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“I Didn’t Earn a Dime from P-Square’s ‘Do ’Me’”—Waje Opens Up About Early Career Struggles
Nigerian powerhouse singer Waje has opened up about one of the defining yet bittersweet moments of her career, revealing that she was never paid for her contribution to P-Square’s 2007 hit single, “Do Me.”
Speaking candidly on The Honest Bunch Podcast, the award-winning vocalist, whose full name is Aituaje Iruobe, reflected on her early days in the Nigerian music scene and the hard lessons that came with fame.
“I didn’t earn a dime from P-Square’s Do Me,” she admitted, mixing humour with honesty. “That song opened doors for me, but it also taught me a lot about the business side of music.”
Released as part of P-Square’s classic Game Over album, Do Me dominated airwaves across Africa and became a party staple in the late 2000s.
Waje’s powerful vocals were an unmistakable part of its magic, even though many listeners didn’t realise she was the voice behind the hook.
Recalling those early days, she shared a humorous but telling memory.
“Imagine being in Onitsha market and trying to convince people that’s my voice every time Do Me is played,” she said, laughing. “They’d look at me like, ‘Who are you?’ They didn’t believe me.”
Waje went on to explain why she wasn’t featured in the music video, noting that she didn’t have a passport at the time the visuals were shot abroad, a factor that limited her visibility and public recognition for the song’s success.
While the experience left her feeling overlooked, she described it as a turning point that reshaped her approach to the industry.
“It taught me the importance of structure, contracts, and value,” she said. “Sometimes, your biggest lesson comes wrapped in your biggest break.”
Today, Waje stands tall as one of Nigeria’s most respected vocalists, an artist whose journey from unpaid collaborations to commanding stages worldwide mirrors the resilience of a woman who learned to own her voice, both literally and figuratively.
“I’m the female voice behind PSquare’s ‘Do me’ hit song, but I never got paid or received credit for it”
— Waje reveals pic.twitter.com/WJcfG5gd9Y
— Y! Online (@YNaija) November 3, 2025