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Bornwise Mtonzi Arts Reporter
Afro jazz songstress Hope Masike says she was inspired to venture into arts promotion by lack of exposure for female artistes on the local industry. Her main focus on art promotion will be on women whom she believes are not being fully represented.
In an interview with this publication, Hope Masike said the idea is to help increase brand visibility and influence and to expand market share for women artistes.
“Even though my work will involve both male and female artistes, I thought it noble to start by focusing on the female artiste as I believe the playing field has never been balanced.
“I believe we need to put a bit more spotlight on jewels we have in many female artistes who fail or struggle to shine the brightest they can be because of several hindrances,” she said.
Masike added that her worry was on the way that artistes are promoted in the mainstream industry.
“Most if not all mainstream shows done here have wide artiste line ups including very few or no female musician at all,” said Masike.
She blames this side lining of women to some of our cultural values that sees a woman as someone who belongs in the household.
She said these inhibiting factors range from societal expectations of what a good, ‘marriage-type of a woman’ is, to the very mind sets of the woman entering the industry.
“These hindrances, without pointing any fingers, are what we would like to challenge by changing what can be changed through creating more platforms, shading more light on female artistes work and encouraging each other to go on,” she said.
Her first promotional show was held in October, a jazz concert featuring Zimbabwe’s top women of jazz, Prudence Katomene, Dudu Manhenga and Rute Mbangwa and she termed it as a success.
“My first promotion show was very successful. We had great turn out.
“Taking into account the
fact that there were several other big concerts that same night, it’s a sure sign that people are starved of such products, audience asked for more on the same night and in future, already enquiring on when the next one will be.
“A satisfied audience is the best gift,” she said.
Masike said she used her own savings to promote the concert, in efforts to establish the
concept before approaching possible business partners and sponsors.
She added that this was also to establish that, with or without sponsorship, exceptional work can still be done and in future as women she looks forward to business partnerships and sponsorships that assist in propelling their work.
“We intend to foster music business practices just as well as big labels, festivals and other such promotion platforms do, our idea is the improvement of women in all art and in music businesses, note as a charity case as some generally misinterpret by associating all women emancipation initiatives with such,” Masike said.
Masike applauded the response of her fellow women, which she said has been wonderful and said as long as this “art and culture business is done well”, many female artiste are interested and she received a lot of support from the ladies she did a concert for.
Online Reporter