Afrobeats singer Chimamanda Chukwuma, popularly known as Qing Madi, has shared that she deliberately keeps her wealth out of the public eye, choosing not to showcase her lifestyle on social media.
The fast-rising artiste made this known during a recent appearance on the Tea with Tay podcast, where she spoke about her values, career journey, and the realities of the Nigerian music industry.
According to her, maintaining financial privacy is a conscious decision aimed at ensuring she is not defined solely by money or material possessions.
Qing Madi noted that although financial independence has given her greater creative freedom, she sometimes feels the pull to align with audience preferences.
“Sometimes I might fall victim to consumerism, because I’m like, at the end of the day, they like this one, so it’s fine. But it doesn’t mean that I’m going to reduce the quality of what I make to fit what people desire,” she said.
The singer also highlighted the stark difference between what artistes earn and what many workers make, comparing music income to “drug money” because of how large the gap can be.
“You see someone working a nine-to-five earning maybe ₦500,000, and then an artist performs at one show and earns about ₦20 million. It’s like, whoa,” she said.
She further pointed to the role music plays in Nigerian society, describing it as a form of emotional relief in a country where access to mental health support is limited.
“I believe the reason Nigeria loves music so much is that we don’t have therapists. It’s an escape… Even when people are sad or depressed, they don’t take a break. So when they hear someone else telling their story, it resonates,” she added.
