‘Why fans no longer faint for musicians’ – Paul Okoye

Paul Okoye, known professionally as Rudeboy and formerly one-half of the music duo P-Square, has expressed concerns regarding the impact of social media on the relationship between artists and their fans. In a recent interview with Lun Lifestyle TV, Rudeboy suggested that social media has diminished the mystique surrounding musicians, subsequently lowering the prestige that fans once associated with them.

Rudeboy noted that while social media offers several advantages, it has also eroded the allure that made artists seem enigmatic and larger than life. He pointed out that this shift has led to a decline in the excitement fans experienced when encountering artists, whether in person or through music videos.

The singer criticized the current trend of creating music videos, claiming they have become a financial burden. “Music videos somehow now, because of this generation, is a waste of money. I am sorry to say this,” he remarked. He reminisced about the days when P-Square maintained a low profile, suggesting that the limited visibility contributed to their popularity. “You just watch music videos, you see us, and that’s it, or we come to your country, you see us,” he added.

Rudeboy commented on the decline of awe among fans, saying, “The reason you don’t see people faint for artists anymore is because they see them on TikTok every day dancing and promoting your music.” He speculated that if legendary artists like Michael Jackson were alive and active on social media, they would not evoke the same level of excitement among fans.

He lamented the loss of an era characterized by artistic mystery, stating, “Unfortunately, it’s too late for us to bring back the era of artists being mystiques.” Rudeboy argued that the expectation for artists to share daily updates has led to oversaturation. He described how fans now have access to intimate details of artists’ lives, saying, “Artistes are now too exposed. Fans see how they eat, cry. Before, when artistes went to clubs, they stayed in restricted VIP areas, but now when they are clubbing, everyone is filming.”

While recognizing that social media has introduced positive changes to the music industry, Rudeboy also criticized its negative consequences on the artist-fan dynamic.

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