Highlife veteran and Zigima sound creator, Bright Chimezie, has reflected on the evolution of music production, highlighting the discipline and craftsmanship that defined his generation of musicians.
Speaking on The Honest Bunch Podcast, Chimezie said that unlike today’s artistes who depend heavily on producers and digital instruments, musicians of his era went into the studio fully prepared and confident in their craft.
“Before we went to the studio, we already mastered the craft, we knew the music and exactly what we wanted to do. We were not depending so much on the producer,” he said.
According to him, producers in the past had minimal work because artists came with their own rhythm, direction, and musical structure.
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“Back in the day, producers didn’t do too much work. If you were a good artist, you worked out the music within yourself. Most artists now come empty-handed—no direction, no rhythm. It gives the producer too much work, and that’s why most productions today sound alike,” he added.
Chimezie emphasized that in his time, true artistry was measured by a musician’s ability to play an instrument and create original sounds.
“If you have an instrument, you’ll be able to work out the song the way it plays inside you,” he said, noting that sometimes they spent two to three hours balancing drums before recording.
