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OUR artistes are missing on the digital scene.
I would place them as the largest group of technophobic talents in the creative industry.
They seem stuck in the dark ages, relying on stamped rules on the wall. Maybe they do not know anything about new media technology or are just plain ignorant.
For with all the fortunes abound in the digital age, I fail to understand why OUR artistes prefer the old style.
The environment we live in is no way generous to allow one to be isolated from its technological advances.
Creative industries have evolved by embracing appropriate technologies of the time, thereby meeting the needs of the consumers. Show me an artiste who can vouch they would make it big outside the new media realm?
Names being just names are insignificant to mention in this piece but, I know of many celeb status artistes who cannot operate a computer.
Do not dare ask those celebs of their twitter handles, for they neither have a handle in anything techy.
This technophobic scourge is proving detrimental to the growth of the artistes.
“People don’t like our music. They don’t buy our CDs . . . ,” so goes the complaint.
Instead of apportioning blame for not being supported by radio stations, fans and promoters, why not enter the new age.
This is where the fans are. We all hang around whatever social media platform is available. The music industry was the first media business to be consumed by the digital revolution.
This should ring a bell to that laggard of a musician still stuck in the dark ages. Digital, as many will confirm, is a very attractive option as music buyers can purchase songs, listen to music on portable devices, access music instantly and pay less for it.
Digital revenue comes in a variety of forms. Sales of downloaded singles and albums comes from services like Apple’s iTunes.
Following an hour long conversation with a tech geek from the National University of Science and Technology I gathered that the internet promises more to the industry.
He said there is an increase in the number of subscription-based offerings that include Spotify, Rhapsody and Muve Music.
I trust the nerd’s findings as I have seen how people, music lovers in particular, constantly surf music services from Apple and Google.
Music will forever be influenced by technology. You cannot call yourself a musician if you don’t subscribe to that. Geddit!
Being played on radio does not guarantee success and neither does it mean your song was heard.
Interaction with fans and would be followers on the cyberspace is what an artiste ought to be doing in 2014.
Read and research how successful music stables have made it on the internet. It comes as no surprise when a little known musician wins an award in France.
They are visible on the internet and with interaction with the web, one meets opportunity.
The trend posts a positive and assuring growth in London, Paris, New York, Johannesburg and Harare. In Bulawayo there is not much to talk about.
The digital sphere has unlimited barriers to produce, market and sell a music product.
If Facebook has millions of subscribers, why would a musician prefer to sell their CD at Egodini?
They are trying to sell a $5 CD to a crowd busy rating and purchasing Rihanna and Liquid Deep online. Internet is jargon to many city artistes.
Talk of music websites, emails and social media is met with shivers. The urban trend of breaking through the industry is the textbook version.
Anything outside the author’s thought is not appreciated. “Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube are for teenagers”. This they will say proudly.
But are teenagers not part of that fan base musicians need?
Wherever the fans are, so must be the musician. The digital age offers a free launch pad to any music career.
Music sharing sites have it that worldwide, recorded music industry’s revenue had remarkable growth in 2013, the first increase in more than decade as more people downloaded music and used online streaming sites.
So, why should one be busy lining up CDs on the pavement when there is money from just a click of the button?
I hope Chase Skuza is reading this. Banolila can still sell big online.
Adele’s 21 was the best-selling album online upon its release. Oh yeah! We all remember the British sad love songstress’ instant wonder. She made a fat purse out of it and part of the credit goes to internet marketing.
When internet music successes are mentioned, the issue of piracy comes up. There are lessons to be learned.
How did Adele do it? Oskido and DJ Cleo are living it up on ringtone downloads?
Why not OUR own musicians? Even DJ Black Coffee was stunned at the absence of local artistes in virtual space.
Missing Persons —this is what artistes have been. If the internet and new media technologies are a blessing elsewhere, then it is a welcome panacea for an industry battered by piracy, the shutting down of record shops and declining sales of CDs.
The growth (in terms of popularity) that came with music from Harare’s ghetto and backyard studios is proof of the impact of new technologyin spreading music.
These are hard-won successes for an industry that has innovated, battled and transformed itself in the face of limited resources (Do I hear Popopo).
What of Judgement Yard and the whole Zim dancehall movement?
These are some of Zimbabwe’s musical triumphs in the digital era.
Musicians, their managers and artistes must wake up and stop being sluggish. They have to learn how to meet the needs of consumers and make money out of the digital marketplace.
Record bars have migrated to that space too. One is a lost musician, promoter or producer if they know nothing about downloading and streaming music.
South African musicians — the ones Bulawayans are fond of — make part of their earnings from digital sales.
According to findings, digital music sales in Mzansi will account for 14 pecent of South African recorded music retail sales by 2017. As of now, the figure is at 11 percent.
I doubt if there is such data locally, given the apathy toward new media technologies.
The local industry’s state of health remains highly uneven. In Zimbabwe piracy remains endemic.
Raising dialogue on how to penetrate the internet will help many a hopeless musician.
Locally, traditional record companies seem reluctant to embrace digital methods of distribution and marketing. They point out the threat from online piracy (Batai Munhu), rather than the opportunities of new business models.
To all budding musos and those that are so technophobic, the earlier you can embrace new business models and services, the better.
Have a say: 0773481603 or chirp on twitter @ nkosi legend.
Online Reporter