People begged me not to sue Naana Blu for breaching our contract – Mimi Andani

The CEO of Darling Records Mimi Andani says she decided against suing her former artiste Naana Blu for breaking their contract after some acquaintances pleaded on the singer’s behalf.

According to her, not only did the singer breach their 10-year contract, Naana Blu left the label abruptly and signed with another label on the blind side of Darling Records.

“If I took the girl on, I'd break her into pieces. She would pay to her bone. Our culture really sometimes cripples us (because), I couldn't do anything to her based on the calls.

"People begging me saying ‘you would destroy her life and all’. If I take her on, she will pay that money. I'm going to win that case,” Miss Andani told Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z.

In 2020, Naana Blu left Darling Records claiming that the management had terminated her contract.

Speaking to Halifax Ansah Addo on Okay FM’s ‘Best Entertainment Show’, she said Miss Andani had told her the plans of the label had changed so they were no longer going to continue with the work.

But the Darling Record boss vehemently denies this claim stating that she has signed a long-term contract and would not carelessly terminate it.

Narrating what led to their split on JoyFM’s Showbiz A-Z, Miss Andani explained that she had started her record label with the hopes of intensively training young artistes before and after their debut in the industry.

Naana Blu, she said, was among the many artistes she signed and grave training to.

“What I was trying to do was trying to build their confidence when they come to interviews, know what to say, how to talk how to sit…I was training them on the basics even before you go to the studio to sing.”

“You have to even know how to walk to people, talk to people your demeanour and everything. Because of being in the industry and knowing some of the mistakes I made, I wanted to teach them certain things right," she explained.

The young artistes were housed, fed and trained. However, many left because they saw the training as a waste of time when others could release music and become hits overnight, the Darling Records CEO noted.

Miss Andani said because she was losing a lot of artistes who wanted fame fast, she decided to solely focus on one, Naana Blu, giving her all the expertise she needed.

“I spent a lot more than GH₵200,000 then that's like five years ago. She recorded six or seven songs. I did three music videos. I wanted it to come out and surprise everybody.

"She was in school then. I planned that 'I do not want you to lose your education'. It's important because I know what education has done for me.”

Miss Andani said that at the time she urged Naana Blu, a then third-year university student, to complete her education and immediately after, go into music production.

“She didn't tell me anything. Somebody that is under a contract for God's sake. You are mean. You've seen how much I've spent on you. You've seen I've shot videos.

"You've seen I've taken you to the studio and paid money. You've done about seven songs. You just leave me. All I saw was that you've released a song under a new record label.”

Miss Andani said that contrary to popular opinion their contract had not expired stating they still had several years to work together.

The Darling Record boss noted that although this experience scorched her, it did not stop her from believing in others.

“I think that as women and with our experiences, we can also step in and see the potential of the ones we think can allow themselves or avail themselves to be mentored and then we can help.

"I mean, you would meet people who disappoint you, who would make you lose investment and all that but we can't really just give up,” she added.