Nigerian singer and songwriter Yemi Alade has revealed that she was sexually harassed as a teenager by music industry executives while trying to build her career.
Speaking on a podcast session, the award-winning artist opened up about the challenges she faced as a young talent with limited resources.
She explained that despite her determination and hard work, some of the industry’s gatekeepers demanded exploitation rather than appreciating her abilities.
Yemi Alade recounted that many of the incidents occurred during studio sessions and business meetings, often involving older men who were in positions of power.
As a teenager, she said she frequently found herself stunned into silence.
The singer said the repeated harassment made her question whether she wanted to continue pursuing a music career. However, she found the strength to stay committed to her passion.
“In those beginning days, all I thought I needed was just my talent because that’s what I have. I didn’t have a bank account full of money I could use to sponsor myself. I just had a talent and a zeal, and a promise that I made to myself and a promise I believed God made to me. So, I always tried to show up. I was told that I needed to work harder, and so I worked harder, and it wasn’t enough. There were doors I needed to walk up to, and when I walked up to the doors. They didn’t want my talent; they wanted something else. Many times, from business meetings to studio sessions, to even winning certain awards, you meet maybe the managing director or any other executive, and they are trying to rub your thighs under the table. And I was just a teen. My grandpa is rubbing my legs, and I can’t speak because I’m in shock. We are having an actual business meeting. Why are you rubbing my thighs? I had to speak to myself and decided if music was what I wanted to do because the sexual harassment was becoming too rampant.
But something in me told me to keep pushing my talent. So, I still showed up. If the door was left open for me, I would walk in. If it was shut in my face, I would walk away.” She said
