adminBongani Ndlovu Entertainment Correspondent
BULAWAYO artistes yesterday admitted that they need to fine-tune their music in order to attract large audiences during shows and compete with their regional counterparts.In the aftermath of the recent Kalawa show where it emerged that the front-man Oscar Mdlongwa, popularly known as “Oskido”, may have earned more than a million rands, some Bulawayo artistes have been clamouring for a piece of the pie. Estimates are that up to 6,000 people attended the Kalawa show.
Khulekani Bethule aka Khuxman said local artistes should give the audience a product that appeals to them. He said even if the songs that they produce were force-fed to people, the audience would reject them.
“My opinion is that at the moment our Bulawayo products don’t have any consumers and thus no one wants to be associated with us,” he said.
“As long as we don’t address this issue then we won’t go anywhere because even if we force promoters to involve us in their events kuzanceda ngani njengoba abantu bezakuxotsha estejini?”
He said even if some songs were played on air, audiences did not listen to them. Khuxman said before recording, promoting and clamouring for a piece of the pie, artistes should be realistic about the music they compose.
“I have seen a lot of artistes recording stuff, packaging it properly, sending the stuff to all radio stations, giving out free promos to club DJs, posting songs as free downloads on Facebook some even holding free shows to promote their works but still the product fails to make any impact. I once again say to my brothers, our first port of call should be our products.”
Local DJ Mark Vusani concurred saying what people see today as Kalawa was something that was started in 1989 and has grown into a vibrant modern brand.
Instead of bickering and complaining, he said, local artistes should learn how it is done by the masters of the game.
“I believe let’s just respect and appreciate this experience and we learn from it for our future because we can get there!” he said adding, “Zimbabweans are good adaptors, and not complainers. So let’s be as such and learn lessons taught by our own foreign-based locals. This is free education at your backyard.”
Bulawayo artistes have for years complained of not getting enough airplay on radio and television stations. A film maker and urban movement commentator Philani Majama said marginalisation was the trump card Bulawayo artistes used to cover up for their “laziness.”
“The notion that Bulawayo artistes are marginalised is utter nonsense and just a cover up for laziness. Let’s prove this,” Majama said.
“How many artistes besides the Monks (Djembe) and those in theatre have sent proposals to Hifa and denied because they are from Bulawayo?
How many have managers pushing their agendas? Anyway abanengi engbaziyo batshonela utshwala and every cent they get goes to alcohol,” he said.
Events manager Archie Mhone said in any business there were challenges and Bulawayo artistes should learn to overcome those challenges.
“Ok, let’s agree there is marginalisation. What are Bulawayo artistes doing to overcome that? Are they complaining about marginalisation and waiting for someone to come and remove that marginalisation?
“In any business you face challenges and you find ways around them. That is the order of business. A good example, Oskido realises he cannot make the same money in South Africa that he makes here so what does he do? Once a year he comes to Bulawayo and makes a killing. Good business sense,” he said.
Online Reporter