Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
POPULAR hype man and Star FM presenter, Simbarashe “Godfatha Templeman” Maphosa has praised musicians who are brave enough to host their own festivals without promoters.
The trend, which is now popular among Zimdancehall artistes, was started in Jamaica, where top crooners would stage annual solo festivals using their own resources.
Locally, Seh Calaz’s recently sold-out gig at City Sports Centre in Harare, featuring an array of stars, immediately comes to mind.
Freeman hosts his annual HKD Festival around October, while Killer T stages his event in Mbare. Winky D and Jah Prayzah have also tried it — and it worked.
Alick Macheso’s management has also come up with the Cheso Power Festival to be inaugurated on July 31 at Alexandra Sports Club.
South African energy goddess Makhadzi, real name Ndivhudzannyi Ralivhona, will provide cover. In other genres, Janet Manyowa’s ANOT Festival attracted a record crowd this year, leaving organisers moving to a bigger venue.
Feli Nandi’s festival is also coming in August, where she will be hoping to fill the Harare International Conference Centre.
In an interview with the Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Templeman noted that some local artistes are brave enough to try the concept without music promoters.
“It’s only now that we have this new concept of local stars holding solo festivals, but it started long back in Jamaica, where chanters have been holding their solo festivals annually,” Templeman said. “If you look at Jamaican artistes, we have Tony Rebel, who holds the Rebel Salute Festival with the likes of Capleton and the late Cocoa Tea, among others — having done that before.
“In this case, such events are relatively cheap to run because they are artiste-to-artiste deals, where one can invite his friends.
“This movement is a way to go, as was the case at Seh Calaz’s event, where he mobilised his own resources and came up with a circle of friends in music who came to support him.”
Templeman, who unearthed several chanters in Zimdancehall, revealed that solo festivals give promoters a clear picture of the standards these artistes set for themselves.
“Solo festivals by chanters are critical in that they help promoters understand artistes’ demands before hiring them in future for their events. “For instance, when one attends ANOT, you get a clear picture of the nature of the sound system, stage and lighting that Janet Manyowa’s team requires at her events.
“The same can be said of Winky D and Jah Prayzah when they organise solo festivals who specify the type of sound they require,” he said.
Templeman also noted the power of networking among artistes for this new movement.
“Such events are usually a success because the artistes running these events will certainly include artistes they get along well with.
“I wish this new phenomenon can spread to other genres, not only to be restricted to dancehall. “I am glad that Feli Nandi has her upcoming music festival—it’s healthy for her personal development.”
After years in the game, Templeman added that showbiz is all about thinking outside the box. “Such events give the hosting artiste freedom to do as they please, compared to shows run by promoters where time can be limited.
“Hosting solo events can also help artistes gain a clear understanding of how it takes to run a successful show and the total costs involved,” he added.
With this new wave of artistes hosting solo shows, promoters also learn one or two things — especially the value these artistes bring.
The trends they set at their shows also translate into standards they have.
However, it takes a lot of planning and marketing for such events to become successful.
Sometimes it takes months of planning and hyping the event to ensure it gets the attention of fans.
