adminR-Kay The Big Stage
There we go as usual, complaining about why we did not make it for the MTV awards.
Hey, before we get into the mathematics of that issue, when are we ever going to appreciate our own awards in Zimbabwe, our own artistes, our own products generally, just being Zimbabwean?
I don’t remember a day when we said from our hearts “well done” to the winners of the Namas, Zimas ,Tsamas and so on. All you hear is “these awards are not a full representation of what’s happening on the ground”.
Do we know the importance of an award? Is it necessarily about you liking the winner or about raising the market value of our artistes in the world and raising our profile as a nation demonstrating our appreciation of our local stars?
A lot of times we spend looking at organisational issues as to our expectations in comparison with other award ceremonies in the world and yet the core of the happenings is the recognition. If I were to ask you a deliberate question: “Who in Zimbabwe deserves recognition at the MTV awards and why”, what would you say?
Well, this week has been quite eventful with people discussing about why we don’t make it on the regional and international platform.
Remember when I started this year on this column, I discussed the international status — how one becomes recognised —and it seems a few months down the road its beginning to make sense. So we discussed this issue with a group of Zimbabwean music producers and below are some of the chats:
10:27, July 23 – Music Doctor: The out cry from Zimbos about the MTV awards question? Do we deserve
10:29, July 23 – H1: No we don’t @ the moment
10:29, July 23 – Icytat: I don’t think we do. Zimbos have never appreciated anything local. Gud or bad. So if we r not making noise for our local stuff why should we expect the rest of the world to appreciate our works?
10:38, July 23 – H1: Thats the truth right there
10:53, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Our music is commensurate with international standards… We as artistes producers and record labels should do more to get our music onto platforms other than local stations. Nothing prevents us from taking our music to MTV, Channel O, etc. Nothing stops us from sending our music for Grammy consideration other than our assumption that its not good enuf. We decide how we must be treated
11:06, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: We are not internationally recognised because we don’t have what it takes… How many among us have tried to make their music available internationally? Do we really believe the crowds we attract out there go beyond diasporans abroad? What are we actually doing to position our music?
11:08, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: What’s stopping us?
11:09, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: I do recognise there are some of us doing it with the international collaborations and such… Is that the only way for us?
11:13, July 23 – H1: Amana an artist should have management who should be looking out for the artist’s interest across the board haikona here where the artist is everything. Hazvibude akomana. Promoters are just there for the killing. Don’t be surprised to see Sulu and Jah Praysah as the supporting acts for Davido
11:28, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: U don’t need numbers to take yr music out there… There is nothing more unique pamusic yaDavido than what u guys are producing.. Difference is Davido is throwing his music beyond his borders and we are not… We don’t need collective effort… We need to wake up and get noticed… Send our music and videos everywhere…Knock on doors and access the markets with greater buying power… Influence foreign media to hype up our tours…if we wait to unite tichazomira futi kutsvaga committee tozomira futi kutsvaga cash yekuita push collective products too blamer uyu neuyu fr not being transparent…. Our not being on international platforms is not a bad thing…Its an opportunity for early bird to catch the fat worm
11:33, July 23 – Squash: We haven’t started taking music seriously
11:33, July 23 Davido also comes from a home town of 13 million people
11:34, July 23 – It’s simple mathematics.
11:34, July 23 – Squash ur from Gwanda
11:34, July 23 How many people there are championing ur music home abs abroad
11:35, July 23 – Squash: The ZimDancehall artists have their audience entertained
11:35, July 23 – And they are broke
11:35, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Begotten, isn’t that only because we confine ourselves to Zim? How many people from Beyonce home town are championing her music
11:36, July 23 – She’s from ATL so about 13 million also
11:36, July 23 – Kanye Chicago
11:36, July 23 – 29 million or so
11:36, July 23 – Etc
11:37, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Are they all championing her music
11:37, July 23 – H1: Mr In Concert all those things can work if u have an industry to talk about, all these regional/ international artists have the go to people for every lil aspect of the industry and they are well respected for their opinions. In Zim we don’t have that @ the moment. Do the maths the Zimdancehall guys have a gig @ the Netball grounds in Mbare 5000 pips @ $2 to get in & there are 100 artists to perform an hopefully have to be paid as well
11:39, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Truth is if she confined herself to Atlanta even with those 13 mill potential backers she wouldn’t be where she is today
11:39, July 23 – Joe Heshi Mfeshi: Number dont lie….create a movement we will succeed
11:39, July 23 – Squash: But Bsun… Toita sei manje? We need to expand however
11:39, July 23 – Begottenson : But having a strong population of middle class and upwardly mobile people helps
11:40, July 23 – H1: Amana each American city/ State is like a country on its own u don’t need to go national to succeed . Its just they have the systems in place to support their artists
11:40, July 23 – Squash: Lol
11:41, July 23 – Begotten: H1 ARTISTS IN America sometime never need national success
11:41, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: The point isn’t in hiding behind the numbers… It’s in putting value on your product and actually selling it. If we fail after having tried its another story
11:42, July 23 – Squash: I agree with Tinashe there
11:42, July 23 U can’t hide behind number.
