Why I Left Music to Pursue Mass Communication - Korede Bello

Nigerian singer Korede Bello burst into the national consciousness in 2014 with the release of the globally successful hit song “Dorobucci”. This song and the subsequent releases of other hits like “Godwin”, “Romantic”, and “Do Like That” made Korede Bello the man of that moment. But then during the peak of his career, Korede Bello decided to do what nobody expected, and return to school to go and pursue a degree in mass communication.

Now, in a new interview with The New Telegraph, Korede Bello opens up about his decision to leave his music career at its peak to go and study mass communication, as well as how he has been able to cope with the mental health struggles that come with being in the entertainment industry. Here is what Korede Bello said.

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During his interview, Korede Bello was asked: “Right at the peak of your career, you took time to get a Journalism degree. What informed that decision and how has it impacted your career?” Korede responded saying:

KOREDE BELLO: I love education, not so much traditional education but I love to learn how the world works and how the human mind operates. So getting a degree in Mass Communication seemed congruent with what I was already doing professionally; mass communicating art to the world. Writing a headline is not so different from writing a chorus. They both have to be catchy and evoke some sort of emotional reaction. News and Music are both languages of emotional connection. So yes, it is a good thing to be educated on your passion.

When asked how he’s been able to take care of his mental health while being in the chaotic entertainment industry, Korede Bello said:

KOREDE BELLO: I have observed that you can be the richest or the most famous person in the world and yet still be unhappy or unsatisfied on the inside. The internal environment is where true health lies. This means that external stimulation cannot fill the void of internal sanity. Everybody you know is looking for the same thing, to be well. Wellness is true wealth. We chase after money so that we can feel it well.

Entertainment is just another form of medicine. But the ‘doctors’ often forget that they’re human too and also need to pay attention to their internal environment. I see myself as a music medicine man, who is very aware that he also needs healing. I create time for healing so that my artistic creations can heal others. The world is getting crazier by the day because you have to be a little crazier than the norm to stand out. So we need more healers in the entertainment space. So for me, life is about balance. Wellness is a skill you can practice and not just something you pray for. How do I take care of myself? I allow myself to be taken care of.