To paint the perfect picture of the relationship between artistes and producers we'll illustrate with a very relatable Nigerian circumstance. Music Producers are sort of the fuel, diesel or/and engine oil for the common light generators that most of us use. Lets add to our imagination that the fuel is the producer's input and the generator is the artiste
If one fuels one's 3.5 KVA generator with about 5litres of fuel or less the generator would certainly start up but may not run for a long time. Imagine the fluctuating sound when your generator is not running on much fuel, or has not been serviced with fresh oil added, it wouldn't produce standard power for your light bulbs or carry multiple appliances as it should. In the same vein if an artiste has little or amateur producer input, the artiste will have a song produced but limited creativity and/or low quality and with a short span or audience reach. These types of songs may be good as demos but may not cross the roof and captivate an audience as it should, just like you can manage a poorly serviced generator till it is checked. To get a generator running smoothly and efficiently, and for a long time, one would need to fill up the tank as much as possible, check the oil is sufficient and voila! So long as the parts of the generator (artiste) are functional and the producer's input is top notch, one can expect the output (song) to be satisfactory. Functional skills (parts of a generator) an artiste needs are good vocals, good songwriting among-st other things just like the valve or fuel host or engine starter in generators make it function.
The producer's input is just as important as the artiste's contribution. For producers who make beats for people to sing on, a beat is some what incomplete without underlying vocals spitting some lyrics. It is important to note however, that there producers or musicians that make beats with instrumentation, which are sufficient enough to be called a song. A clear example is the musical expressions on SARZ's SINYM producer Ep, released in 2019. So sometimes, the producer doesn't need the artiste. In rare cases as well, an artiste can be skilled enough to run "acapella" songs without the need for a producer. So the it is safe to say as well that the artiste doesn't always need a producer.
Producers can be nurturers of artistes and could grow their careers simultaneously just by working together. Sarz again, is a good producer example owing to his impeccable beats over time that spurred Afro-house queen, Ninola's successful career. In the same vein, Artistes' diversity can also play imminent roles in growing a producers. When the right artiste with all the right ingredients like inspiration for good writing, promotion, opportunity and sometimes luck, combines their vocals with a producer's beat, they can sponsor growth for the producer as well. A good example would be how Naira Marley's electric music is bouncing off Rexxie's zanku sound creation, making him (Rexxie) a recent icon to be reckoned with in the industry.
However, in this time and age of boundless creativity, new age songs and the music business as a whole, the producer- artiste synergy is most important to get the artistes song to its optimum advantage. Music producers are not just beat makers or recording engineers, their responsibilities span across both of those and maybe much more like objectively directing and finessing the artiste's vocal delivery, fine tuning lyrics etc. Although some producers have proven to be nothing but beat makers being that they make no extra addition to the artiste's song asides the beat, they or their beats are still highly important. Artistes are the music generating elements in terms of vocalizing lyrics of song. The artiste mostly doubles as the writer and composer and the producer brings the artistes ideas to life. Apart from inborn talent, it is important that an artiste is commercially appealing since the success of a song robs off on both parties and is beneficiary for them financially and otherwise. Certainly, it takes the joint efforts of producer and artiste to create the opportunity for such success.
No one can really do without the other. An artiste cannot be an island in the music business just as "no man" can. Even if the artiste doubles as a beat-maker, engineer and more than all that. The objectivity, additional creativity and shepherding of a producer's beat are in inestimable value. The artiste as well, further livens songs and gives meaning to beats made. Some producers are singers and writers as well, they can in turn double as the artiste apart from producer role. But even with that narrative, the producer will need the "artiste" side of him/herself for creating music with "producer" side. Artistes help actualize envisioned songs and stand as the face of the output so their role cannot be underestimated as well. Other arguments or corroborations may arise but in my concise opinion the producer is just as important as the Artiste. Neither is importanter