Ghanaian record producer and Lynx Entertainment CEO, Richie Mensah, has urged music industry players to limit their expectations for artists after they leave their record labels.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Hitz FM, Richie Mensah explained that the kind of investment artists receive under record labels will be less when they work solo, and as such, their output may not be the same.
“Sometimes we should stop judging certain things by success. For instance, if I invest 1 million dollars in a project, and we make 1.5 million, that’s a success, right? But by the same metrics, if someone invests 200,000 and makes 400,000, that’s also a success.
“So just because the person is not making 1.5 million anymore doesn’t mean they are not succeeding. They are actually, by profit margin, making a bigger profit margin—far better than the 1.5 million. So we should stop putting so much pressure on people who had an entire conglomerate behind them to work at the same level when they go solo,” he said.
He made these comments while dismissing claims of a so-called “Lynx curse,” which suggests that artists who leave the label struggle to stay relevant.
Richie Mensah insists that this is not due to any curse but rather the natural challenges that come with leaving an established setup that provides strong industry support.
“Let me explain this so you understand—the music business is hard. Lynx, like I just mentioned, has over 60 employees, and even for us, it’s tough. People see the results and think it’s easy, but no—it takes a lot of brainstorming, hard work, and significant investment to keep us where we are.”
“When an artist leaves that setup and has to go solo, it becomes difficult. They are not cursed—it’s just tough. And as you’ve seen, some artists have left Lynx and done well. But maintaining that level is challenging because, unlike before when you had 60 people working on your project, now you may not have a dedicated team promoting your music on the streets,” he explained.
He further elaborated, “We have a team working on creatives, a team handling PR, and another managing visuals. When you leave and don’t have the resources to employ as many people, the amount of work going into your career drops significantly. Naturally, the output also declines.”