Nigerian singer Waje has opened up about a surprising experience from the earliest days of her career, one that taught her a lasting lesson about value, recognition, and the business side of music. In a recent interview, the soulful vocalist revealed that she was never paid nor credited for her contribution to P-Square’s 2007 hit song “Do Me,” despite her powerful vocals being one of the song’s most recognizable features.
Waje, whose real name is Aituaje Iruobe, has long been celebrated as one of Nigeria’s finest voices, capable of delivering both emotional depth and technical mastery. But before she became a household name, she was simply a young singer looking for an opportunity to break into the industry. That opportunity came when she was asked to record vocals for “Do Me,” a track that would go on to dominate African airwaves and become a club anthem across the continent.
Speaking on The Honest Bunch Podcast, Waje described the bittersweet nature of that experience. While the exposure from “Do Me” helped her voice reach millions of listeners, she never received financial compensation or public acknowledgment for her work. The moment that drove the point home came when she heard the song playing in a market in Onitsha and tried to tell people that it was her singing, but no one believed her. To make matters worse, she was not featured in the official music video because she did not have a passport at the time, a seemingly small detail that had a significant impact on her early visibility.
Despite the disappointment, Waje has often described the episode as one of the most important lessons of her life. She learned that talent alone isn’t enough, structure, contracts, and business awareness are essential in a creative industry where recognition can easily be overlooked. In her words, that experience “taught me the importance of structure, contracts, and value,” pushing her to take control of her career rather than simply being a voice behind someone else’s success.
After “Do Me,” Waje began building her identity as a solo artist. Her self-titled debut album, W.A.J.E, released in 2013, established her as one of Nigeria’s leading female vocalists. Over the years, she has released several critically acclaimed projects, collaborated with artists across genres, and mentored younger musicians. In 2019, she partnered with fellow singer Omawumi to launch Hermanes Media, a platform designed to produce and promote creative content with a focus on empowering women in entertainment.
Today, Waje’s career stands as a testament to resilience and reinvention. She has served as a judge on The Voice Nigeria, used her platform for advocacy, and continues to be a respected voice in both music and public life. Her honesty about the struggles she faced early on, especially as a young woman in an industry where credits and compensation are often neglected has sparked important conversations about fairness and professionalism in the Nigerian music scene.
Waje’s story is not an isolated one. Across the music industry, countless background singers and session artists contribute to hit songs without proper acknowledgment or payment. Her experience sheds light on the need for structural reforms, better contracts, transparent agreements, and artist education to protect creative contributors at all levels.
Nearly two decades after “Do Me” made her voice famous, Waje has transformed what could have been a bitter memory into a symbol of strength and wisdom. She turned an unpaid gig into a career-defining moment, using it as motivation to claim ownership of her craft. For Waje, that early lesson was not the end of a dream but the beginning of a legacy, one built on perseverance, purpose, and an unwavering belief in her own worth.
