The Therapist Just Exposed Sierra Leone's Music Industry, and Nobody Can Argue Back

During an exclusive interview with renowned journalist Lamrana Bah on @truthmedia_sl.

Sierra Leonean artist The Therapist sat down and said what many have been afraid to say out loud. He named three major issues holding the Sierra Leone music industry back.

And the truth is brutal.

Issue #1: We Rush Music Like It's Fast Food

"Artists often record a song and release it the very next day without taking the necessary time to refine the sound and improve the quality."

Let that sink in.

Record today. Release tomorrow. No mastering. No mixing. No second listen.

The Therapist explained that this rush affects the overall standard of the industry and makes it difficult for local music to compete on an international level.

Meanwhile, Nigerian artists spend weeks sometimes months perfecting a single track. They test it in clubs. They get feedback. They master it twice.

We are releasing fast food while the world is eating Michelin star meals.

And then we wonder why Nigerians are supporting Boii more than we are? Because her quality is there. She took the time. She refined her sound.

Most of our artists don't.

Issue #2: We Don't Take Branding Seriously

"Branding goes beyond just making music it includes appearance, public behavior, consistency, professionalism, and how an artist presents themselves to the world. Without a strong and respected brand, it becomes harder for artists to attract sponsors, partnerships, and long-term opportunities."

This is huge.

We have artists who:

· Show up to interviews looking like they just woke up.

· Post reckless things on social media.

· Disappear for months with no content.

· Have no consistent image or story.

Then they wonder why no sponsor wants to touch them.

The Therapist understands that music is only 50% of the job. The other 50% is how you carry yourself.

If you don't look like a professional, no one will treat you like one.

And if no one treats you like a professional, you will never get international opportunities.

Issue #3: Promoters Treat Local Artists Like Garbage

"Promoters often fail to give homegrown artists the respect, recognition, and fair treatment they deserve. Instead, foreign artists are celebrated, highly valued, and better compensated, while local talents are overlooked. This mindset discourages artists and slows the growth of the industry."

This is the one that hurts the most.

Foreign artists come to Sierra Leone:

· They get flown in first class.

· They get hotel suites.

· They get paid in dollars.

· They get treated like royalty.

Sierra Leonean artists?

· Maybe transport fare.

· Maybe a cold rice and stew backstage.

· Maybe a promise that "next time will be better."

Why would any young artist stay in Sierra Leone when they see this?

The Therapist is right: this mindset discourages artists and slows the growth of the industry.

We are literally training our own talents to leave.

The Boii Example Proves Everything He Said

Let's apply The Therapist's three points to Boii:

The Therapist's Issue Boii's Reality

Poor production Her production is clean. International quality.

No branding Her image is consistent. She looks like a star.

Promoters ignore locals Nigerians promote her. Sierra Leonean blogs ignore her.

She has done everything right. And her own country still won't support her.

Meanwhile, Drizilik who puts her on his shows is trying to build. But one man cannot fix an industry.

Why This Matters Beyond Music

The Therapist didn't just talk about music.

He talked about self-respect.

If Sierra Leoneans won't support Sierra Leoneans:

· Not in music

· Not in business

· Not in art

· Not in anything

Then who will?

We keep waiting for outsiders to validate us. For CNN to feature us. For Nigerians to promote us. For BET to invite us.

But we won't validate ourselves.

We won't promote each other.

We won't even treat our own artists with basic dignity.

The Ugly Truth

The Therapist said it.

Nigerians and South Africans supported him before his own people did.

Boii has Nigerians in her comments while Sierra Leonean blogs stay silent.

Drizilik had to go to BET before Sierra Leoneans started taking him seriously.

We have a pattern.

And the pattern is: we only support our own after someone else does first.

That's not support. That's bandwagoning.

And it's killing our industry.

What Needs to Change

1. Artists: Stop rushing music. Take time. Refine. Master. Compete globally, not locally.

2. Artists (again): Build a brand. Show up professionally. Look like someone worth sponsoring.

3. Promoters: Pay local artists fairly. Treat them with respect. Stop acting like foreign artists are gods and homegrown talent is worthless.

4. Fans and blogs: Share local music. Comment encouragement. Stop waiting for Nigeria or CNN to tell you who to support.

The Therapist didn't hold back.

He named the problems:

· Poor production

· No branding

· Promoters who disrespect local talent

And he proved it with his own story: Nigerians supported him before Sierra Leone did.

Boii is living the same reality right now.

The question is: will we listen to The Therapist? Or will we keep doing the same things and expecting different results?

Because nothing will change until we decide to change it ourselves.