11:42, July 23 U must use them
11:43, July 23 – Begottenson: For example. Who believes that Jah Prayzah is earning 60k a month
11:43, July 23 – Begottenson: Numbers are so important
11:43, July 23 – Begottenson We must use them
11:44, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Begotten, I am not discounting the numbers
11:45, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: I’m saying that we can’t let the numbers stop us from realising that we are spectators in a hand we should actually be playing
11:45, July 23 – Begottenson: Ok so what I am saying is this boys. To fully take over internationally u must really work ur town then city then nation first
11:45, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Game
11:46, July 23 – Begottenson: Once 10 million Zimbabweans believe. U have 10 million evangelists
11:46, July 23 – Begottenson: They then bring on the 4 million in diaspora
11:46, July 23 – Their family and friends
11:46, July 23 – Then they introduce their foreign friends
11:46, July 23 – Just like Davido
11:47, July 23 – It’s a virus infection
11:47, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: But like you said if we use that approach the numbers won’t work
11:48, July 23 – Begottenson: I think soon with Jah Prayzah we will see him get to international waters
11:48, July 23 – Coz all Zimbos believe
11:50, July 23 – H1: I believe so too provided he has the right team in his camp
11:50, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Rosalla miller akapinda international waters…Straight from here… Tinashe is causing a stir in America kuno people barely know her. Don’t confine your art when the world is becoming a global village. The bull needs grabbing by the horns
11:50, July 23 – Begottenson: Rosalla Miller was a fluke
11:51, July 23 1 song
11:51, July 23 Dead…
11:52, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: It only takes one song to break the waters.
11:53, July 23 – H1: Tinashe is not Zimbabwean by birth baba & haasati ambouya kuZim baba wake ndivo vakabarirwa kuno and relocated kustates kudhara dhara, so please ngatisambomutii ndewedu just like anana Thandie Newton, Samantha Mimba etc
11:56, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Bottom line is kukwana kwana beyond Zimbo hangouts…To send our music beyond Zimbo promoters…to fight in same arenas as the so called big fish…after all F# in USA is F# in africa
12:01, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Tinashe… Song like Carol’s Mwari Baba is as good as any for the big screen… Everything about it says international… Challenge… It was never taken even to local stations or exposed to centres that would gladly consume such a production.. So we are producing 5 star meals and selling to roadside dollar a plate market…
12:01, July 23 – H1: Dude the American music industry is designed in such a manner foreigners hardly penetrate it & thats what we have to do to succeed as well
12:02, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: The American music industry was designed in such a manner locals hardly penetrate
12:04, Jul 23 – Pardon Mutsago: The American market is an open market… The UK market… Our talent must be exposed to such big markets… I see no harm in say McDee co producing a song na Eminem…or 50c or Kirk… We just need to stop complaining and belittling Zimdancehall and actually attempt to force open these foreign markets
12:05, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Take it from someone who went to Berklee alongside phenomenal musicians. Most of them are now therapists, teachers, even done now finishing med school
12:07, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Those who are still in it are playing gigs in bars, very few are doing big things
12:07, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: I would salute one Zimbo
12:08, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Does anyone remember cat called Kundai Musinami?
12:08, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Herman Chimusoro is fighting to open up America to his music… He now has a TV slot on some station in USA… Regardless of size of station… He is fighting to be heard… Soon we will be saying…but blaz Ava vaive mfes wedu
12:08, July 23 begotten son; Love this chat
12:08, July 23 -Begotten: Eye opening.
