challenges confronting emerging artistes.