12:09, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Tina its about the fight…. Kinda is doing it big in a market Zimbos would have shunned thinking we are substandard…
12:10, July 23 – H1: In Concert you are jumping the gun, understand the music dymamics first zvinhu hazvingoiitike in the music game its a beneficial relationship esp when it comes to big acts. An artist’s management will deliberately create a wall to block access to their artist. Bvunza some urban grooves artists vakaenda kuKalawa Jazmme kwaOskido wanting to work with Oskido without an appointment & basing their argument kuti they were Zimbos
12:11, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Correction Tina… His music is doing well on iTunes… Bulk of online purchases are from USA. Bottom line…he us a Zimbo fighting fr international space
12:12, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: I didn’t say he isn’t doing well… I know him personally… The bulk of his money comes from right here
12:14, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: He’s set himself up really well… He has the opportunity to work on his music because he has the backing to support himself
12:15, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: And lets not discount his ability to network
12:16, July 23 – H1: Nhai akomana tipeiwo song one yaHerman that has at least dominated the charts here in Zim, so that u can explain the so called sales on Itunes
12:16, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: Music biz is about hustling…. If its not your management doing the hustling… Then its u the artist who gets hands dirty.. If zim market is small… Its not the end… Look elsewhere… If your music fails to find an ear here…. Look for alternate markets… Look at Josh Meck…his music here was struggling…. He tried a different market and it worked for him… John Jazi… Struggled here… But RSA embraced him…now he tours the world over…nothing says we must fight for local radio full stop
12:17, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Charts in zim don’t translate to iTunes sales. So there would be no explanation
12:18, July 23 – H1: Is Josh being played on mainstream South African radio stations?
12:19, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: ITunes is all about your ability to direct traffic of enough people to your music on iTunes.
12:20, July 23 – H1: @ Tinashe if an artist like Tuku is dominating itunes sales from a Zim perspective then how do u justify Herman then coz he is hardly known as a musician except if you are a sound technician or something
12:23, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: iTunes is all about your ability to direct traffic of enough people to your music on iTunes.
12:24, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: You don’t need to be Tuku.
12:24, July 23 – Pardon Mutsago: As this is a producers forum… Most of whom are also artists… We would do we’ll to understand the changing machinery of sales and the music business.. We will do well to learn the art of networking and to influence social media ..we will do well to understand the workings of emoney… The returns possible from u tube hits… Let’s learn the machinery that works after studio production is complete… Wat do we do with our songs beyond selling cds
12:28, July 23 – Russo: Mungaswere muchitaura and all but what you might not know is people are trying by all means and work hard zvamunenge musiri kuona imimi….Patience zvichaita eventually…Inguva chete…Remember it only takes One song|Ndonzi Russo ndoitawo zvekubika mumhanzi
12:30, July 23 – H1: The truth is the bulk of your cash as an artist comes from performances/tours, merchandise & endorsements. There are streaming services now but the pay check ain’t that great @ the moment
12:35, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: That’s not entirely true… Revenue from downloads account for 46% of the $15 billion industry… That’s roughly 7 bill. Someone is getting paid. Lets find out how.
12:36, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: For those who love numbers
12:37, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: Those are 2013 stats though.
12:41, July 23 – H1: Tinashe research on how much Pharell got paid by streaming service providers for Happy, maybe you’ll understand why I said the figures aint great @ the moment
13:09, July 23 – T Wutaunashe: The point im trying to make is this… If we were to collectively fight to get even 0.5% of the online market, we would be accounting for over $34mill. We don’t have to be JZ or Michael Jackson to make money in this business.
13:27, July 23 – Mr Kamera: Interesting conversation
13:29, July 23 – Mr Kamera: Begottenson is right though… Make your town believe.. Then city.. They country.. Then you can move to the next…
13:31, July 23 – H1: @Kamera look at you, what kind of impact would it have made in the game had established your footing from here
13:31, July 23 – Mr Kamera: As producers we have no excuse… We can reach any market we want through the music… Our music can be placed in the US by anyone… Me personally, I make the artists sing in Shona.. Whether from Nigeria or Ghana.. I make them sing in Shona.. That’ll open up their market to the language Shona… By the time Sanii wants to push his record in Nigeria, the people have already opened up to Shona
13:32, July 23 – Begottenson interesting
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